Second, and this is the one I know I really have an issue with..... Guilt over not homeschooling.... We have new neighbors that have moved in and the mom will be homeschooling. I am feeling so inferior. I know I can't handle doing this with my 5 kids (probably all GT and a couple 2E.) I feel like I'm failing them because they would get a better education here at home. This mom has no particular reason to homeschool other than she wants to see her kids more. How can I "own" what works for our family and get past not providing the ultimate learning environment for my kids?
Okay, STOP THIS NOW.
Your neighbor is not a better mother for homeschooling. She is not nobler, providing an overall superior education, more innovative, cooler, braver, thriftier, a better Scout, or anything else. What she is doing is being a mom who has considered what works well for her family and followed through on it.
You, otoh, are...a mother who has considered what works well for her family and has followed through on it. You did what was best, then circumstances changed and you did what was best then, and now they're changing again and you're doing what's best again.
So I figure you probably both get equal Good Mommy points. (And as an aside, I've homeschooled gifted and 2e kids and, while I wouldn't trade the experience and think it was absolutely the right choice at the time, I frankly am just as happy they've elected to go to the brick & mortar high school at this point.)
