The boys packed up their backpacks and were given a sack lunch and milk money.
We got in the van at 7:22 and started our journey to school. I dragged Luci out of bed (NO she did NOT sleep through the night) in her pajamas. We drove about 2 miles and told the boys that Luci and I would surely have fun at McDonald's this morning while they were in school. Bryan and JT looked at each other and then me--"WHAT? WHERE is this school? I thought it was at HOME!" I said it was, but it was just fun to tease them a little more. Luci was more practical and said, "I in my 'jamas! I no go to McDonald's!" She really cracked me up. Her thought processes are so clear sometimes.
Then we drove right past R. school, the public county school (K-12) just a mile from our house. JT almost quit breathing. I even got in the line of mommies dropping off their kids for the day! My! How mean is that?! When we pulled past the drop-off point without dropping off any children, JT started normal respiration again.
They had to schlep all of their stuff everywhere they went. If anything was left behind, it would be confiscated and returned at the end of the day. Just like at a regular school, when you leave something behind, you might not see it again--lunch, that homework, a nice backpack. We hope everyone is honest but I wanted the boys to have the pleasure of carrying everything from class to class the way their friends do.
Between class periods, the boys had to move to their next class. To make it sort of realistic (not just sitting at the dining room table all day--we have never had school desks for our schooling), I had the boys walk laps between classes. We have an open floor plan and they walked the circuit from class to class. At one point, JT had to walk "way down the hall" to the bathroom--2 laps. Then 2 laps back, but oh no! He forgot to wash his hands. So back he went for 2 laps there, 2 laps back. All the while holding the lovely potty pass.
After walking 5 laps to Social Studies, Bryan made the observation that "I really feel like I'm going somewhere." Here he is going to class:
JT was starving by 9 am. He decided he loved his tuna sandwich, but like in "real school," he could not even nibble until lunch time.
I found ed Helper.com and it was a great resource. Almost all of our stuff for today came from there. I will be using it more in the future for supplementing our studies. Great for "regular" schooling and homeschooling alike, and for moms at home who want to help their kids review things taught at school. You do have to join (about $20 for the cheaper version) to have access to the printable stuff.
Here's the teacher. Do you know any teacher who is not part actor? I had the best time today being a different teacher in each class period. The boys had to deal with the different names and personalities. I think they really liked the "free spirit" who was the English teacher.
Bryan trying to keep busy without talking after getting done early with his work. The boys only had access to the dining room (classroom), bathroom and circuit (laps to to the next class). They were not allowed to go to their rooms to get anything, or snack, or play games.
Waiting in line for lunch.
P.E.
Luci even got into the action in P.E.
Do you like "regular school"? Having the day last much longer than normal, no breaks when you want, having to be in the same room as your brother all day?
What about Homeschooling? 
I sure hope that means the attitudes will be better. Still doing our checklist, to keep track of attitudes and behaviors we desire to see in them.Things that I learned:
- It is ok to change things up radically to achieve the results we want--"school at home," using a new resource (ed Helper.com)
- I really, really like my kids. All of them. Really.
- I can use my teacher voice more (the one I used to use with my students in TX and LA 'way back when) instead of my impatient-mother-"don't-you-understand-yet?" voice that I too often use with the boys.
- No one wants to earn extra credit by changing a dirty diaper.
