Ok, you can quit reading my blog now, and just go get the book "Love in a Time of Homeschooling: A Mother and Daughter's Uncommon Year", by Laura Brodie. Her book covers much of what I would ever want to say! The biggest difference between us is that she is a Smarty Pants. She has an undergraduate degree from Harvard and a PhD from the University of Virginia. She teaches at Washington and Lee University, and her husband is the band director at the Virginia Military Institute. When considering her eldest daughter's unique abilities and struggles within the traditional school setting, she decided to embark on a one-year sabbatical and home school her during that time.
From Amazon.com: "The more I looked into it, the more I discovered that short-term homeschooling is a growing trend in America, for a vast array of reasons." Chronicling the entirety of her homeschooling experience, from the decision-making process to Julia's successful re-entry into 6th grade, Brodie takes pains to show how difficult homeschooling can be: "How foolish I had been, to have believed that Julia's complaints over the past two years... stemmed from an institutional cause" (as it turns out, Julia simply doesn't like to be told what to do). Having been frustrated by other homeschooling books' Pollyanna attitude toward the parent-child relationship, Brodie's contribution to the field is full of honest revelations that make it vital for anyone considering homeschooling; happily, her gift for good storytelling and keen observation (of herself and others) make this an absorbing read for everyone else.
The book inspired me, challenged me, and ultimately helped me to feel like I had a daily companion in the sometimes lonely world of homeschooling. Sacrifices create an opportunity to home school, yet for the parent, this means giving up many freedoms. It doesn't work for everyone. In the end, I believe I will feel it is all worth it, and Laura Brodie shares these sentiments.
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