Homeschool

I have been pretty adamant about sending Tristan to school... and NOT homeschooling.  I am not a teacher at all... and Tristan and I butt heads enough as it is.  To expect him to listen to me, as a teacher, when he doesn't listen to me as his Mom... yeah, right.  And I really don't want to damage or put strain on our relationship...

Also, being responsible for all of his learning... that's huge.  That's a lot of pressure for me.  I'm already stressed out!  And to add Tristan's education to my shoulders, I don't think I can handle it.  There are days that I'm hanging on a string as it is...

I have been talking to different people... different parents... just to see different perspectives...

BUT...

It comes down to facing what I already know - Tristan is too advanced for public school.  We have been blessed with a highly intelligent little man.  He might be "only four", but the stuff he does... just amazes us! 
I've been asking around for curriculum ideas and/or options that I might be able to use with him, since he's too young to actually be in kindergarten.  And I've gotten lots of different things thrown at me.  It's all overwhelming.  A homeschool mom, who's youngest child graduated this last year, suggested that I go onto Google and find the Washington State benchmarks and work off of those. 
Well, that seemed easy and reasonable...
It was a lot of reading... and a lot of it was pretty scary.  Scary in that they seemed really low to me!  Now, I can't remember everything from my younger school days... but it seems to me that the things that today's kids are doing in 3rd and 4th grade, we were doing in 1st grade... Anyone else notice this as well??
So, based on the benchmarks, Tristan is sitting between Kindergarten and 1st grade on almost everything... except math.  He's between 1st and 2nd grade for math!!  HE'S FOUR!  What am I going to do?!?!?!?  I don't know if I can keep up with him... O.o

With all that being said, I have to bite the bullet...

We are officially homeschooling.

"Good job on seeing his potential along with interest and acting on it. Just keep up with all that you are doing."

I've been told several times it's not much different than what I'm doing now... but I'm not stupid enough to fall for that.  I know it's different. 
But I will say that yes, I did see Tristan's potential and interest and just kept throwing things out for him.  It started young when we would count the Cheerios (or whatever he happened to be eating) that were on his plate.  I had a numbers "chart" next to his high chair so that while he was eating, he was learning.  And I've gone to bat with Kaleb a couple times for different educational items that I thought he would benefit from.  The biggest one being his LeapPad!  Kaleb thought it was a little much for Tristan and wanted to hold off on getting it for our 2 year old.  I'm so glad he finally agreed 6 months later, to get it as a Christmas present... because it taught Tristan how to write his letters at 2 1/2 years old!!  I don't think I would have taken Tristan down that path at that point... but apparently, he was ready! 

Anyway... I am venturing down a pretty big road.  And I know I'm not alone, and lots of moms homeschool... but I'm feeling pretty alone right now... and feeling like Tristan is going to miss so much...