My peaceful planet... at least for now!

Good Morning! I am sitting here doing my "morning thing" - reading the news, checking the email, touching base with friends - and I am struck by the quiet and serenity which surrounds our home. Both of my children are still asleep - they are like their mom, night owls who love to sleep in! E doesn't have class today and doesn't have to be at the station until this afternoon. K is apparently dreaming sweet dreams because she was giggling in her sleep a few minutes ago.....

It occurs to me (yet again) how wonderful this journey called homeschooling really is... it is SO cold outside and the two people I love more than anything are snug and safe, warm and cozy in their beds. I simply cannot imagine a life that involved dragging my babies out of bed on cold winter mornings and shipping them off to an institution. This life we live is so blessed and I am determined to never let it change, if I can help it.

Years ago - when E was in public school for 3 years and I was teaching - we did the mad dash thing in the mornings. I had to be at work by 7:30 and - as I said earlier - we are definitely NOT morning people!.......... None of us enjoy breakfast (unless we are eating out while traveling! :-) but I couldn't let him leave without eating something, so that was always a struggle........... He has always been "hot-natured" so getting him to wear a coat on cold mornings was almost impossible........... Although he was a very sweet-natured child, most mornings were just disasters as we rushed around trying to do everything we needed to before going to prison for the day...... It was madness!

I contrast the memories of those mornings with a morning like today, and it is like living in a different world, on a different planet. Mornings are (usually :-) calm and quiet. We move around and do our own thing until we are awake enough to face the day. Breakfast may be at 9 or 11, whenever we feel hungry. If K doesn't feel like jumping right into "school", we cruise for awhile. Some days we just kick back and see where the day takes us. Our lives are just so much more peaceful and calm and enjoyable now.

I am sure many people would say "but what about the real world????" (blah, blah, blah :-) Well... this is the same way that Eand I homeschooled, beginning when he was 8, and he is completely able and willing to get up and out the door when he needs to do so! He has NEVER overslept when he had class or needed to be at work early for some reason. In fact, he had a 5 am!!!! radio show for several months, which meant my shower-obsessed son had to get up well before 4! I think it is ridiculous that some people feel that our lifestyle is not preparing them for the "real world". My children live and move in the "real world" each and every day, unlike the children who are imprisoned in institutions, segregated by age and ability, not allowed to pursue areas of interests except on VERY rare occasions, made to conform and follow ridiculous rules and regs which may or may not be in their best interests....

If that is the "real world", I am SO very glad that my family does not live in it! Give me the peace and tranquility of a morning like this any day. I'll continue to dwell on "my planet", thank you very much! It gets crazy sometimes, but I wouldn't change it for anything. :-)