I’ll skip right to the chase.  My estranged father spent some time recently with our oldest son, 9 years old.  During the course of their visit, my son had his feelings hurt to the point of tears and my ‘father’ had serious concerns about the education of our children.  There were comments along the order of:  "if you went to school you’d know that".  Lovely. 

He (supposed father figure) e-mailed me inquiring about ‘unschooling’ (my son told him that’s what we do).  I answered his e-mail very thoroughly, very kindly.  Two days after their visit, a truancy officer appeared at my front gate.  After a very short conversation, he issued me a citation for ‘failure to send child to school’.  Hmmm…we’re *home schooling*.  Doesn’t matter.  The homeschool office had no record of us (my choice), but once we’d been ratted out, they were on the chase.  South Dakota law requires us to file an exemption form which must be approved by the local school district in order to keep our children out of public school.  Of course, I submitted this required paperwork the next day, but I still must appear in front of a judge next week to explain to him "why my kids aren’t in school".  

The day this happened was perhaps the scariest day of my life.  Someone, something suddenly had control (or so it felt) over my family, my children.  Suddenly, my very brazen personality became timid and paranoid.  Every "what if" imaginable was flowing freely through my thoughts.  How could this be happening to someone like *me*?  Someone who researches, discusses, analyzes, thinks and rethinks EVERY decision I make for our family? 

I’m feeling more peaceful now.  I’m in compliance with SD law.  Our house will be sold and closed as of December 4, at which time we are leaving the state of South Dakota.  I know, fully and honestly, that what we are doing is exactly what our boys need.  I would not, will not, change anything.  I will find my courage again.  I will not let fear creep in and remain an uninvited guest.

Doing what is right often times means doing what is difficult.  How much easier it would be for a day care to raise my babies, or for the public schools to educate my sons.  No, thank you.  I’ll take on those responsiblities proudly and deal with the difficulties of other’s perceptions of our choices.