So, we’re moving. That’s not exactly news. We’ve been moving for a year, at least. With a house closing a week away, however, it all seems a little more real this time around. We have been talking and dreaming and planning for so long, it really was beginning to feel like it was just talking and dreaming and planning.
Over the past year, my time has been taken up by planning a new business, having a baby, a serious illness, having a baby, selling a house and having a baby. This blog sort of hung out in the background, sometimes arousing feelings of guilt for long periods of neglect and sometimes providing a welcome distraction when I actually got time to compose my thoughts enough to write. In the in between times, however, my thoughts keep returning to exactly what it is I want from this blog.
I sit to write, but my mental energy isn’t focused on homeschooling like it was a year ago. I have spent much more time reading about intensive rotational grazing than I have about socialization, and articles about heritage breeds are much more likely to be bookmarked than are articles by yet another journalist who obviously doesn’t “get” homeschooling.
Still, the adventure we are about to embark on is all about home education. When we began homeschooling, I thought we’d be doing school at home. I’d teach, my children would learn and the big difference would be the location. Sure, there’d be that nice stuff about catering to my children’s needs, family togetherness and all that, but I essentially thought homeschooling would be the same in function just different in form.
What I didn’t expect was how much this adventure would change me and my views on family, parenting, education and society. I didn’t expect life to become so . . . intentional.
And yet I don’t know what that all means for this blog. Now that my baby appears to have made peace with sleeping at night, I should even have more time to write. I’m just suddenly not so sure what to write about.
Well, since your blog is titled “Principled Discovery,” I should assume you’ll be passing along some new discoveries as you come across them. :]
I hope the move goes VERY smoothly. I know how stressful that can be.
Dana, I am a real fan of Thinking Parents and the examined life. Thus I am a real fan here.
Dana, I’ve found that ideas on which to write come when I least expect them… maybe once you are happily settled, and embarked on your newest great adventure, posting ideas will begin to drop into your head? … Especially if you can expect a full night’s sleep once in a while
Thanks for sharing your thoughts here, your blog has inspired me often!
I hear you Dana.
My fervor for writing blogged reactions to news stories, trying to dispell myth & sticking up for HSing on the web has lost its luster for me. Maybe I’m burned out.
I am busy living life. THat is not to say that those who blog don’t have a life. It is just that my energy is waning about doing that.
My blog used to have more rants and strong opinions. The older my kids get and the more I learn about parenting the more laid back I’m getting. Yet I’m happier so the rants are also less. When I read an article that before would have sent me into a rant now I often just let it go and move on to enjoying my real ife, even if some stranger doesn’t
‘get it’ about HSing.
Enjoy mothering your new one and good luck with the move!
What a post to write just before my blog goes down. I was afraid y’all would think I went and deleted it. Instead, I stockpiled posts in my head. Now to get time to write them…
Oh those sweet new babies will certainly do that to you!!