I can’t believe that we are having this conversation again. I can’t believe that the answer isn’t obvious. But it’s not. As you might remember, we are in Costa Rica on sabbatical. We’ve been here for two months, and have a month to go. For the last month, the boys have been enrolled in a private, bi-lingual school close to our home here. Our plan was to leave them there for the next month as well, but they have been... Read more
My friend Cameron has been unrelenting in Facebook posts about Trayvon Martin. He’s really mad. Incensed, actually. Bereft, I think, but he doesn’t say so. Sometimes, after reading a particularly indignant post, I worry about his emotional state. Then, a little while later, I worry about my own because I feel so little of what he feels. Don’t get me wrong, I was outraged when I learned how Trayvon died and that the shooter was not charged. I feel sick... Read more
I just finished my series, “Traveling With Children.” I told you about the first post awhile back. But if you missed it, you can read it here. After that, you can read about any of my Top Ten Tips for Traveling With Children: Stay somewhere with a pool. Maintain both a home base and at least a few of your rituals from home. Remember that your kids will be just as wonderful and rotten as they are at home. So... Read more
A Guest Post by Ezra Surfing is a very hard but fun exercise. I learned how to surf at Choco’s Surf School in Samara, Costa Rica. Let me tell you about it. Choco’s is a great surf school. It’s only one block from our apartment. I took lessons with one of their teachers named Marco. He was funny. They gave us all a board for free. They gave Nafisa, my mom, and my dad a surf shirt. My brother and... Read more
(a guest post from Zach) Last week, we went to Ostional to see Olive Ridley sea turtles. It took an hour and fifteen minutes to get there. We played until we got there. We went on a bus. The first turtle we saw was dead. Then we saw five alive turtles. Three were digging the nest with their back two legs. One was laying eggs. They were white and a little smaller than a tennis ball. Stuff that looked like... Read more
(guest post by Nafisa) Today (hoy), Tara and I (y yo) decided to make chicken and rice, or in Costa Rica, Arroz con Pollo. Our friend (amiga) Kathy used to make it back home with us and it was delicious (delicioso). Last Saturday (Sabado), we made it and it came out really good, so we decided to do it again. Here are the steps to make your own Arroz con Pollo: You will need: rice cooker 6 chicken drum sticks... Read more
We’re on sabbatical in Costa Rica for three months. We’ve been here for four days, and I’m pooped. I know, I know. Poor me. Living at the beach, dancing merengue, practicing my Spanish, and hanging out with my kids and husband. Three months of rest, relaxation, and fun. What kind of ingrate complains about that? And I’m not complaining, really. It’s just that I find it exhausting. If I’m not pumped up on the adrenaline that comes from not knowing... Read more
Zach’s been asking to go back to school. He misses his friends. And we haven’t gotten much done school-wise lately as we prepare to leave the country on a three-month sabbatical. Not a lot going on to bolster my ever-hungry ego. So I foolishly tossed the boys what I thought was a softball question. I knew it was stupid, but I thought it would give them a chance to express their gratitude for all I do. They might even throw... Read more
Homeschool wars? Really? Don’t we already have enough wars? Last week, I wrote a post about the primary reason our family homeschools – namely, that we want to spend more time together and enjoy the closeness and lifestyle that comes with that. While many people appreciated the post, others (both on this blog and other venues) took issue with either my casualness about the importance of homeschooling or the prideful way I suggested homeschooling is the only way. What is it about homeschooling... Read more
People throw around a lot of silly reasons for homeschooling. I bet you’ve heard them too. Homeschooled kids win all of the spelling bees. The Ivy League schools are overrun with homeschoolers. Homeschooled kids are self-confident, and un-bowed by peer pressure. They knit with old ladies, take care of babies, and never bully anyone. This line of reasoning falls into two categories: Homeschooled kids are smarter. Homeschooled kids have better character. Here’s the problem with category one:... Read more
The Homeschool Chronicles
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