A funny thing happened on my way to homeschool this week …

The Robbins Family – Pioneer Girl.

It has been freezing here in NE Ohio this week. The winter storm,Fern passed over us, leaving behind about a foot of snow. Then, the temperatures dropped, ensuring that none of the white stuff would melt. For the rest of the week, the low temperatures were a big problem. School districts around the area closed down. Others delayed opening. This ensured that students did not have to try to make it in through the bitter cold.

For homeschoolers, this usually isn’t an issue. On cold days, we just put an extra sweat shirt on over our comfy pajama bottoms and plow ahead with our school work. Winter days are cozy days. They are make-a-memory days.

But this week, our homeschool co-op was meeting during one of these frigid days. The leadership, in their determination to never miss a day, kept the co-op open. The idea was that because our children don’t have to wait for a bus or walk to school, cold temperatures shouldn’t bother us.

But there are a couple of problems with that:

• The roads may be clear, but they are still icy. There is an increased chance of accidents. Having a wrecked vehicle on the side of the road, full of my cold children, waiting for police and/or a tow truck has its own risks, including hypothermia.
• Loading a lot of little kids with coats, boots and other stuff into the van on a bitter cold day is challenging.
• For teachers with little kids, it’s worse. Especially if they teach art or science and have to lug a lot of equipment or books in.
• The irony of the school kids getting to stay at home safe and warm while the homeschoolers trudge out in the arctic air is like a weird Reverse Uno game.
• As a traditional homeschooler, the idea of leaving home in such weather is anathema. Just give me the readings and assignments, and I’ll get it done.

So I did what any independent homeschooler would do. I stayed home.

But these are the types of decisions that I don’t think I want to continue making after 30 years of homeschooling. And it’s a further sign that this current co-op – is not the best fit for me and my granddaughter any more.

And that’s okay.

Sometimes things change and our needs change. I started homeschooling right after the first wave of homeschoolers had done jail time and been charged with truancy. For me, this is a lifestyle choice, and not just another way to educate the young. And that philosophy is not being served by this co-op anymore.

So I wonder what that means for our future… Stay tuned while I figure that out.