The FS Village

Story

Being raised with a non-traditional educational approach that included Dutch, British, and American private schools as well as home school when those did not suit my mom’s goals, I became adept at various methods and styles with home school being my favorite. Learning was fun alongside my genius-brothers, but I struggled with my intense dyslexia and ADHD.

My choices were to survive or thrive. Choosing to thrive, I began utilizing my unique and deep understanding of ‘how to learn’, first with my college classmates, post-graduate as a K-12 tutor, and eventually with you, my fellow homeschool sojourners. It has all been blessing and beauty. I am so thankful to deeply adore my job. A job that grew as I reclaimed my own education alongside teaching my own children and tutoring others.

Another gritty aspect of growing up as I did was that I experienced a childhood that held the full spectrum of life from the best of a magical childhood as well as the worst of experiences that I would not wish on my enemy. Thankfully, I was always aware of something that I called ‘the big hand’ holding me, protecting me. I survived. I thrived. There are bad days, but they are not worth diving into. Better to accept them, embrace them, place them aside, and forge a new path.

This has given me a unique ability to understand almost any situation except perfection. Perfection I totally do not get even though I wish that I were Ms. Perfect to whom everything comes easy. Nope. Not me. Never. I identify as blessed, a hard worker, real, flexible, understanding, giving, loving, accepting, encouraging- but-not -perfect.

I live an authentic messy homeschool life full of ideal visions of perfection with the wonderful ability to make you feel better about yourself. Housekeeping less than optimal? Just drop over. Parenting less than perfect? Just listen in. Marriage in need of a tune up? Let me share with you our favorite counselor. Children less than prim, proper, and perfect? Ask my neighbors. But we love it as we continue to utilize academics to teach life lessons such as character, kindness, diligence, love of learning, confidence, and the list goes on.

With rose colored lenses jauntily perched upon my pert nose, I go about my nights absorbing all of the homeschool and educational material available to me, and by day I implement what I have learned toward becoming a master of the many things. Lessons that I never, ever wanted to re-learn. When I use the term ‘master’, I am using it loosely lest you think I went from dyslexic to genius under the influence of pregnancy induced hormones, dirty diapers, and sleep deprivation. These things did change my hair, but not my brain. Sigh!

In choosing to live fully and teach to the best of my ability and toward my children’s needs, a passionate joy entered that I had to share. And share I did — through helping launch some of the first co- ops in our nation, as a CC tutor, by directing my own programs, through our SC Option 3 accountability association, and now through FS Village. I am leaving out the lucky strangers in the grocery store line, at the gym, and etc, but you get the picture. I live this stuff. I love this stuff!!

My ignited passion for serving, supporting, and simplifying home school for others has led me here to you. I am still daily navigating my own messy homeschool world, fighting comparison and the feelings of inadequacy that brings, but mostly I am rejoicing in the fact that I adore my job of serving and mentoring parents.

When my siblings and I were homeschooled, there was no support beyond personal conviction and the educational materials you put together yourself. Then along came boxed curricula that seemed dry but legal. Speed up a few years to when my better half and I began to homeschool my own children, and the amount of information and material available is overwhelming with no official voices out there to distill, simplify, and guide toward confidence — until now!  

Many hands simplify work, many minds make strong decisions, and many hearts make a confident homeschool!