Week 26

As I hit the mid-year mark of writing this blog, I look back at the emotional journey that individually all of us have gone through and realize what some senior folks on this path had told me - it will get progressively easier as you start accepting a few things.

There is much yet to be done, but am happy to note that things are not as bad as I had feared myself. There have been things that he has done that he would not have otherwise, and a lot of things that he would have learnt at school that he is now behind in. But overall, I am happy to note that he has slept well along with all of us as an alarm has been eliminated from our lives. The challenge is to find a way to inculcate discipline in ourselves without any external force, and I have failed so far to do it for both myself and him. I really need to find a way, just like for everything else!

Week 25

This week was interesting as we got a reject from the first school that we applied for our daughter. It was a bit disappointing because we had been honest in our responses and not getting an option to even interact with the management came as a bit of shock. Nevertheless, some soul-searching later, the only consensus that my wife and I reached was that we are "misfits" and therefore, we might be making things difficult for our kids.

The second interesting thing came from my mom-in-law. In an emotional outburst, she confided that she felt worried about our kids as they were not up-to-the-mark when compared to the grandchildren of her friends. It is an eye-opener that I had not considered second-degree social impacts of my decision to homeschool my kids and in general, slow them down in their information gathering and focus more on improved understanding of whatever little they know.

Learning over and beyond just education for me continues!

Week 24

Another week passed by and I was left wondering at the speed at which it passes when there is a lack of structure. I know it is not true, but it feels like that. He spent more time in the company of friends this week while doing some work in Hindi reading and writing. His grandmother got some textbooks from a cousin and has started introducing science and social studies to him.

Week 23

A week spent with grandparents in Jaipur. The presence of elders ensures a certain level of comfort and indulgence. Grandpa made him write in a 4-lined notebook everyday to improve his handwriting. Homeschooling is about educating through a crowd where your teachers are everybody you interact with, rather than designated individuals only. It is fun to see avenues of learning all around you.

Week 22

This week was unremarkable again. Makes me realise how much of homeschooling is about just getting used to things and accepting them for what they are. People ask questions like what we do, whether it is working or not and the truthful answer is that I don't know, but hopefully will find out sooner rather than later. It has clearly been an emotional journey with mostly lows interspersed with a few highs but I have not lost hope yet.