Help!

Not sure I even have readers out there anymore, but I am stuck. Sophia started kindergarten last month, and comes home in tears almost every day. Usually because of older kids teasing her, mainly because she doesn't know how to fit in to this huge school full of so many kids from so many backgrounds and who really don't want to play with a kindergartner. She's in a K-1 class at one of our local alternative charter schools, but it's still so hard. There are rough, mean kids in her class. They tease relentlessly. They steal stuff from her backpack. She should stay away, but she is drawn like a moth to the flame, wanting to play with these older kids. But they want no part of a little kid hanging out with them.

She also attends the afterschool program, since as a single mom, I need to be working to support us. So it's a long day for her. At 3pm, the older kids (up to 3rd grade) join the afterschool program and then there are even more big kids for her to be drawn to. Wash, rinse, repeat.

But I am ready to challenge my status quo. Do I really need to work fulltime? Do I have it in me to do what it takes? And what, precisely, does it take? I know so many of my friends have done it, but how? I have no idea where to begin and I am soooo not used to not knowing that. I have a good paying 9-5 job, really good for this area. And this is one of the most expensive places in the US to live, so it's not like I can just start knitting from home for income. I don't know what to do.

If anyone has ideas for me on how to transition into homeschooling, please send along. I really appreciate it!

argument for homeschooling?

It's time to tour kindergartens, if you are someone who plans to enter their child into public school at age 5, like mostofamerica. Those who know me know that at my heart of hearts, I am an unschooler and that I always wanted to homeschool any children I ever ended up having, way way before I ever started trying to conceive. Well fast forward to the present day, and I find myself a single mom who relies on a school system during the day so that I might work full-time.

And fast forward to my daughter, almost 5, who is now asking me to be homeschooled. 2.5 years of preschool seems to have been enough for her. It almost breaks my heart. I've been talking to her about the 3 local schools which are top of my list that we will be touring over the next week and she again makes the plea to homeschool. So I finally laid it all out for her. I told her that mommy has to work and asked her if she would just try this, one year at a time, and if she hates it, we will find a way to change the situation. I explained that it's because our family is so small that mommy has to work, but for instance, maybe I might find another job someday which could include her (we both dream to live & work on the organic farm pictured above), or maybe mommy will get married and not have to work full time, etc. But for now, we are going to look at schools and try to choose one.

And out pops the funniest thing I think she's ever said, which beautifully alleviates the small grieving we both feel about the situation.

Sophia says "OK mommy, I think we should look at schools and I think we should look at men. Maybe you'll find one you want to marry."

Out of the mouths of babes....!!!

Quilting project with a preschooler

Sophia and I made a quilt for my friend who's having a baby soon. It was fun, a great project to do together with a 4 year old, because she loved putting the squares together, totally "got" the concept of making patterns with the fabric colors. It was right at her artistic and geometric comprehension level! I highly recommend quilting to home schoolers, as it involves so many skills and learning opportunities. I think it came out pretty great!