Radar

Every Wednesday evening this fall, all three of our kids have been attending a program called Awana - a church-based program.  The parents were invited to sit in on the last evening before the Christmas break and one of the things we got to watch was the kids playing group games in the gym. There were around 40-50 kids there.

One kid on the far side of the gym caught my attention.  He was one of the taller kids there (maybe 12ish?) and was clean-cut and very fresh-faced looking.  Something about him had me watching him for a few minutes.  I noticed a few other things:  He was busy chatting with a small group of boys and girls around him, but easily engaged the adults near him and looked them in the eye when he was talking with them; he was wearing sweat pants with a hole or two in them; his pants were way too short for him and white sweat socks were on prominent display; his shirt was half tucked in and half hanging out; when it was his turn to compete in a relay race where speed counted, he skipped instead of ran and smiled (even waved) cheerfully at people racing past him; once in a while he looked ceiling-ward with a philosophical/thoughtful look on his face, as if contemplating something important.  He was just a little unique somehow.

All of these things together struck a familiar chord.  I turned to Geoff and pointed the boy out.  I said, "I would bet you anything that that kid over there is a homeschooler."

Geoff laughed and thought, I think, that I was a little crazy.  But this h/school mama has met a lot of kids just like that one...I was sure he was of the h/school variety.

When the games ended, I kept my eye on the boy and when he moved past me, I touched his arm and said, "Excuse me.  Are you by any chance homeschooled?"

"Yeah," he said, looking me right in the eye with a wide smile.  "How'd you know?!"

"Oh, I don't know," I replied.  "Lucky guess, I suppose."

He skipped off towards the snack tables.

Geoff looked at me and I looked at him and we both laughed.  I felt triumphant!!  I guess my h/school radar is pretty darn good!