homeschoolers - how successful were/are your kids?

[Rora]

DH and his brother were home schooled on and off. Both attended all 4 years of high school at a "real" school but because they moved around a lot when they were little they were home schooled from some elementary and some middle school.

I have two stories for you:
1. My Husband: attended a well known Florida University (honors program) and got a 27 on his ACT. He majored in political science thinking he wanted to go to law school but changed his mind during his last year. He is currently looking for a teaching position.

2. His Brother: BIL is insanely smart. Really really smart but he has absolutely no motivation. He went to the same well known University as DH but dropped out. He's currently been working retail jobs and is going back to school this Fall. I believe he got a 30 on his ACT (I remember when he got his results).

I don't think any of their experiences with homeschooling truly affected their life outcomes. JMO!

 

[Mama Who]

One of the dads in our homeschool group was homeschooled himself. He's an attorney. More important, he's a happy, well-adjusted, positive guy with a stable loving marriage and two genuinely nice kids.

The other homeschooled adult I know well is a construction worker. He is also happily married and blessed with lovely children. Two different paths, two happy men. I'd say they're both successful.

 

[hereyago]

His Brother[/B]: BIL is insanely smart. Really really smart but he has absolutely no motivation.

See this is the key. I wouldn't associate one's formal education with if they are a success or not. My friend was crazy smart, graduated suma cum laude, majored in psychology. she became a bank teller.

now i know not everyone can get the dream job from the get go after college or whatever, but she had no self motivation in what she did, didn't try to move up or anything. or switch jobs.

I had a G.E.D.- due to a car accident in my senior year. didn't go to college. however, I had the self motivation and drive, had a good paying job with benefits and my friend had 2 jobs that were taking her nowhere.

 

[GinnyEmma]

See this is the key. I wouldn't associate one's formal education with if they are a success or not. My friend was crazy smart, graduated suma cum laude, majored in psychology. she became a bank teller.

now i know not everyone can get the dream job from the get go after college or whatever, but she had no self motivation in what she did, didn't try to move up or anything. or switch jobs.

I had a G.E.D.- due to a car accident in my senior year. didn't go to college. however, I had the self motivation and drive, had a good paying job with benefits and my friend had 2 jobs that were taking her nowhere.

Curious. how do you justify your theory when there is empirical information that shows college grad making x dollars more for their lifetime? By that notion formal education does play a part. Motivation too of course.

If you are discussing personal fulfillment I would agree moreso. My nephew who is a carpenter seems very content with his life and trade, and is financially stable to boot.

 

[jodifla]

The question seems a bit jaded. How many people will come on a public message board and admit that they screwed up by allowing their child to go to public school their whole life? How many people have kids that didn't attend college, did drugs, can't hold down a job, live in their basement playing video games all day, etc. and blame their failure on public schools? It likely isn't the fault of the public school that their child turned out to be a loser but it is generally implied that it is the fault of the parent if a homeschooler doesn't excel.

The BIG difference is, the learning of children in school is tracked through test results. Children in homeschools in most states are NOT. So there's no way to tell if they are actually being taught anything.

 

[pospisil]

and here we gooooooo! I was waiting for it and here it is, because we all know public school students never end up in prison or stocking shelves at walmart, or divorced and cleaning houses.
and what is wrong with stocking shelves, its an honest days work isn't it?

I DID NOT say that homeschooling had anything to do with how they turned out at all. I have no strong feelings about home schooling one way or the other. I think that if the parent actually teaches things, that it can be great. My aunt, the mom of three of these "kids", did not teach. She plopped them down with dollar store workbooks, then went to her room and watched tv. One of them couldn't even write his name until he was almost 12, and he's a smart guy.

And I didn't say there was anything wrong with stocking shelves. That can be a decent job, I don't see anything at all wrong with it. Since success is measured differently by each person, I gave facts. Make of them what you will. I think of the 4, only one would consider himself successful (the electrician's apprentice), because the other 3 piss and moan about how they are broke and life is unfair every time I see them. Several of my other cousins, who went to public school, do the same thing. Maybe it's genetic.

 

[graygables]

As PPs have said, define: "success".

I've homeschooled all 4 of mine. 25 and 22yo scored 33 and 32 on their ACTs respectively. Oldest did go to PS for her last 2 years, 22yo took the GED at 16 to "get on with life". Oldest attended college, but with her Asperger's, couldn't hack it after the 1st semester. She came to WDW on the College Program and is now gainfully employed full time at WDW in a job she enjoys. She has been slowly taking college courses working toward a degree in business.

22yo went to community college for one semester for the sole purpose of qualifying for the Disney College Program. She also stayed on as a CM, but went seasonal to follow a boyfriend across the country last year. She has now moved in with my parents and is attending college this summer/fall while working 2 jobs that she LOVES. She plans to move back to FL/WDW in January while continuing her education here.

Younger 2 are 15 and 12. 12yo already has her sights on CIANY and is working to advance her culinary skills. She makes a delicious alfredo sauce from scratch and can cook pretty much anything we ask. She plans to be a pastry chef. 15yo is still in the undecided category, but is interested in photography and clothing design for plus-sized teens.

My girls are happy human beings which I would call "successful" and would like to think has something to do with how they were "educated".

And, in case anyone thinks we don't value higher education, my Dad is a professor in a Master's program and I have my Master's degree, so we do understand the value, we just don't use it as a barometer for "success".

 

[Robinrs]

You are only going get the success stories on a thread like this, though. I'm betting no one comes on and says, "I homeschooled and it was a dismal failure. My child didn't get into college."

I thought the SAME THING!!! Give me a break!!!