A Plague By Any Other Name

I thought that we had stepped into the dark ages -- I swear that we had the black plague in our household.  One-by-one, each of us was stricken, and then, being the sharing kind of people we are, we kindly gave it back to each other.  Over and over and over again.  We couldn't simply air out the house to get the bugs on the run, we would have died of hypothermia (temperatures were hovering around 0F for most of our illnesses).  The 2nd floor held a lovely scent of tea tree oil, eucalyptus and Vicks Vapo rub that hung in the clouds of humidity that emanated from our 24-hour-a-day vaporizer blitz.  I should probably give the vaporizer a proper burial after working so hard for so long for us.
We are now on the mend...
And then the plague reared its ugly head in another form:
"Are you enrolling Sarah in Kindergarten?"
Um, she is IN Kindergarten.
"No, I mean a REAL Kindergarten."
That's right, we're just 'playing' when we do school every day.
You're right.
I should really stop what I am doing and conform to what YOU think is right for my child.
I should subject my child to lower learning standards, one teacher focused on many children and a curriculum that has been homogenized in order to make sure that 'no child is left behind.'
Yes.
Please sign us up.
Sarah is 5.
Sarah is reading books.
Sarah is doing math: addition and subtraction.
Sarah is learning science (Do you know the three states of matter?  Did you learn it in Kindergarten?  She did.).
Sarah knows the names of different clouds.  Most Kindergartners know clouds as white puffy/cottony things in the sky.  Sarah understands that there are different names for different types of clouds (her favorite is Cirrus.).
Sarah has learned about Lewis, Clark and Sacagawea, John Chapman (Johnny Appleseed), and many tribes of Native Americans.
Can you identify countries on the map? Name the continents? Her favorite changes as we explore each one.
Study Cezanne lately?  She has - among others.  But she does have a fondness for Van Gogh.
Music class is filled with dancing, clapping and piano lessons (I'm learning to play as we go).
Does your school offer classes at all hours - because the student ASKS to learn?  My Daughter is on her own schedule.  She asks for school morning, noon and night.  She is enjoying learning.  We don't have tears - wait, we do - from me.
I cry when I have to justify why I am homeschooling my Daughter.
I have to listen to un-educated/un-informed voices ask, "What about her social interaction?  She needs to be with kids her own age!"  You are right.  And she attends dance classes, goes to the library, etc.  I would love to have more outings with people her own age - so she can have more fun - but I know that she will get that -- I just have to work harder to find those opportunities.
Do I want her to go to school?  Part of me says yes - but it's for nostalgic reasons.  What memories will she have?  Then I stop myself.  Many of my memories are based upon bullies, bad times and awful experiences.  Yes, they made me who I am - but those memories have nothing to do with education.  I want to provide my daughter with the best education that is available.  I want to establish a love for learning - an unquenchable thirst for knowledge that will enable her to go as far as she dreams.
Sarah has completed almost 1000 hours of Kindergarten.  A full school year requires that she 'attend' 1098 hours.  We're almost done for the year - but we'll start first grade before her 'peers' are out of Kindergarten.  If she asks to slow down, we'll slow down.  If she asks to speed up, we'll speed up.
That's the beauty of homeschooling.
My Daughter loves school.
Asking me to put your needs ahead of hers (to see her in a 'normal' school) is short-sighted and down right rude.  If Sarah was not learning, I could understand the backlash.  Why ask Sarah, or me, to give up something that we love and that works for us?  We understand that is doesn't work for you.  Fine.  You don't have to do it.  But, please, don't take away or belittle what we are doing.
Sarah is in the best school for Sarah.
She is the favorite of the teacher --
who thinks she Rocks!