more snow, and then....spring?

If they don't miss their prediction again, we are looking for several inches of snow by tomorrow morning. I'd be happy with a snow day or a late start!
But what is really exciting is the prediction for the end of the week. They are talking 50's people! Yeah, I know, fantastic!
I will be subbing for high school English all week, so you may want to pray for my sanity. I will need that springy weather by then!

its faster to walk

We live 2 blocks from the elementary school, and I usually walk September to school. Today is cold and snowy and very windy, so I decided we would drive rather than brave the elements. It is faster to walk! It took 20 minutes from the time we walked out the door until I walked back in. Most of that time was spent sitting in line waiting to get to the drop off point. Seriously, it takes less time to walk there (more like 3 blocks the way the sidewalks are set up) and back, then to drive. Next time we may just bundle up really well and face the weather!

Overheard in my car today

1st and 7th graders are having a conversation about "cuss words".

7th: Don't stick out your middle finger, it stands for something not nice.
1st: Why, what does it mean?
7th: I'm not sure, but it is a bad word. (Mom sighs with relief that 7th is still a little naive.)
1st: Lots of kids at school use bad words, they use the s-word a lot.
7th: You mean (spells out s-h-*-t) ?
1st: Yep, they say shut up all the time! (Mom laughs, glad that 1st is still very naive.)

Homeschooling and socialization

In case it pertains to my thoughts, I have one child who went entirely to public schools, one who was homeschooled through third grade, and one who was homeschooled this year for Kindergarten (and we are now deciding whether to continue or send her to public school).

With the experiences my daughter has had with a bully at school, and now another blogging friend has had the problem with her son in Kind, it brings up one of my pet peeves: people who think homeschooling isn't good because the kids lack socialization. What are homeschooled kids really missing out on? Learning how to be able to learn when other children don't care and are disruptive day in and day out? Learning to wait because the teacher has to take time with those kids and with the ones who don't understand the lesson? Learning what it is like to have hurt feelings or physcial cuts and bruises from kids who are just plain mean to them? Learning that the popular kids are not necessarily popular because of good character traits? Learning about things you would never want your child to know at that age because other kids are talking about it on the playground? (The first day my daughter came home from 4th grade at public school after having been homeschooled previous years, she had a question for me. "Mom, what's a wh*re?) They do not learn to interact with adults in everyday situations, or kids that are different ages than themselves. As someone who myself was teased in grade school (for reasons I have never figured out) I know how it hurts and how it can affect you the rest of your life.

With the exception of only a few children, the greatest majority of homeschooled kids I know are bright, normal kids who get along well with others and know how to carry on a conversation and interact with people regardless of their age.

So while there are pros and cons to both homeschooling and public schools, please DO NOT tell me that socialization is missing for homeschooled children!