The Nut Factor in Homeschool Moms

When we homeschool moms are constantly discussing curriculum, lesson plans, record-keeping, upcoming events, debate, field trips and that all gets to be dry, I think we could all use some additional deep academic banter such as I recently shared with one of my dear homeschooling friends. I must add, she also has sons in high school. There's something scary that happens to us homeschooling moms when we are no longer teaching ABC's, number recognition, and colors and subjects like Chemistry, Pre-Calc and Economics show up in our record-keeping files.

Consider the email conversation below.

Mom #1 "I’m gathering ideas to start MY blog, since I’ve got so much spare time on my hands. (Discussed this with the boys today... IS THERE such a thing as a sarcastic icon???)"

Mom #2 "Asked boys about sarcastic icon. They do the raised eyebrows, wink, slanty mouth or tongue sticking out of the mouth. See: ,':-| or ;-) or :-b or XD (that's supposed to be squinty eyes, laughing mouth, but it always looks like "X" and "D" to me.)"

Have you seen The King's Speech yet? We watched it last night....really good.

Mom #1 Joe suggested this: :-P Doesn’t really look sarcastic to me, though. Yes! The King's Speech was great!

Mom #2 Lowell has to explain some of his more complex icons. They look like this to me. <,:[%-+. "mom, that's wry consternation and anguish with a cynical edge." Oh.

We're going to watch (yes it ended just like that.)

Mom #1 We LOVE Lowell’s icon... and its definition!

Mom #2 He's a mess.

Don't ask me what I was about to begin typing below that. Senior moment. I think it was "we're going to watch "Searching for Bobby Fisher" the movie about a chess whiz but I'm thinking the moment I started typing it, I wondered where it could be as I had forgotten about having it, and I remember walking upstairs and asked the boys where "FX" is and "Saving Private Ryan" as I had forgotten what I was looking for to begin with.

I don't want to be old.

:9^-/} (anguish, frustration and moroseness with a touch of dementia)

Mom #1 :9000^^^^-/}}}}} (anguish, frustration and moroseness with a touch of dementia)

I will definitely use this! Note the excessive anguish, frustration, and dementia.

I’m scared to ask what moroseness is, but I think I’ve seen it in the kitchen.

Mom #2 Excessive anguish noted.

How about adding wrinkles on the forehead, a frown and a double chin. }}} : - ( ))

Morose. A favorite word of Lowell's.

Mom #1

Just perfect! All I needed to add to my self portrait was a mustache!!!

}}} : -} ( ))