Hello, everyone! I’m catching up on questions today. 🙂
Now that your kids are grown up and your life and perspective on some things have obviously evolved, how do you feel about homeschooling now? Do you still think it was the best choice for your family, and how do your kids feel about it in hindsight?
-Ally
Sometimes, I could swear I’ve answered a question before, but then I can’t find it in my archives. This is one of those times. Ha.
I do not regret being a stay-at-home mom for my kids, although my answer would probably be different had I not also been a work-at-home mom. Being a full-time stay-at-home mom with no income would have made it much more difficult for me to leave my marriage; I still could have done it, but it would have been a way bigger headache, and everyone involved would have been significantly poorer in the end, including the person I divorced.
As far as homeschooling specifically: If I could go back again, I think I would still homeschool for grade school and possibly middle school. However, for high school (and maybe middle school?), I think I would opt for a more traditional school, partly to help my teens feel a little more normal and also because high school homeschooling was not my favorite (the subject matter gets harder, and I hate correcting high school math! Ha.)
I do not miss correcting math lessons!
Also, if I could go back, I think I would try to do more social things with other homeschoolers. I think some of my more social kids would have enjoyed that a lot.
This question is also a little bit hard to answer because if I could reverse time, the main change I’d make is that I would leave my marriage far, far sooner. That would have eliminated the option of homeschooling anyway, but it would have been better for me, and I think a healthier me could have shown up better for my kids.
But, it is all water under the bridge now, and no amount of woulda, shoulda, coulda will change any of that. I’d say the main takeaway, though, is that I have a lot more regret about staying in my marriage than I do about anything homeschool-related.
(I mostly keep my marriage thoughts on my Patreon, but here are two things I wish I’d known back then: 1) People who are entitled and abusive almost never change, and 2) If you have to beg and plead to get someone to go to marriage therapy, there’s basically no point in going. The same is true if the other person is only willing to go once you leave them.)
I am always enjoying your posts! It helps me to appreciate the small things. I am wondering how you are doing with spending your fun money?
-Claudia
I am doing a terrible job with that, to be honest! I don’t think I have bought a fun thing for myself in months. I know this is an exaggeration because life is not usually so all-or-nothing, but I do feel like right now, I have almost no time or space to think about fun. It seems like I am always working or doing homework, and any other time is eaten up with life stuff like laundry and cooking and such.
It is a little bit depressing, but I am getting through by reminding myself that this is temporary. In seven weeks, things will get better. Also, there should be an improvement by the end of this week because I think I can finish my chemistry course. That will give me back many hours per week.
I really should at least buy some kind of little treat each week, like a pastry and a coffee or something!
Hi Kristen!
My fav protein powder stopped being produced, and I remembered your use of Promix. Looks promising! When checking out, this is the first time I was presented with something like this image I’ve pasted below.
It was an optional 98 cent charge for package protection. My frugal heart is very torn, as I generally am not usually a buy insurance for small products person. But this purchase is also significant enough that it would be concerning to lose since I’m buying 2 bags. For this time, I’ll take my chances and skip the fee, but wanted to know if you’ve noticed this charge, what do you choose, and what do other readers think?
-Heather
Oh, I hate when companies do this. I order packages all the time and never worry about them being lost, stolen, or damaged, but then when they offer a little $0.98 insurance, I start thinking, “Oh no, what if my expensive protein powder gets lost???”
(I have never had this happen to any purchase ever, so I don’t know why I even think this.)
They basically manufacture some anxiety for me. Ha.
HOWEVER. I do believe that most credit cards offer a similar type of protection against loss or damage, so if I were you, I’d just pay with a credit card and call it good.
Incidentally, did you try the strawberry milk flavor that’s in the photo? If so, can you give us (ok, me!) a tastiness rating?
Ok, guys! Help Heather out: do you pay for extras like package protection?
(And of course, any other topic in this post is fair game for commenting too.)
