If the first week flew by, the second one zoomed by at the speed of sound. We started attending co-op, so that took one of the days. Then, after book learning, we traveled to Knoxville for our violin and harp lessons – that took care of another day. Our hiking group met up on the usual day because the weather cooperated, so that was yet another day.
Getting ready to hike in the Big Creek area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
On yet another day, our son decided he was ready to take the test for the learner’s permit. In Tennessee, one can do that online. I had to download an app to become his proctor and he took the test. He passed, so his dad took him to the DMV to get his actual permit.
Never a Dull Moment
Well, I was supposed to be there, apparently. As the proctor, I am the person who needs to sign all the paperwork and – get this – I am responsible for his driving until he turns 18. Nice job, mom!
We did not read all the fine print, obviously. But it is OK, actually, because I can also be the one who will revoke his permit until he gets to be 18. Ha! It works both ways. So my husband and son came back home to get me and took me to the DMV so I could sign the paperwork with the officials.
We have been teaching him to drive in a large parking lot five minutes from our house. Now, it is white knuckle time: he drives while we sit next to him, giving him instructions as needed.
Our daughter’s harp lesson during the second week of the school year
I told my husband a long time ago I will not teach the children to drive. In our homeschool, I teach them a lot of subjects, but I do not have the emotional intelligence for teaching how to drive. Period. If my husband vets him or her for a certain route, then I will accept to being driven around by the teenager. Otherwise, it will have to wait until he has gotten a chance to drive those routes with his father first.
Youth Orchestra Auditions
On yet another day, the kids had youth orchestra auditions. This has been the easiest audition yet – for me. I walked them into the building and they filled out their forms on their own. OK, they did have to ask me how long they have studied violin and how many years they have been in orchestra. But they wrote down their piece, the composer, etc on their own. Then, they went to their respective green rooms and I went back to the car. Thirty minutes later, they came out of the building and we went home. That was it. Amazing. Are things supposed to get easier as children get older? In some ways, that is my experience. In others, things get a bit more complicated.
And just like that, the second week of our 11th year of homeschooling came to an end. Now we have a teenager with a driver’s license.
