I used to have great disdain for parents who overscheduled their kids. Over-ambitious activity freaks, I thought they were. And who schedules ‘playdates’ anyway? Seriously? I’M JUST GOING TO LET MY KIDS BE KIDS, I said.

Cut to January, 2008.

Me: Uh…Charlie’s going to start piano next week.
Him: Really?
Me: Yeah, this is the same lady that I tried to get him with last year. She’s very reputable.
Him: Ok.
Me: He’s doing lessons every other week so it won’t be as expensive.
Him: Ok.
Me: (defensively) So we’ll try to schedule his lessons on the same days as tae-kwon do.
Him: Sounds good.
Me: He’s really excited about tae-kwon do. He’s having so much fun.
Him: Yeah?
Me: Yeah. I’m so glad I got him signed up. DON’T JUDGE ME.

That last part was only in my brain, not out loud. So, uh, yeah…activities. But here’s the thing, when you homeschool you’ll lose your mind if you stay in the house all day, every day. And here’s the other thing, you can’t get away with letting your daughters do gymnastics and not find something for your son to do. And here’s one more thing, the last thing, I swear, it’s not like my kids are up at the crack of dawn and doing homework until midnight. And it’s not as if I’m imposing great unwanted activities on them. They’d do more if I let them. So DON’T JUDGE ME.

I know you wouldn’t judge. You’re not the type. Here’s how our days look:

Monday: easy peasy, nice-n-cheesy

Tuesday: piano for Charlie, tae-kwon do for Charlie, gymnastics for Juliet

Wednesday: Ava has tae-kwon do. She’s dropped gymnastics in favor of saying KEE-YAH and kicking people. It suits her.

Thursday: Sweet relief from heaven. Nothing to do here.

Friday: Charlie has tae-kwon do, part deux. All three have AWANA.

Add into the mix volunteering at the animal shelter, checking on our candy machines, the continual cleaning that comes from living in your house all day long with three piglike children, and you can probably appreciate why I haven’t been blogging as much recently.

But, still, I’m grateful for the opportunity to do it. Yesterday was Friday, which is our favorite school day. On Fridays, we only do art and science. So yesterday we studied Piet Mondrian, and painted Mondrianesque paintings, we finished watching As You Like It, we started growing some salt crystals and we read two chapters from Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle. Even as I read that sentence, I’m thinking that it’s exactly the kind of day I hoped for when I started planning to homeschool.

So why the defensiveness? I guess there’s still a not-feminist-because-I’m-not-a-feminist-but-still-unsettled-with-my-domestic-life piece of me that is not pleased that I’m spending my days catering to my children. It’s a very, very small piece of me. But it’s also the piece that forces me to write and start new projects and plan for the future. On the other hand, I truly love the life that I’ve been given. My kids make me laugh, which is the highest compliment I give out to anyone, and I’m proud to have kids that I enjoy spending time with.

Especially now that I’ve got Mr. Bow to Your Sensei, Ms. Sweet Little Piano Lady, Young Anonymous Gymnastics Coach and Enthusiastic Evangelical Church Types are sharing a little of the burden of educating them.