Homeschooling questions...

[itsagirlthing]

Okay, I have a few questions about homeschooling and feel much better about asking them here than anywhere else. I have 3 DDs ages 8, 5, and 2. I became a SAHM when #1 was born. The two older girls currently attend a catholic school in our small town. They each have a class size of about 15. So far no problems with the school. A few "girly" type conflicts, but all handled well. I have a friend who homeschools and it's always been something that I have found intriguing. I went from thinking that I'd never do it, to thinking that I SHOULD do it, to not being sure what to do, to thinking that things are fine so don't mess with them, to wondering why I always feel a "twinge" inside when I see or hear the word "homeschool". The thing is, my oldest would be very difficult for me to homeschool because we tend to butt heads sometimes. My middle one would be easy to homeschool because she is a very cooperative child. They both like school and get along well with their peers. Their teachers say that they are excellent in class and they both get straight A's. I feel like I don't have much time with them anymore. I find myself looking forward to summer break and dread them going back. With that said, I also feel that I might go crazy if I had to be responsible for teaching them everything! I just want some advice, if anyone has any!! Thanks!

 

[seven dwarfs]

I homeschool my children and love it. It is like anything else, good days and bad days. I think as a Mom you always question if you are doing the right things for your children. I do not think Homeschooling is for everyone. But, it is what is best for us. We tried to used different material and found Bob Jones University to be the best for us. I like having the sat because they have a teacher and I am the helper. It helps me make sure they are learning what they need to. I have to make sure we stick to a schedule. The best thing is if you ever decide it is not right for you, then you can place them in school again. I do love the time it gives me with my children. Good luck in what you decide. There are tons of resources on this subject.

 

[MomTo2inNE]

This is my first year homeschooling. I was SOOO nervous at first because, like you, dd and I don't always get along wonderfully. But this year has seen leaps and bounds in our relationship. We still have our moments and our frustrations, but we are MUCH closer! I think part of it is because I am getting to know her so much better and really LIKING her (and not just loving her). I have an almost-four-year-old that I still send to preschool for a couple of reasons: this is my first year, and I still feel like I'm learning "how" to homeschool, preschool is good preparation for teaching kids what school is like, and he's ALL boy - maybe another year before keeping him home will allow him to settle down a bit?

We currently use Sonlight [www(dot)sonlight(dot)com] curriculum. You can order items separately or as a pre-packaged curriculum that lays out everything you should be doing in a life-saving Instructor's Guide. They have a 4-day and 5-day option. We like that they have a good Bible program and their history lessons include religious stuff too.

Next year we're putting together our own science program (dh is a scientist) and our own history program (my minor was history). We're also supplementing their Bible program with some extras we found from a different company. But we'll use Sonlight for everything else.

I love that Sonlight is literature-based, which means most stuff (for the early years) you will read to your children, i.e. they will learn history as you read "real" books about Johnny Appleseed, William Tell, etc. In later years, they read the books themselves, but it's still "real" books and not a textbook.

I have found so much joy in being the one to teach my child how to read, how to do math, etc. Also, I love that I know her strengths and weaknesses. She used to say she never wanted to be a mommy, she only wanted to get married and have a job. Now she's decided that she will not only have LOTS of kids, she will homeschool them all!

My son is anxious to begin homeschooling as well. He's quite the energetic little boy, but when I'm reading "Wizard of Oz" or "The Boxcar Children" to dd, he often sits to listen to a chapter. Sometimes while she is reading to me, he grabs a book, flips the pages, and sings his ABCs! He also said, just today, that he wants to learn math and reading! Woo-hoo!

I would encourage you to give it a try! Maybe find some used homeschool materials and "practice" for six weeks this summer. Then decide what you want to do for next school year. Or, pull the kids at spring break and homeschool them for the rest of the year. If it just doesn't work, send them back next fall - they won't have really missed anything. Another option is to just start with one child, adding another each semester or year. The best thing about homeschooling is you get to do it YOUR WAY!

Good luck with your decisions,

Jill

 

[itsagirlthing]

This is my first year homeschooling. I was SOOO nervous at first because, like you, dd and I don't always get along wonderfully. But this year has seen leaps and bounds in our relationship. We still have our moments and our frustrations, but we are MUCH closer! I think part of it is because I am getting to know her so much better and really LIKING her (and not just loving her).
So how old is your DD? Did she attend regular school before you began hsing? Does she say she misses her friends? Do you live in a large or small town? Is she involved in other activities? Does she ever feel left out? These are some of the concerns I have...sorry for all the ?s!!

 

[Elaine R]

This is our first year of HS as well but we love it. First let me say that my child is not an easy child, nor am I the most patient person, but we are able to learn without too many problems. You do not have to be a super serene/patient/creative person to homeschool. I think the "I'll kill my kids if I spend too much time with them" feeling keeps many people from homeschooling. We actuall y do better at school time them at other times because we have a united cause.

If you are not sure what to teach there are many complete curicculums to choose from. If you are Catholic (I am making this assumption because you said that they are in the local Catholic school) there are several great programs that you can use. Some are Seton, Mother of Divine Grace, Kolbe, and Angelicum Academy. When you read their websites it many sound like you have to enroll at their "schools" (they keep grades and testing records for you). But for some of them you do not have to. You can just buy the materials, including the lesson plans.

We use use the lesson plans and then add or modify the subjects as needed. For example we added small motor activities as my son is having trouble writing and we also added literature.

You can also contact a support group so you can talk to people in person. Alot of research can be done on the internet.

One of the thiings that we think is so important about homeschooling is that the aspects of our life are in balance and integrated. School does eat up 75% of our families time, and leave nothing for other iimportant things.

 

[MomTo2inNE]

DD is only six, and has never attended "formal" public school. She did go to two years of preschool. One of the reasons I chose to begin homeschooling for kindergarten was that our town went to full-day kindergarten, and I just couldn't see her thriving away from home 40 hours per week.

She still has friends from preschool that she keeps in touch with. In fact, a great addition to her writing program is to have her write letters to her friends! We also still do play dates, etc.

Alyssa does not say anything about missing her friends, partly because she does see them periodically and partly because she knows so many people anyway. We live near family, so there are cousins to play with. She does tae kwon do three hours per week, so she has friends there (that's where the majority of her Valentine's went). We meet with other homeschooling kids for field trips, birthday parties, and family socials. Alyssa also does soccer, swimming, and summer daycamps. She is around kids her own age, younger, and older kids, as well as a variety of adults. We also have several church functions where she spends time cultivating relationships.

We do live in a small town (45,000), so it lacks for diverse kids programming, but we have some great parks! And we're near enough to other towns, and we visit grandparents in major cities, so there's always a field trip waiting to happen.

Keep the questions coming, if you have them. I will answer to the best of my abilities!

Jill

 

[ZanyToes]

I don't homeschool yet (not sure if we will or not) but I do know alot of homeschoolers. If you are concerned about the friend aspect, check and see if there is a homeschool coop in your area. We have several around here and they are great. My friends usually take their kids about 2 days out of the week and they get to have some "extra" type classes w/ friends.. things like Gym, history, music etc.. it's fun for them and they get alot of interaction w/ kids of all ages unlike public school.

 

[jimmytammy]

This is our 5th year homeschooling and so far it has been a blessing. I will say we did some considerable praying to make sure it was the right thing. Our DS who was in 1st grade was our main reason for HS, but our DD who was in 4th has excelled in HS. She is pretty self supporting. She goes on and gets her work done early, knowing she will have a full day of other things to do that she wants to do. DD and mom do clash sometimes, but it isnt as bad as it was before we started HS.

HS isnt for everybody, but it sounds like your gut instinct is leaning you towards it. Good luck in your decision.

And I will add, our homelife is so much better than it was when kids were in PS.

 

[Sweedee]

I have a friend who homeschools and it's always been something that I have found intriguing. I went from thinking that I'd never do it, to thinking that I SHOULD do it, to not being sure what to do, to thinking that things are fine so don't mess with them, to wondering why I always feel a "twinge" inside when I see or hear the word "homeschool"

I have homeschooled my kiddos for 9 yrs (first highschooler THIS year!), and I still occasionally twinge when I am referred to as a homeschooler! LOL The part of homeschooling that has ALWAYS bothered me, even before I made my choice, was the negative image that many homeschoolers portray. Even to this day, most people would never be able to tell I homeschool. I get really bummed when anything with the Duggars (the family from Arkansas that has 16 kids) comes on TV because they have been placed in a prominent position by the media because of their radical choices. People who are uneducated about homeschooling see their family, and paint a broad picture of homeschoolers that is unfair and untrue.

As a family, we chose to homeschool due to two factors...the frequency with which we transfer w/ dh's job, and that I didn't want my kids have a gazillion people in authority over them every day for 13 years. We don't dress like freakish clones, my kiddos mouth off at me like every other kid in America, they have friends, dd is counting the days until she is old enough to date, and ds just finished reading the first Harry Potter book. We are a normal family. I am not a homeschooler. My children are not homeschoolers. We are a family that chooses to home school.

Our only issue in our home is that our 13yo has High Functioning Autism. He was unofficially dx-ed when he was 2, officially dx-ed when he was 8. His social issues would be there even if he did go to a local school. Our choice to homeschool has nothing to with him having HFA. His social issues have nothing to do with him being homeschooled. At his official dx, we were encouraged by all the specialists (7 different doctors) at Sparks (UAB) to continue to homeschool him. We feel confident that we have made the right choice. When he was 8, his overall developmental level was 3.5 years old. If were to go back today (he is just 13), they would have his overall developmental level at 10-11yo. I know that I have sunk blood, sweat, and tears into that boy! He is at a 6th grade level this year. That's a far cry from where he was at 8. I do attribute his success to our choice to continue to homeschool.

I just wanted to share that I understand what you are feeling!!!

 

[itsagirlthing]

Hey Sweedee! Thanks so much for sharing your story! I just wanted to let you know that when I said that I get a "twinge" when I hear the word homeschool, I meant like a little leap of inspiration inside that makes me want to think about doing it. I don't have any preconceived image of a "homeschooler". My friend that homeschools is a completely normal, very social, funloving, trendy type person. Her kids are too. I have read alot about hsing...online and books. I'm too scared and unsure of what I really want to make the decision to pull my girls out of school and do it, yet I'm afraid that someday I may regret not giving it a try. I know I sound very indecisive...and I guess I am with this topic. We moved into this community (like 3 or 4,000 people) because of my husbands job. We have made alot of friends and feel like we fit in well, but I do envy those who have "known eachother all their lives" and went to school together and such. I'm afraid that if I pull my girls out of school they will be more isolated. (There's not a lot of social outlets in such a small town, at least not on a regular basis) I want them to feel like a part of this community. They have made good friends through school, and I should mention that they do not want to homeschool because they say that they will miss their friends. It was an easy decision for me to make when I quit my job to be a SAHM when my first DD was born because I KNEW it was best for her and our family. But with hsing it seems that there are so many variables and I just don't have a clue what to do. I find myself just going with the flow, because I can't decide! Sorry to babble on...