Plot Change

I read a quote the other day that has sort of stuck with me.  "At any point in your life, you have the option to say 'Plot Change' and rewrite your story."  Caden has recently taken us on a Plot Change.  Way back in 2010, Caden came to us saying he wanted to be homeschooled.  We just thought it was because he had a good friend that was homeschooled and he thought it would be a fun idea. Imagine his envy when we said Keilie was going to be homeschooled.  Double that envy the day that we got four boxes of materials and a brand new computer just for her!  Over the past few years, he's hinted at the idea, but nothing substantial enough to really consider it.  Last week, however, it became a cliff hanger in our story.  He came to us, in tears I might add, asking if we would let him be homeschooled.  The overprotective mom in me screamed that something had happened at school.  He assured us many times that it wasn't one specific thing, but many.  No one was bullying him, he didn't have a run-in with a teacher, he hadn't been abused in any way.  He just didn't like the learning environment. 

A few weeks back, he and Keilie were playing a rhyming game.  Keilie said, "There is only one other word that I can think of that rhymes with 'Yuck.'"  Caden was out of his seat, approaching her quickly, telling her NOT to say it.  It saddened me to realize that the first word he thought of to rhyme with 'Yuck' was the worst offender of all.  Keilie, in all innocence, said, "Chuck?"  I started to realize that Caden was hearing words in MIDDLE SCHOOL that I hardly heard myself in high school.  He was adamant, through blinding tears, that he wanted out. 

Remembering that Caden loves to clean, loves to organize, and has the most immaculate room in the house, his second reason was Language Arts class.  He hates that his teacher bounces around with different themes.  One day they are reading, the next they are working on a different project, then another, then on day four it is back to finishing day one's assignment.  He said he wants to just work on one idea, finish the idea, and then move on.  I understand this reason!

He had other reasons that aren't important enough to remember, although he did have good argumentative points as to why they were important.  With much deliberation, much prayer, and faith, I have decided that I will in fact homeschool my oldest.  I realize that life is a bit different this time.  Instead of having a 3 year old, a 2 year old, and a newborn baby while trying to work with a 8 year old ADD child, I will now have a 5 year old half day, a 4 year old (that has now started to take naps again) and my most dedicated child working on school at home.  I'm still seriously nervous that I will fail as a teacher, again, but I know I will have a great support system, as always.  Again, I love that we made the decision before we got married that I would stay home.  Because none of this would even be possible without that one decision!