Here's what is essential to have if you are going to home school for a year:
1. A teenager willing to do the dirty work (i.e. don a plastic garbage bag and rain boots for occupational protection and drop the Mentos into the Coke bottle... the upshot is that she looks like a superhero in this picture... appropriately so).
2. Kind friends with great families. Today the public school kids were out of school so we had ten million different play dates. Tonight we went to the home of one of The Girl's BFF's to join her family as they broke their fast for Yom Kippur (fun/kind/smart people, delicious and elegant food, and the sweetest dog in the whole world who immediately upon making eye-contact presents her belly... that willingness to be instantly trusting and vulnerable is a holy characteristic).
Unfortunately, we had to eat and dash because as I bit into my cheese blintz souffle I realized that I had locked The Sister out of the apartment... and as mentioned, we need her...
3. A child who reminds you of your commitment to embrace what is deep and meaningful. Walking home tonight I started nagging said small person for being ridiculously shy at the party. Said small person then replied very simply, "But I really am working hard on so many other things."
With these things: awesome teenager, solid friends (with access to great pets), and children who remind me of our goals and ideals... We might just be able to pull off this gig.
