Stubborn

The more things change...whatever.

"Homeschooling" is a thing of the past in our home. Not only due to the fact that Elle has an attention span somewhere between ten front flips on the trampoline and four consecutive episodes of iCarly and I cannot keep her engaged long enough to complete one lesson, but because I have the private school set up so we are officially "private schooling." Even that is a bit of a stretch though.

Working full-time, even from home, especially from home, while trying to manage everything else is not for me. I can chew gum and walk at the same time and can even drive and simultaneously yell at children, but that's about the extent of my multi-tasking talent. Add to this major traumatic changes in our private lives (I am still living in the same house as the last time I posted, which may come as a surprise) and it's a wonder I get anything done at all.

I had been faced with increasing pressure from grandparents and Jorge to step up Elle's education. It had been pared down to what I considered bare bones: math, grammar, and history, leaving her a lot of leeway to follow her own interests, but they were unimpressed. She needs constant attention to insure she does not wander off at the first opportunity and I am unable to provide that at this time. It was suggested that a teacher, some dominant authoritarian figure, would command more respect and focus, so I looked at the only secular private school in the area, the one Catholic school nearby (figuring she has been properly immunized), and even the local public school. No. Hell no. And over-my-dead-body no.

We limped along. And the hits just kept coming.

Then it occurred to me: In Florida, tutoring is only legal for homeschooling with a tutor properly certified in the specific subjects a tutor is requested to teach. But! Private school teachers do not have to be certified in anything! Not even teaching!

So we got ourselves a tutor.

Two hours a day, my next door neighbor/formerly-homeschooled-now-college-student/good family friend/Sarabelle's roommate/idol of Elle comes over and supervises her lessons. We even added vocabulary back in (Vocabulary From Classical Roots) after dropping Latin. It ends up costing less than half the price of the private and parochial tuitions, I retain control over the curriculum, there is room for flexibility in the schedule, and I will never get stuck having to buy and sell chocolate bars and gift wrap. Yay, me!

Where there's a will...