Ha! What on earth is abulic, I hear you cry? Well, I’m glad you asked. Abulic refers to an individual suffering from abulia. None the wiser? I wouldn’t worry too much, spell check doesn’t recognise it as a proper word either 🙂
According to the online dictionary, abulic is a psychiatric term referencing a symptom of a mental disorder involving impairment or loss of volition. Or in plainer English abulic describes an individual’s inability to make decisions (or act). And I think it describes me perfectly as a home-schooler.
I mean, have you seen the sheer number of writing curricula out there? Seriously, how is one meant to choose? And then there is maths, and don’t even get me started on science or history.
BH (before homeschooling) I was able to process choices fairly rationally. At the beginning of this journey (when I was innocent to the choices out there) we picked the only one we knew about (ACE) for all three older children. We abandoned that a couple of years later and that was when ‘curricula madness’ set in. Honestly, if it not a diagnosable illness, it should be. I am no longer rational. I spend money which may very well feed a country suffering from famine, on what basically amounts to letters on paper which promise me faithfully they will produce the very best writers, never before seen. BH I would not have dreamt of spending that amount on carpet, let alone a writing curriculum. BH I was sane. Now I am not. At least I don’t think I am. On reflection maybe I am. Or not. What do you think? See? Abulia.
I have also in the past done my best to figure out what kind of homeschooler I am. Because people like to know. Apparently, if you can give yourself a title you are considered more likely to do a good job. Home schooling? Ah yes, I am a Charlotte Mason homeschooler. Or, Yes, we would describe ourselves as Classical homeschoolers…or unit study based homeschoolers…or unschoolers. I could never decide. We never quite fit into any one genre. And ‘we just wing it’ really doesn’t cut it in non-homeschool circles.
I am officially educating five school age children now. We are currently using a bazzilion curricula, which are attached to a zillion different home school philosophies. Because I still don’t know what curriculum would be the best fit for our family; or in deed which philosophy of education would prove to be the most fruitful for our family. I do, however, at long last and after much pondering know what type of home schooler I am…..
an abulic one, of course!
I’ve missed the first week of the link up, but further posts will be linked up to the following linkie:
I like the new look on the side bar. Looks like you’ve got your social media connections all figured out! This is a really funny post, Claire. It gives me a glimpse into your very interesting mind. 🙂
Thanks to this comment I jumped from the reader to her website, you are right, the sidebars look great! Thanks for nudging me over 🙂
Thanks Hwee. I’m still not very familiar with all the social media – if you only knew how long it took me to sign up to Instagram and now I am finally signed up I have absolutely no idea how to use it!
I am trying ABC blogging this time too. What a great first post!
Blessings, Dawn
It was you and Christy who introduced me to the whole idea. My ABC posts are so much twaddle but enormous fun to write!
I’m only in my second year of homeschooling, and I already gave up trying to decide which curriculum is best for the family (there is none, both my kids are different, so their curriculums too), or what kind of homeschoolers we are (we’re eclectic, deal with it LOL). It’s no use.We are who we are, not only as a family but each family member as well. By the time we have it figured out, they’re done being homeschooled and ready for taking on the world on their own. Oh help, it better not come too soon!
We’re probably eclectic but that began with E rather than A!!
Abulic…I suffer too 🙁 Though I may have finally found our writing/language arts cure…for now anyway.
Oooh share please? I can’t remember, are you using Cover Story? We are still using that and love it 🙂
Oldest does enjoy Cover Story but I think it would have served him better in another year or do. We are using Brave Writer. I am reluctant to call it a writing curriculum…it is more of a lifestyle…even a way of parenting you could say. From the home life you describe I think you implement much of it naturally. The website is overwhelming. I would suggest you watch some of Julie Bogart’s scopes. The link to her Katch.me page is on the poetry post I just did. I’m only about six months into this way of homeschooling but the relationship I now have with the kids is so much better.
Thank you for providing a word to describe it! After 11-odd years (maybe 12? I’ve lost track), we have tried so many curricula that it makes my head spin. Nice to know I’m not alone!
I love learning new words and this one was perfect!
Love this post, after 8? years I think I found our homeschool “name”=eclectic, meaning-I use a little bit of everything. That word however tends to confuse non homeschoolers just as much as “winging it” lol Can’t win 🙁
I’m beginning to think there is a ‘homeschool speak’ which only home schoolers understand. Anyone else just looks slightly puzzled and/or alarmed!
Ha, ha!! Abulic – I like it!!
Isn’t is a cool word?!
Oh this is perfect. Seriously, what happens to us after we start homeschooling? We are Classical homeschoolers, except when we aren’t. We love a particular curriculum until we just can’t finish it. We are so indecisive.
Looking forward to the rest of the alphabet.
I’m intending to write about my own experience of homeschool madness throughout the 26 weeks. It is funny just how weird we all become!
Snicker, yes that is a great description. I cheat and say “I’m an eclectic homeschooler.” There, now I don’t have to decide on one specific category.
Yeah, but that didn’t begin with A…….. 😉
That is true it does not. So when you get to E you can use it again.
I also love this post!! Ha Ha!! Because we were so abulic, we decided to join the TOS Review Crew so we could hop around and try a little of everything. Only, we’re leaving the Crew now because it interferes with the work that the children want to do, and since at heart, I’m an unschooler, that seems like an okay plan to me! LOL
I’ve applied for the TOS, although I only just scraped through their required criteria. I think I will quite enjoy having lots of curriculum to (not) choose from!
There are always smaller bloggers in followers on the Crew, so just remember that they picked you 😀 I’m sure you will. I certainly have enjoyed it!
Everyone has to do what is right for their family. There is no one-size-fits-all in home schooling. You have done and are continuing to do a most excellent job of meeting the needs of your individual children. You are THE EXAMPLE of great home schooling!
You see, THAT is why everyone needs a Donna in their life!
And you are why home schooling needs Claire!