And what time is that? The time I usually begin the process of second-guessing every schooling decision I’ve ever made. For the past several years, this month marks my entry into a six-week-or-longer process of wondering what in the world I’m doing with the girls. It’s also the month I usually begin looking up all the other school options around – you know, just to see.

Last year, Craig and I had a pivotal conversation relating to our schooling decisions. By the end of it, we’d decided we would be homeschooling the girls through sixth grade and then entering them into his school as 7th graders. This decision is subject to revisitation only at the time of any particular child’s completion of 6th grade at home – if it doesn’t seem right to enroll her in school as a 7th grader, we will continue with what we’re doing. But this business of freaking out in the winter months and checking out all other schooling options available is over.

Such relief.

It only just came to me today, as I was talking to my friend Marcie on the phone. I mentioned that if I weren’t committed to Classical Conversations already and hadn’t had this conversation with Craig last year, I would probably be looking to enroll Maddie somewhere next year. It isn’t that I don’t love having her at home – I DO, but there are just some areas she may benefit more from the teaching of someone else. I can see that.

That said, I’m taking her to a Kumon center on Saturday for some math testing and, if it seems right, we will enroll her in tutoring for the remainder of the semester. She gets what we’re doing at home just fine, but she really needs to be pushed a little to get up to speed with her grade level and I don’t think she’ll take that pushing from me very well. (If any of you have experience with Kumon or any other math tutoring place, I’d love to hear about it. We’ll be making the decision soon, so any information I have going in would be great.)

All that to say, this is the first time that instead of just threatening to throw in the towel all together, I’m seeking help in the areas we need help while staying the course for everything else. Having made that decision last year has made this year so much easier; I don’t question or second-guess it. Craig is behind it, and that’s all the real support I need.