an update against total disappearance

Free Schooling is still happening.

The Scientist jumped right in to The Free School, made friends, learned to transport himself about the city to a friend's and to school, and fell in love with his math and science teacher.

The Storyteller, though, was clashing with everyone and everything about school. There was bullying and we had a hard time getting that dealt with. He was clingy and weepy and began exhibiting problem behaviors I hadn't seen since he was a toddler.

I, meanwhile, was feeling healthier and stable, so I promised the kiddo he could come back home for school after I got paperwork filed.

Then, quite suddenly, we reversed positions. I became ill again, and the Storyteller resolved his social issues in the school. He told me that he wanted to stay in school. He and his friends in school have been ghost hunting, studying aliens, and involving themselves in math, science and art projects that the teachers offer.

The little Hero is still not in school, though he's five and clearly of kindergarten age. He and his four-year-old girl cousin N. are spending their days with her mama R., making paper puppets and going to Music Together and frequenting the library and learning to ride big kid bicycles.

The Gamer is attending the spin-off democratic high school two days a week, an extension student the rest of the time. He especially enjoys the history class, taught from a progressive point of view, but it looks like the only math they offer is a course called "GED math". ::shudder::

I miss homeschooling. I miss being in the world with my children, especially since the world we have found here in Albany is so wonderful. I'm anxious, beyond anxious, about how far behind in math and writing the children are falling, and I can't carve time out of our days for instrument practice. We are going to get back to it as soon as I am well enough, and my battle to get better has become a struggle towards a halfway decent education for my kids.

In the meantime, I am grateful for the safety net that has been placed under my children by this kind community.