A Good Thing About Homeschooling

Our church's school is wonderful. If it had been nearby and available when my kids were little, I would have had a hard time deciding between the benefits of the school versus the different benefits of homeschooling. But I gotta say, there is one awesome thing about homeschooling.

My kids like each other.

I don't know that it was necessarily homeschooling that "did it." I think our living in places where there weren't neighborhood friends available played into the mix. I think not starting out siblinghood with a long absence from Mommy (with the obstetric hospital stay) probably had an effect. I remember my mom commenting, way back when there were only four kids, about how nicely they got along and how little sibling rivalry there was. She said it was probably because they HAD to get along -- who else did they have to play with?? And there's some truth to that. I remember coming down hard on the rare squabbling; I don't know how I did it, but I didn't permit them to not get along.

And they like each other. They choose to spend time with each other. They look forward to seeing each other.

One of the greatest gifts my kids have ever given me is that they like their brothers and sisters! What joy to a mother! Thank you, Rachel, Philip, Katie, Paul, Andrew, and Maggie. You make me happy to be your mom.