Open to Interpretation

Homeschooling wasn't always something I wanted to do. There was a time when I didn't even think I wanted kids, much less to homeschool those kids. I now really appreciate big families, but growing up it wasn't always easy to be part of one. Same goes for homeschooling. Growing up I didn't always appreciate all the extra it required of my parents, financially or time-wise, but appreciate the benefits I feel I have reaped from it as an adult.

That said, choosing to homeschool once I had kids was kind of the first option for me. It was just something I wanted to do. Even though Billy went to public school, and had a great experience there, it was something we always agreed on. Also once he realized not all homeschoolers are weird, he was all for it. (I'm a homeschooler, I am allowed to say that sometimes we earn that "odd" label. And I feel like recently, with the uptick in those choosing to homeschool and it being more mainstream, we are getting even less weird. Yay!)

Anyway, just because you choose to homeschool doesn't mean you automatically turn into a fabulous teacher with loads of patience. It's been a struggle, but I love being the one teaching my kids. I also love sharing their interpretive readings with the world. Like the time Merrick read the picture above as, "Phil likes elf nuts." (He couldn't understand my wild outburst of laughter.) Or like yesterday, when he interpreted the picture below as...wait for it..."eggy poot". That's just all kinds of disturbing if you ask me. Maybe even worse than Phil and his elf nuts.

Moral of the story...if nothing else, homeschooling will help you learn to have patience.
And provide you with loads of good material for the future embarrassment of your children.