Sanity prevails!

From CHN’s website:

August 8: This morning the Cailfornia Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, Division Three issued its ruling in the In re Rachel L. case. In Feburary 2008 this same court issued an opinion that held that California parents can homeschool their children only if they hold a valid teaching credential. The court vacated its February 2008 decision by agreeing to rehear the case. In addition to hearing from the parties on rehearing, the court also invited numerous friends-of-the-court, known as “amicus curiae” to provide legal argument. The court heard argument from the parties and the amicus curiae on June 2, 2008 for more than 2 hours. Today’s court ruling held that (1) California statutes permit home schooling as a species of private school education; and (2) the statutory permission to home school may constitutionally be overridden in order to protect the safety of a child who has been declared a dependent. Homeschooling, therefore, remains a legal educational option in California.

Has it been a month? or more?

I can't believe how time goes by around here. I honestly thought I would be better at keeping you abreast of our events. Really... it has been a busy month (March) and we are still moving forward!
We had great times in March, with friends who were out of school on spring break and were able to join in a few adventures.
We are still working with Right start math, taking it slow and making sure that she knows all her numbers and addition facts up to 20 inside out with games and fun lessons. We are learning about Egypt and the pyramids as well as about nature all around with hikes and lectures at the nature center. Reading is of course, the (yummy) bread of everyday.
Laura continued with her gymnastics and keyboard classes; which she enjoys enormously. She also started to take Chinese, which she can practice with daddy on a daily basis and "Engineering with Legos" for the next eight weeks.

We seem to be a lot more "in the groove" with one another. Laura is eager to learn and when she is (intellectually or physically) tired she finds an alternate activity that soothes her.

I started to convert our patio room into our "classroom" although I prefer to call it our "studio", where things happen.

The days go by so fast... even Laura notices it. She is equally amazed when she goes to sleep and realizes that another wonderful day has gone by so fast!

Sometimes I think about all the things that school kinder gardeners are learning... all the reading, all the writing, all the waiting in line, all the competition. I wonder how my daughter's life would differ is she was following the same path.
Then I realize that she IS doing the same on her own terms; without pressure of any sort and with an incredible mixture of excitement, curiosity and wonder. She challenges herself, is well rested, eats nutritious meals, runs and enjoys the outdoors to her heart's content and is kind to those around her everyday. She is proud of herself and enjoys being her age.

Then I remind myself of how lucky we are to be able to home school right now and how different our lives are thanks to it.