Back to ambitious intentions

Good intentions week starts Tuesday.  Most children will be heading off to school for their 1st year or their 12th.  We will be starting what I am going to call good intentions week.  Although the outcome whether the intentions are fulfilled or not is nether good nor bad, it just 'is'.  So I suppose 'good' intentions is a misnomer and implies that I feel I am failing if I don't meet my own intentions.  So another good name might be ambitious intentions week, or "getting caught up in it all" intentions week.  I am not sure why when this time of year rolls around I feel like we have to jump on the "back to" train.  We don't have to go 'back to school' in September.  There is no law about the school year beginning in September and ending in June or being focused 9-3 on Monday through Friday.  My guess is it is just entrenched in me from my own 13 year school career (not including post secondary).  It really is a hard one to shake.  We have never followed a traditionally or really mainstream education schedule or process.  We are so far from that but every September I get caught up on the preparation bug.

I have sent in our intention to homeschool letter, early this year even.  It is not a required letter, and in fact had Seamus and Liam not been enrolled part time for the very short period a couple of years ago the school board wouldn't know they exist.  Now that they are on the radar the school board asks for this letter of intent. The letter itself is all a family need to do to indicate they are providing adequate education.  Since Eoin was never enrolled in school I am not required to send in a letter for him but I include him anyway.

I have purchased fresh notebooks and pencils.  Almost all have been confiscated already to become sketch books.  This home seems it is never without someone drawing or doodling.  We will be cleaning up the downstairs 'school' room that is currently a sea of action figures.  The desks will get organized and washed, Eoin likes his nice and shiny.  We are in talks about the goals for the year and reasonable expectations.  Do we get up early or is it better to wake up slower and work in the afternoon?

Whether or not we 'school' or we take our usual laid back approach September seems to be a fresh start of sorts.  I am a sucker for an opportunity to make changes.