When do you know this homeschool stuff Works?

I was able to sit in on an interview my son participated in the other day. I know he is my son,

so my opinion is somewhat biased, but I was quite impressed with how he handled himself. 

You see, my youngest has been affectionately called “the hermit”. He prefers to be at home.

He doesn't participate in nearly as many outside activities as his sisters do. He has little

patience for the misbehavior and disrespect of his same age peers and therefore chooses

to isolate. 

Both Girls have attended school and school related activities for 3 years, not Douglas.

When Douglas was offered a seat in the private school I worked for to “test” what it was

like to go to school. He politely declined. His sisters had been attending in some way for

3 years and LOVED it. It was the “end” of their homeschool life and ultimately a good thing.

You can read more about that here. 

As a homeschool mother, this “hermit life” worries me. He is after all going to have to leave

the house to go to college, and eventually get a job. My youngest needs to learn how to

relate to others and accept all personality styles. He has one good friend that visits regularly,

and we hang out with a passel of cousins at least monthly. On top of that my “hermit” is

required to attend our Parish Confirmation classes. - He seems to be doing well here, and

this is where the interview came in. 

Lightning Bug was invited to attend the 2nd year Confirmation retreat as a “team member”

- actually he volunteered to do it because he enjoyed his experience on HIS 2nd year retreat

so much.  WHAT??? My hermit wants to leave the house? He wants to participate in

something??? After YEARS of begging him to take classes - robotics, lego, anything!!!!

Finally a spark! 

Part of the process is to participate in an interview, and parents are welcome to attend.

I didn’t intend to sit in and eavesdrop on the entire process, it just happened that way, and

now I’m glad. Lightning Bug handled each question with a maturity I didn’t know he

possessed.

He was self-assured and honest with each question asked even though he just met the

gentleman conducting the interview. As a Mother of a homeschooled-hermit, I could not 

be more proud. These are the moments when you know without a doubt what you are doing

works and you are not ruining your child.

Everyone learns differently and kids KNOW what they need. My Lightning Bug is ready

to go out into the world, he has found something he WANTS to do, and he is going to do

it WELL!