I am most definitely overwhelmed...

Our trip to Disney is over, and even though the happy memories still make me smile (and probably will for a long time to come) its back to reality.

Just before we left on the trip, my husband expressed some doubts about my ability to homeschool Emily successfully.  She's a sweet girl but she does have her issues.  "If professional educators can't meet her needs, how can you?"

Full disclosure.  My first thought was "What the Hell?  I'm her MOM.  Of COURSE I know what's best."  But that, dear readers, was just my ego having a temper tantrum.  The very SAME temper tantrums I see my kiddos exhibiting!  The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.  Or, since this is a yoga blog of sorts, its *karma*.  (I don't know why I added the asterisks around karma, but I like it).

While it is true I am her Mom, I love the fact that my husband and I can be honest with each other.  Its a legitimate question, especially if you consider my history not only as student but as a college-level instructor for 8 years.  I was very invested in the ideas of traditional schooling for decades.  I fully bought in to the idea of rubrics and multiple choice testing, all the while bemoaning the fact that students nowadays didn't seem to care much about anything that wasn't on their phone screens.

From his point of view, I have lost my mind.

Pride and Prejudice: Its not just literature

One of my favorite movies (miniseries?) of all time is the BBC's Pride and Prejudice.  Most of you probably already know the story.  The handsome and rich Mr. Darcy embodies pride.  His sense of self derives from his lofty position in society, and he has all the reasons in the world to maintain the status quo.  Elizabeth Bennett, the "handsomest" girl in the story, is intelligent, headstrong, and witty.  After overhearing Darcy say something unkind about her family, she decides he has no redeeming values whatsoever.  Early 19th century hi-jinks ensue.

I think this story is so beloved because we are all Darcy and Lizzie rolled into one.  At least I'll admit to it.  We all walk around, trying to protect our slice of the pie, defend the status quo even if that status quo is making us insane.  Instead of letting negative feelings go, we let them color our perceptions like a pair of bad sunglasses.

So what does that have to do with the Yoga of Homeschool?  

At the end of the story, both characters have to examine the error in their ways.  

Right now Emily is still in public school finishing up the year, and its time for me to take a honest and painful look at the errors in my thinking.

What does Yoga have to do with Homeschool Anyway?

Hello and welcome to the first post of my new blog!  Its going to be similar to my original blog, Momma Needs Another Cup of Coffee, but you will find a few years have passed. Nora is now a teen headed to high school in the fall.  Emily will be turning 12 this summer.  Where did the time go?  It seems like just yesterday when we were getting her tested to see if she'd ever learn to speak.

She has, believe me, the girl can talk your ear off.  But back to the issue at hand.

The Yoga of Homeschool.  You may be thinking, what the hell is Ivy talking about?  Or, if you're a visual thinker, this might come to mind:

Or maybe this: