There must a down side, you think. It can’t be all freedom and field trips, times tables over leisurely, hot breakfasts and boys crocheting while I read aloud, right?

It’s true. There is an ugly side to homeschooling. It’s something many of us try to hide behind closed doors – It’s Messy!!

First, there is the ‘stuff’ I keep.

Baskets, bins, bags, piles, shelves and closets full of stuff! I love for The Boyz to have access to science kits, art supplies, bioscopes, maps, puzzles, magnets, manipulatives, books, paper, games, glue, telescopes, crafting supplies, computer programs, musical instruments, building kits, scales, etc. You never know when one of them might need a Hieroglyphic Stamping Set or a clear form of the Human Body.

When things are in full swing, there are ant farms on the counter, crystals growing in my drinking glasses, my kitchen aid mixer whipping up paper mache,  and chickens mummifying in plastic bags.

Sometime when it gets to dinnertime…