The School Talk

Ian and I are having The School Talk. We had regularly scheduled company during the local Choice Fair, so we didn't tour all the local school options. We had regularly scheduled company during the parochial school open house, so we didn't go there, either. It's not that we can't make informed opinions without these things; but well, we'll have a kindergartener this fall. If we're going to enroll, the time is now. If we're not, the time to prepare is yesterday.

Our feelings are mixed regarding what to do about Fiona's schooling. Can you tell? Last year our answer was to send her for the kindergarten assessment we thought she'd need, pay her kindergarten roundup fees, then get cold feet and keep her home. We haven't regretted it for a moment. Though we still have work to do, over the past year Fiona has grown by leaps and bounds emotionally. She's also fine physically and intellectually. During our year of dabbling in homeschooling, Fiona has joined a religious education class, a travel club, an early reader book group, a reading group, a Montessori math class, and a dance class. Our adventures in homeschooling have led us to such diverse projects as cooking, planting, building, singing, dancing, and many other forms of random discovery. We've made new friends, and done our best to keep up with old ones. She's learning how to read, and how to cut and do various other arts and crafts projects. We visit a nursing home with a homeschool group somewhat regularly. She is taking on some regular pet care and housework tasks. Most people can recognize what her drawings represent. What else is kindergarten for, anyway?

We still aren't sure what Fiona is going to do for kindergarten. I did ask her the other day, though. I told her that what she wanted was not necessarily what was going to happen, but that it was definitely a factor in our decision. I presented all of her options and asked her opinion. She said she preferred to have kindergarten at home. When asked why, she said bluntly, "Because it's easier." I couldn't really get her to explain what that meant to her at all. But I'm certain that the decision isn't easy for Ian or me. Not by a long shot.