Saturday, J's group danced at a mall grand opening. B handled everything that day - I had to work - and he did a great job. That's really the only sucky thing about working - missing the Saturday stuff. And why does there seem to be more Saturday stuff now that I'm working?!!??

J is finally going to start on her solo lessons on Wednesday. It's the same day as W's so that works out for me. So we're back to being at the studio 5 days week - some weeks, 6. There are lots of dance things happening in the next 2 months. J is dancing at a Light the Night (leukemia) fundraiser on 10/7, at Six Flags on 10/14, and for the NY Knicks in late November (at Madison Square Garden). We also have tons of other stuff like K's Confirmation, a cousin's wedding, another cousin's baby's Christening, CCD classes, and a bunch of homeschool group events. Autumn has always been my favorite season, but I've never seen us so busy. But I'm grateful to be making the extra money that allows the kids to be a part of so much more, I'm grateful that we're homeschooling, so they get plenty of rest and have no undue stress in their lives, and I'm grateful that they found an activity that they truly love which only seems to get better every year.

K is happy at school and thankfully in Musical Theater class. I think she needs some outside interests. Her TACHS test prep class starts this week, high school open houses are this month, too. There's too much focus on the "right" high school lately, which is causing K (and me) a bit of stress and anxiousness. It's so ridiculous that we have to worry about this. She is also having attitude problems again and the grades are already starting to go downhill. During the summer she wasn't like this. She was so pleasant and eager to read and learn. A few weeks back at middle school and her whole personality is back to last June. I am really hating the whole idea of school more and more. If you just stop and think about it for a while - I mean REALLY think about it - school makes absolutely no sense. Or maybe it does makes sense to most people, but just doesn't fit into what my ideals are for my kids. School is an artificial world with what's equal to a totalitarian government system, where children are bossed around, told when they're allowed to eat and go to the bathroom, and forced to be in a room with 30 other kids within 11 months of their age. Then there are the boring lectures. If the child isn't interested in a topic or if it doesn't apply to them at that moment - they're not going to learn it! The whole idea of homework is a hot topic now, too. Books and articles writtin this year explain how homework is USELESS and just makes kids/parents unhappy and takes more time away from their families. School purpose is outdated. We need a nation of free-thinkers, not factory worker drones who can barely get by. But the latter is what schools have been created to produce. Especially in the early 1900s when schools became compulsory to get kids off the streets. I guess it still stems back to just keeping kids off the streets, running around and being a nuisance. This is my own opinion and I'm aware that having kids in school is very convenient for most families. But homeschooling is really on the rise and I think it's because parents are starting to do their own research now, questioning the norm, and being courageous enough to step out of their comfort zones.

Colleges Coveting Homeschooled Students