Busy Busy Busy

OK. So, I've been trying to get a post done since Wednesday. It's not working very well because this week is a zoo. But here's what's going on.

Progress report for Tales from the Scales: I lost ground this week. I kinda think it may be bloating as I suddenly went from 187 to 191, in just a day or two. But I'm not doing very well on my water, so I'm stuck with it until I get that going on. Of course, I'm also late, so if it turns out that the negative pregnancy test was wrong then it's all moot anyway. The whole mess is sorta stuck in limbo.

Progress report for my book: yeah. That's going nowhere fast. I've spent a fair amount of time thinking about it, but what little time I've been home I've been cleaning up puke rather than typing anything.

Preschool: I'm badly in need of some planning. But we've actually had enough energy to read a few stories again, and get some coloring done. This boy REALLY likes to color. It's fun. And he's getting pretty good at it, in a scribbly sort of way. I'll have to scan & post some of his art one of these days. We sent some of his art to his Uncle and Great-Aunt who are serving missions. They always enjoy that sort of mail.

One of the things that has been keeping us so busy is a diaper study, which, mercifully, just ended. Mostly it was a lot of fun, but I had my first run-in with another Mom who was convinced that I was doing terrible social damage to my child by homeschooling him. Grrrr. I came home and gave my husband an earful when that was done. Fortunately, she's not someone I have to see very often, maybe never again. That would be OK.

Because I just walked away from the situation, I was left with all these Thoughts running around in my head about how wrong she is. After all, the poor socialization is one of the reasons that we decided to homeschool in the first place! Andy and I were both on the receiving end of more than a little bullying at school. When I thought about it, I decided that the majority of socializing at school happened in terms of bullying: You were either the bully or the target. So much of the "socialization" that went on in my schools was either avoiding bullies or trying to figure out how to avoid bullying the kids who were low in the pecking order without drawing more cruelty myself. I've never run across that sort of nastiness at any job I had, so I have a hard time believing that it's preparation for "real life." I want better for my son. And I want him to learn to BE better than that!

And speaking of "real life," since when do adults spend their days in groups composed of only the same age adults? It just doesn't happen. In fact, the further you get from high school graduation, the less that age seems to matter. So how does spending all day with only other 6 year olds or 18 year olds prepare someone for the reality that they're going to be living in?

They told us in school that the reason that they tortured us with those group projects was to prepare us for project and group oriented work in "real life." I have a hard time with that type of "socialization" too. I mean, whenever we did group work, inevitably there was someone in the group who didn't pull their weight. So the rest of the group had to either pick up the slack or let their grades suffer. And you knew going into the ordeal who it was going to be. That sort of nonsense would never fly for very long in the workplace. Bosses just don't like to have employees who don't do their job. And if they did, for some unknown reason, allow it, in the workplace I have the option of getting a new job. Not so much in the classroom. It's just not realistic.

There are just so many reasons why socialization is not only not a good reason to stay in public school, but a great reason to consider homeschooling! It just irritated the living daylights out of me.

OK. I'm done ranting now. I think I'll go do something productive again. Maybe sleep. That's sounding really good right about now.