I just love it when sticky situations end with positive results!  Our daughter is 16 and started school this September for the first time.  I completely understand the reasons why she wants the new experience of school.  Almost all her long time friends started out as homeschoolers, and most of them are now attending one of the two local high schools.

As long time homeschoolers, we have always supported our kids in whatever endevours they wish to pursue.  We have many reasons as to why we decided not to put our kids in school, one of which was that the necessity to conform while attending school squashes the ability to think “outside the box”.  I don’t blame the school system for this, as I appreciate the need to cater to a large number of students cannot be met without conformity to “the rules”.

Before the last school year ended my daughter and I met with the high school counsellor and principal.  We discussed how she could best meet graduation requirements utilizing the courses available there in conjuction with the online courses she was already working on. It was agreed she could take the school bus in the morning,  attend whatever classes were available that she needed for credit, work independently on the library computers in any free blocks, then take the school bus home.

Come the first day of school in September, she called home to say when she tried to use the internet the librarian said she needed an access code from the counsellor or principal.  When she went to the office to straighten things out she was told she wasn’t allowed to be in the school or on the grounds unless she was in class.  No library, no bathroom, no cafeteria,  AND no school bus!  I was not impressed.

I left a message for the principal at 9am the following week (I needed a cool down period).  He called me back at 11am and I calmly explained how dissappointing it was to have a couple of highly motivated students (a friend was in the same predicament) who want to learn and integrate into the high school, who were originally told they would be accomodated, and now were being told “no”.  I suggested perhaps a contract could be signed outlining a mutually acceptible agreement allowing them to use the library internet in free blocks, ride the school bus, and have access to school amentities within the boundaries of the agreement.  He said he would look into it and get back to me.

To my pleasure, he called me back at 4pm the same day and read me an agreement allowing all of the above!  It is so great when obstacles arise,  potential solutions are discussed, and swift resolution is attained.  Yay!

I just love when people pull together to help one another!  A great example is a community support event that is happening tomorrow afternoon (Wednesday, August 3rd) at our local Roberts Creek Community Hall.  Our land partner Robin Wheeler , who also makes the majority of Hankettes’ body care products,  is needing community support due to illness.  There will be silent auction and auction items that have been donated by artisans throughout our community.  Please come out and support the event!  If you would like to donate directly to Robin go to  http://ediblelandscapes.ca/, the donate button is on the right.

This reminds me that there are so many ways we support each other.  We have an old gas lawnmower which hasn’t run in years.  Rob and I are somewhat “mechanically challenged” so didn’t really know how to fix it other than what instructions we found on the web.  A friend of ours has offered to take it and fix it for us.  This particular friend’s  son has spent a lot of time at our house.  Another friend has been loaning us his mower.  Our daughter Sarah has been spending lots of time at Lynda’s (who sews many of Hankettes’ products) because she lives in town where Sarah’s classes are.  Sarah is also friends with Lynda’s daughters who used to spend lots of time at our home.

I have always felt that it takes a whole community to raise a child because every person has a different perspective to offer that child.  I’ve come to realize that when we  share our various skills and ideas with our friends and neighbours, we create rich and meaningful lives for not just our kids but for all of us.