Year of big changes!

2012 brings with it some major changes for our family.
The best one, and biggest we have ever done in my opinion, is our house. A home we have dreamed of for years. I have only mentioned it here now and then mainly because, well, to most it is a very boring subject. A topic only hose who are building or renovating or dreaming can really understand.
So, lucky you, I will save you from going on about types of wood, foundations, ceiling height, windows, paint colours, straw, render and sooo much more.

I have a big list of things that need to be done for the planning stage and how much we need to save for said planning stage, grumble. We meet our draftswoman early in the new year to finalise the plans and then things will get very exciting! For me anyway, I love this stuff.
So yes, a big house to fit us all with room to fling a child around.

Another big change is the older children heading off to our local school. Huge news really. I am still coming to terms with my feelings. On the one hand I would love to make them do what I want. But you can't control someone and preach about their autonomy at the same time.
Children grow up. As they grow their view and understanding of the world grows with them. The children you wanted to always voice their opinion, have their feelings heard, now have those!

I have felt it may happen one day. One, two or more would want to give school a go.
I know for me growing up, when I was not allowed to do something, I wanted to do it. Foods I couldn't have, I wanted them. Told not to do something, I did it. Always testing boundaries and pushing for things I knew I could do, or would be ok with.
My determination and lure to seeing just how far I could go, or see what I could do, has certainly been passed on to the children. I want to embrace that, as much as I can while I remind that pesky inner voice that they are growing up and I have to continually let go a bit more each time. They have minds of their own, different ways of seeing the world.
Don't get me started on how the 2 eldest boys are the same shoe size as me now and VERY close to seeing eye to eye with me.

I have also never seen schools/institutions, as the enemy, like some home edders have told me.
Maybe it is part because I went to Uni to be a teacher. Part is also certainly because I and Hub both went to school, yet here we are challenging the world and views from the moment we got together at only 15. I am here and who I am because of my past, and the journey along the way.

In a nutshell I want my children to know that we are here and supporting them through their life and the direction they want to go in. For 2012, it will be a combination of school and still some home edding. Yes, you can combine both. I know too well there are gaps in what children want to learn and what they are exposed to at school.
Maybe that is the teacher in me, trying to make sure the children are well rounded, with awesome grammar and hand writing!

As you can imagine we have talked about school a lot over the years, and especially in the last few months. I was very pleased to overhear the older boys talking about going to school and how they are excited to go but how they are glad they know they can always go back to home ed if they prefer.
I love that they know they have choices and that their parents are following their lead and supporting them as they grow up (way too fast!)

What also helps is how family orientated this school is. There is around 70 students across the 7 grades. I have spoken to many parents about teachers, the principal, the school in general etc. I also put the school through the wringer so to speak when we visited each time the kids had went. In the last 2 months they have spent a couple of hours in the classrooms getting to know the teacher and other kids. They went 4 times and each time they would tell me everything that happened, who they spoke to, what they did, what they liked, what they were not sure of.
I am very pleased the school were happy for them to do this, as it meant the children could see for themselves for deciding for certain about going next year.

Don't worry, I'm not kidding myself it is all sunshine and lollipops! There are pros and cons no matter what we do. The key is the support they have and the ability to keep open dialogue with the children and us about their lives. Communicating with the teachers is also very important to me.

So we will see what Term 1 brings come Feb next year.
I will be home with my 3 little women and must admit I am a little excited too. I have no doubt there will be a lot of play dough happening and lots of cutting and pasting. A big favourite at the moment.
Miss 3 already has big plans for us. Lots of baking, going to the park and watching Dora. Yay, I think!