September marks the time of year when we see the the commercials on television with parents gleefully skipping down the aisles of stores, proclaiming it the most wonderful time of the year. It is like Christmas for grown-ups. The kids are going back to school.

But what about those of us who aren't sending our kids off on the big yellow bus?

The number of homeschooling families is growing every year as parents become disillusioned for a myriad of reasons with the school system. When I first began homeschooling all those years ago, I didn't really know many people who homeschooled. Now I know many people: some who are committed to homeschooling all the way through, some who are only doing it for the year, some who have children involved in activities which require so much of their time they must be homeschooled.

As fall approaches, I know I get excited. Mostly because we can now go to all of the parks, museums and beaches and have them all to ourselves. I don't like crowds. In fact I think I may have said before that the reason I chose to homeschool is so that I could vacation during the off-season.

I love buying curriculum. I love when huge boxes filled with books show up at my house. At our house I torture my children by schooling year round. Sure, the summer is a much lighter schedule. Mostly filled with math practice, phonics for those learning to read, and finishing up the loose ends. The beauty of homeschooling is that we can keep our own schedule. We can take three weeks "off" during the winter when all we want to do is ski, sled, and drink hot cocoa while watching movies. Errrr, I mean educational documentaries.

This year we are kicking off our Not Back to School homeschool co-op activities this week. We are breaking out our new curriculum.

Heather, from Oh My Stinkin' Heck has just sent her kids back to school after taking a few years hiatus.

Ivywoodis excited to be starting a new school year with a high school student.

Cathy, From the Field of Blue Children, writes:

Today our family is "back to school," which has a very different meaning when you are homeschooling. Like "regular" school families, we buy school supplies, and sometimes even get haircuts or new shoes. But on the first day of school, mom is not enjoying a latte after sending the urchins out the door. She's wondering, once again, what she's gotten herself into. She's excited about spending the year teaching her children and learning right along with them. She's a bit overwhelmed with the responsibility, but ever so thankful for this opportunity to form her children.

I think Stefani most closely sums up how I feel. Although as the years have gone by the amount that I worry has decreased.

Stefani at Blue Yonder writes:

I think whether you are waving goodbye to your little ones as they board the big yellow bus, or you're stirring Irish porridge as your homeschooler comes sleepy-eyed into the kitchen, fully expecting you to walk with him down this day's learning path, a little worry comes with the territory.

When she isn't writing about her life at Notes from the Trenches, Chris is working to rescue her house from a century of neglect and bad taste. She can also be found at DIY This N'That, where she blogs about home improvement and design ideas.