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Isn’t he handsome?  The young man above is my graduate.

Four years ago, not entirely by choices, but by circumstances, I became a homeschooling parent. I had been a school librarian for sixteen years and held National Boards. I had also been homeschooled myself in 1988 by my public educator parents.

The reasons do not matter – they are long ago retired to the past – but it was, honestly, by circumstances. What came out of those circumstances was the realization my son had dysgraphia and unless we tackled that learning disability, there would be no academic success. Thanks to an old classmate, the local school system (for data gathering), and help from Mind and Motion of Atlanta, my son was diagnosed with dysgraphia. Although the proper term is now “handwritten expression disorder” or the like, we decided to embark on year round homeschooling, doubling up efforts to graduate him early, and “be done with it.”

Because unaccredited homeschool doesn’t transfer to public school, we were stuck, in a No Exit scenario by Sartre (the Christian Mom/Son edition) and there were many rough days. I longed to become “Mom” again and he longed to “get his life back.” I learned the ropes of unaccredited homeschool, even did some consulting, and ended up helping a total of 40 students find their solution – from accredited to online accredited.

We finished his senior year, with a normal course of college preparatory courses (mainly online and also through Move On When Ready). I opened his transcript (as the term goes) and made note he had excellent test scores, a 3.6 GPA, and a 3.34 duo enrollment GPA. I gave him his mini diploma, dated for late January, 2017, and two days later, he entered the world of work. He is learning a trade, hands on, and is enjoying it. He gets up every morning, packs his lunch, drives to work, and comes home, often crashing into bed, exhausted.

He loves it.

I’m back to “Mom.”

Seventeen years flew by – four years flew by – and I feel a mixture of relief, peace, and pride.

Twenty days into my liberation – or his liberation – or our liberation – I look back with “how did we do that?” My stress levels are still on high alert as I wait to hear if I am accepted into a MLIS program and seek a return this fall to my original career as a school librarian. I worry about “the homeschool smell.” I worry that principals will ask “why” and my answer, as always, will be, “I took some years off to rear my child.” I think it is a perfect answer. I remind myself that many educators send their children to private schools and cut a check. I remind myself many parents seek religious education for their children. I remind myself that, frankly, I do not owe anyone an answer. I simply, “was rearing my child” or better, “taking care of my family.”

It’s 100% true!

Last year, a local principal wanted to “put me on the spot” at a teaching job fair. She bellowed, after our quiet on-site interview, “Why do you homeschool your son?” Bellowed – into the crowd. I had already began to exit the area and I turned and gave her my best NBCT answer, “Because I am meeting the needs of my #1 learner.” She looked like a fool – I simply turned on my heel and kept walking. I never heard from her again nor did I desire to hear from her again. My mother, that homeschooling parent and public school educator of the 1980s informed me, “Fannie, you should have approached her quietly and said, ‘If you wish to talk to me about a personal nature of a student’s academics, I’d be happy to, but not here.'” Eh – it didn’t happen that way. Things happened real fast at that moment –  what my mother and even, that principal, doesn’t realize – or didn’t realize – is that I answered that question over and over and over again.

I wished people would ask me what my son and I learned during homeschool. Having homeschooled my son, I learned things about myself – as an educator – that I never knew.

I learned I had patience. I learned I really knew my resources. I learned God can take bad situations and make them better.

I don’t know what will happen to the rest of my professional life – but I am, at present, still working for my husband, I am still writing, and I am very proud to say, to my son:

We did it. Congrats to my graduate.

He walks on June 2 in our homeschool association’s graduation program: one of fifty students. He is still undecided as to his future – but he’s taking the SAT in March and has a year to finish his Eagle. I am so glad he enjoys working and I am so proud to make his sandwiches (when he lets me) and be his “Mom.”

Father Mario, a friend of mine, told me, “Your duty is done – go back to your life!”

I agree!

I hope my George D. Carlin Memorial High School graduate all the success in his life and whatever his choices are: your Mom is proud of you. Now, onto the rest of my professional life – I long to have more students, lots of books, and begin my MLIS all at the same time… As always, it is what God wills, not what I will!