I'll be real honest.  I didn't have my act together to have a back to school dinner.  I wanted to but it just didn't happen.  So, I waited until we had been in school for a whole month.  So, now that's it's October we had a celebratory, "You're doing a great job in school!" dinner.

It was really simple.  I just gathered a few things we already had and Jonathan put together a nice, home made, from scratch dinner.  Chicken fried chicken and mashed potatoes.  Yum.

We talked about how well Georgia was doing in school and gave her lots of praise.

She enjoyed it and really loved the decorations and taking pictures.  Maybe next year I can get it done the first week of school...or before.  But, since we home school I have a lot on my plate.

Why We Are *Trying* Home school

Georgia went to school three days a week but when school starts again after Christmas break she isn't going back.

First, let me say it IS NOT her preschool that is causing me to make this choice.  It's actually her preschool that is making this decision so SO hard.  We LOVE her teachers.

But, I'm not in love with public school in general (any where) even though she's zoned to the best one in our area.  And, home school is something Jonathan, Georgia, and I are all three interested in.  (Jonathan's sister has always home schooled her boys.  The oldest is in 3rd grade.)  I'm a certified teacher and Jonathan is a certified teacher, assistant principal, and has a masters in education so it's something we take very seriously at our house.

So, we want to give home school a TRY.  I say try because I don't know how Georgia will react to it having been in school already, I don't know how I will react to it having no time to myself, I don't know how our family will handle it in that the three of us will have to be in a different routine and with my photography business taking off time is a big struggle.

I do not think she will go back to preschool unless she flips out...just totally loses it about not being at school anymore.  If that's the case back she will go.  I can't do a battle of the wills of that magnitude everyday.

So, the plan is home school the rest of this year and if any of us hate it then back she goes.  Hopefully we can at least make it through preK 4 and if any of us just don't like it anymore she will go back to public/private school at the Kinder level.  But, if we like it we're just going to keep on at a year to year level/basis.

Here are the struggles we are facing with home school:

My confidence in teaching.  How she handles me as her teacher.

Being OK with "failing".  She won't fail academically but I may have to face that home school won't work for us...it might.  It might not.  I have to be realistic about it.  

No matter which choice we make I don't want her to have an OK or sub par education

I do have a more detailed post on this topic but I will wait for another time to delve into it.  Please leave any thoughts, comments, or encouragement!