Crabby and hiding....

I haven't posted in a while - in case you didn't notice.

I could use every excuse under the sun, but the truth is I lost my motivation to put this journey of ours out in the public eye - just for a little bit.   I was feeling a bit judged and when that happens I am a true Cancer and I crawl into my shell and hide.

After several requests from friends and family I am sticking my little toes outside my shell and wiggling them in the fresh air. 
I feel like the first thing I need to do is tell you why I have been M.I.A.

A few months ago I had a 'friend' comment on a face book post of mine about what we had done that day with Sam.   I barely ever post, but we had been having such a lovely day.  After her book work was over we had been doing lovely things in the kitchen together as a family.
Anyway, this 'friend' pretty bluntly said that I was putting my child at a disadvantage!  That going by what I had said we had done that day, she didn't consider it to be anywhere near what her child would be doing at school on an average day.  She actually asked me if I considered it to be educational!
Firstly this really threw me!  Was I really doing a bad thing for my child by not subjecting her to a cookie cutter education?   Was I really the best person for this job?
Now, I have never doubted that the decision to home school my children is the right one.  I have worked in schools and have seen the system fail kids who don't fit the mould.  I knew early on that my kids wouldn't 'fit'.
What I have done, is doubted my ability to do the job.  It is a constant nagging doubt - you ask most home schoolers and they will have suffered through it at some stage.  Hardly surprising really, we have had it drilled into us for years that school is something we all have to suffer through.  That kids need to be bullied to learn to stick up for themselves.  That you must be taught by a qualified teacher in a school environment etc etc. 
Well this not so innocent comment brought all those doubts to the surface and made me really look at what I was doing, and how I was doing it.   
And do you know what - I should now thank that person!
That careless and somewhat catty remark made me re-evaluate what homeschooling my children meant to me, our family and mostly to them.
It made me think about what I want my children to get out of this in the short term and the future.
The result of all of this thinking?

Confidence :)

I now have total 100% confidence that this journey is right for our family and our children.
I now have total confidence that at this point in their little lives (and hopefully for their whole schooling) that the best thing for them is to be doing exactly what we are doing.
I now have total confidence that it is more important that my children are learning at a pace that suits them, in their home environment, than to be in public school.

The benefits of this have been enormous!  I no longer doubt whether I can do this, or if I am the best thing for my children. I now longer doubt that learning to bake cookies and do play dough with her little brother is just as important as reading and maths for my daughter.

Most importantly, I have learnt, that it doesn't matter what the outside world thinks about this.  I have amazing support from my husband and his family.  I have an amazing group of friends (both homeschooling and not) that offer me unlimited support, and I have the knowledge that God put this journey in my path because I AM the best teacher for my children!

So thank you ex face book 'friend' for changing my life for the better :)
I also want to add, that when that comment came onto my news feed, i actually had several friends instantly jump in and support me, so thank you - you know who you are!

And that means folks, that you should watch out for another post coming hopefully tomorrow.
Believe it or not, we have actually done some stuff since September!

S