Samuel and I had been talking about homeschooling for a long time. He's been the one bringing up the subject off and on for about a year. I just really didn't want to do it at this time. I have done it for one semester (for Katie's 3rd grade year to help her catch up academically) and I knew it would be a full-time, full-attention thing. I've been "working" on a pet project (www.churchguide.weebly.com) while the hubby is gone to work and the kids are gone to public school and also trying to turn some social networking and website design skills into an income. So I've really been focused on those projects lately. BUT, all of a sudden, Samuel started absolutely refusing to get on the school bus and go to school. He would be just fine until it was time to go. He would cry and beg me not to make him go. I did everything I could, short of whooping his butt, to make him go. I walked him down to the bus stop, even though it about killed me to walk there and back. I even tried to wave the bus driver to stop. He/she didn't see me, Samuel sort of hid in the bushes, so we "missed" the bus that day. On other days, he just would NOT get on the bus. He said his legs/feet were frozen and couldn't do it. I didn't have a way to get him to school. My hubby left the house for work at 6:20am at that time. So, I called the school and explained that Samuel was having issues. When I asked him (on the first day) why he wouldn't get on the bus, he told me that a kid was bullying him and that he was afraid. This kid lives in our neighborhood and has choked and punched Samuel but still wants to hang out with him. I have told Samuel to stay away from him. Friends do not choke and punch each other. So, after missing 5 days and dealing with school officials, counselors, a police officer and friends and family (and not to even mention his falling grades, stress from school, stress with after school homework during dinner/family/play time), we really had no choice but to withdraw him from public school and register him for home school. Our first day of home school was October 28.