One week and one day of public school, plus a lifetime

I am going to give a short backstory. We were homeschoolers, and we moved to a new place. Chris, being the leader of our home thought the kids should try public school. Thought troy would benefit from the socialization and the older kids would enjoy sports. He reasoned that this is "West Texas" and schools were just better here. After all, that is what we heard from the public around here. So, off to school they went.

First day: bus didn't come for older kids, I was not available immediately because I was 30 miles away, so I called and the bus dispatched a new bus for them. I called the school to insure they got there, they inform me "there is no way to find out if they are here or not". So, I made a trip up there and let them know they *better* know where my children are at all times. Troy got picked on, came home in tears.

Subsequent days: It was something everyday. I *knew* the kids needed to be back home, but I respected Chris' position. Troy's K teacher became increasingly frustrated with him being "needy". M's schedule got all messed up, and because she had been homeschooled they tried to put her in remedial classes (I did get that fixed and she went to gifted instead). I could go on and on, but Tucker was the only one doing "okay".

There was an immediate change in our home. Everyone was cranky. The older kids were picking up things unGodly at rapid speed. Their attitudes reflected as such. Troy would cry, a lot. I had a hard time getting cooperation with *anything* here at home. Troy became more clingy and would cry for his sister. We had seen a setback to wetting the bed, talking babytalk, and so forth.

That next Monday, Six days into the new school year, Chris called me to have lunch and told me he felt in his spirit that it was wrong for our children to be in school, and to go pull them out. He did have one thing he would allow, if they really honestly wanted to stay, they could. Only Tucker wanted to stay. We really struggled with this, but allowed him to stay with a "three strike" condition. Meaning, three things go wrong at home or at school, and we will pull him anyhow. He is on strike one, and has been beat up at school. Not good. But yet we allow him to stay, because we feel like his spirit will not be in the right place if we don't keep our end or if he doesn't make the decision to come home himself.

I can honestly say that we now know that it is 100% God's plan for us to homeschool. I know that this little experiment with public school has introduced things we never meant to open the doors to.