People choose homeschooling for so many different reasons! Why have you decided that it's something you want to do??

For us, I like being able to be so involved in the learning process. I know how each of my girls likes to learn, and I can cater to that. I love the local homeschooling families I know, and the fact that the children are all polite and well-mannered. The children are not concerned with fashion or brand names, nor pop-music or culture. Most of the homeschooling families that we meet with are TV and vidoe game free, so that does not influence how the children act.

I love that we can take off for a day long field trip to a farm, or spend hours on a hike, and it is learning.

I cherish the one on one time that homeschooling gives us...

And I am so proud of the things that the girls are absorbing.

*Edited to add* We were very sad to see how some of our friends children had changed after just a few weeks of public kindergarten. Within weeks, the boys were "too cool" for us, with a snotty attitude. They were suddenly concerned with who was wearing what, and begged relentlesly for "hit clips" or something, that played Destiny's Child and Britney Spears music. They sang song lyrics that involved "taking clothes off" and would dance while grabbing thier crotches. We heard about classroom bullies and teasing that made other children cry.

I could not send one of my girls into an environment like that. I know that not all schools are like that, but those are just a few things we heard about our local school.
What about you?

I live in a town with less than 1200 people and our public school is AWFUL! I pulled my kids in January of this year, and since then I've heard of atleast 15 other families doing the same. 15 Doesn't seem like a big number, but in a town this small 15 is a lot! Now that I've got my kids homeschooling, I LOVE it and I don't see them returning to public schools for a LONG time.

i was homeschooled from 6th grade on so i know what it is like to be out there in school.

i am homeschooling because of several diffrent reasons...

1. NO WAY would I send my kids on the bus. I know what happens alot on buses and my kids will not be subject to that.

2. NO WAY would I send my kids to the schools in our school district. They are terrible scholastically- in the bottom 10 in the state.

3. NO WAY do I want my kids around kids I don't know. I was in school and i was bullied because i was small. there are some children that are invetetably mean & nasty and i don't want my kids exposed to that yet - they are very sweet & innocent.

4. I want to be in charge of and know what my children are learning. We are Christians and I want my children to have a Bible based education.

all of your reasons meeshi & a few (1&3) of cassie's as well ~

and i'll admit it ;) part of me is paranoid.. i don't want my children away from me that long during the day... too many wacko things happening at schools these days.

sure, i am totally aware that something bad could happen to them/me when we are together, but IMO - they are safer w/ me/dh learning at home, than they would be in a school (private or not) away from us 5-6 hrs a day ~ you just never know..kwim?

i am not ready to trust my children's lives to someone else for that long... maybe i am extreme, but that is really how i feel.

When we first started thinking about homeschooling, Sam was an infant. The city where we live has abysmal schools which are literally bankrupt. Most of the schools, elementary included, have metal detectors at the entrances and armed guards. I just don't see the atmosphere in our local public schools (I've toured them) as being conducive to learning - in fact, they seem pretty dangerous to me.

Then we considered private schools. But the 5 figure tuition is a bit steep for us, and I wasn't all that impressed with the private schools, either. There is one school in the city that we thought would be a possibility, but they accept about 5% of their applicants and the tuition starts at $15,000 for kindergarten. So that's also outside the realm of rational thought for us.

Then we considered homeschooling. We realized that there are many, many families in our city who think like we do and have opted to homeschool. There is a rich, vibrant homeschooling community here. In our neighborhood alone there are over 100 families. Not 100 kids...100 families. So there are a lot of cooperative learning opportunities available as well as a great support system.

We also don't like how many of the standard curricula in schools are dumbing down children. We don't like that children get so little one-on-one time in schools. We don't like that if a child is learning something they love, they need to stop because a bell dings and it's time for the next subject. We feel that learning is most meaningful when a child learns something how and when and for a reason that is meaningful to the child. We have a profoundly gifted child who would be bored to tears in a traditional school environment. None of our feelings mesh well with traditional schooling options.

We homeschool for so many reasons that it is hard to lay them all out in a thread like this! :) Gatto, Dobson, and Wallace are my favorite homeschooling authors, and when my husband and I read their books, we tend to be nodding our heads the entire time.

In a nutshell, we started out thinking of homeschooling from a process-of-elimination perspective, and now we wouldn't consider traditional schooling even if we lived in a place with wonderful schools.

Tara

ALL of the above. :)

We will homeschool for many of the reasons listed above: safety, bullies, wanting them to be with me... plus other reasons: I was always in the "gifted" classes and still was not challenged academically, I don't want my kids to be bored in school. Also just the whole attitude of teachers and other adults towards children in general, abusing their authority, expecting children to sit quietly for hours at a time, etc. I don't want them subjected to standardized tests. I want to make sure they learn useful things, like how to balance a checkbook, how to keep a household budget, how to clean a kitchen, how to cook....things you don't learn in school. Plus, I love spending time with my kids!

(This may be a little incoherent, I'm typing and also trying to help ds with his leappad....)

Michelle

We have several reasons. I guess the main ones would be:

1- We don't want people we don't know raising our kids. Even for just a few hours out of the day.

2- We don't trust others to teach our children the truth and to be open-minded. Institutional education has a bias to it that mostly negatively affects us as "people of color".

3- We don't want our kids being "socialized" by a bunch of kids. Especially kids who spend way too much time without direct adult interaction (something we believe is inherent to the "proper" socialization and civilization of children).

4- We like our kids. We like being around them. They're hilarious and fun most of the time. Dh works outside the home, but I know I'd miss my kids if they were gone all day.

5- We don't want our kids being subjected to all the disease rampant in many institutions of learning.

6- We don't see a lot of learning going on in most schools. Busy-work, yes. Learning, no.

7- We respect the fact that everyone learns differently and we want to encourage our kids to be life-long learners. We don't want to send them the message that learning is reading and regurgitation. We want them to follow their own interests to the end.

8- We have serious issues with institutionalizing people. Esp. young children.

9- I want our kids to learn to be politically/socially active from a young age. It's hard to get involved in one's community when one spends most of the day in a closed-off classroom and then needs to do homework and go to bed at the end of the day.

10- We believe kids should play. (I believe adults should play, too. And, kids playing helps with both of those things.)

Okay, my list could apparently go on forever. LOL

Homeschooling is a very integral part of our parenting philosophy. :)

We homeschool for many of the reasons in this thread. I like having control over our day, meaning we don't have to abide by a school schedule. Also, my husband has an unusual schedule being a musician in the USMC and the children get to see him a lot more with homeschooling.

I like that each child can go at his or her own pace. I have a 4 year old who reads quite well and an 8 year old who struggles with reading. They don't have to worry about what level or grade they are on or in.

Let me also say that we don't homeschool one of our children. I think it's important to do what's best for each child. Our son Chase is 10 and in 5th grade. I think he is a child who is taking advantage of the good in public schools - and we live in an area with decent schools. I'm a former teacher and know many teachers here so I feel connected with what he's doing. He is on the Math team, he won the Science Fair for his entire school (Grand Champion :D ) and went on to win at the county level. He is taking band this year, learning trumpet like his Dad and he was chosen for All-County Band. Our family went to the performance this week and really enjoyed it. He is also involved in activities outside of school - church activities (he's an acolyte, will be in the Easter Vigil play tomorrow night, etc). He is also on a select soccer team with his brother and they both enjoy that very much. He has a circle of friends who are really good kids. Even though Chase goes to school, he isn't a 'cool' kid, (If you know what I mean), isn't into brand names or racy music. We have been very careful to keep our children innocent as long as possible and I believe it is paying off. At 10 years old, he's still just as happy to play in the creek behind our house or help his little brother learn a new game.

I just wanted to mention that - I'm one who isn't anti-school, but pro-homeschool if that makes sense.

yk, there are so many great reasons here... i think i will print this out so i can hand copies to our relatives who are all in the educational system & always give us &^#% for our decisioon to HS. ;)

I want to so badly but I'm so afraid of NY's homeschooling rules and I don't have faith in my abilities.

The school district here is for a farming community so I don't think the children are very materialistic- they don't seem that way around here so I guess that's a plus.

We started off the year homeschooling but had to put them back in school when I got so sick at the beginning of my pregnancy (bronchitis for 6+ weeks) so my experience is limited...

however this is why we chose to do it:

the public school system in inadequate. I have 2 students that are advanced that sat in school all day bored out of their mind because they did not get any challenge...the teachers teach to the middle of the class and that is it.

one on one teaching time...they don't get that at all with public school...you have 25 students and 1 teacher, do the math! LOL

safety and social issues...I don't believe our children are that safe in school, and I don't like what they learn from other children....yes, I could try to undo it, but when they are learning it for 8 hours, it is hard to undo it all in just the 3 hours I see them at night.

They are my children. I brought them in to this world and chose to raise them...why would I just ship them out the door for others to raise when they turned 5 years old?

We homeschool because 6:30am is just too dang early to get up.













Kidding! But it is a nice benefit :)We homeschool because my son's behavior problems weren't adequately addressed. The teacher was inconsistent,whiney, and had no classroom control. In spite of a psychological report that recommended accelerating his curriculum -- which could have been done easily since he was in a 1/2 combo class -- the teacher refused. So we finished out the year and started year-round schooling in a classical method in June. He's thriving. This time last year she was still having him do sums up to ten. Now he's he's mastering multiplication and can do four digit addition w/ regrouping. He can do up to three digits in his head. He's reading at a third/fourth grade level. He is soooo much more calm since we brought him back home.

Usually he's up by 7:30, but sometimes he sleeps in :D

We homeschool for all those reasons too.

Originally posted by )O(Meeshi)O(
People choose homeschooling for so many different reasons! Why have you decided that it's something you want to do??

For us, I like being able to be so involved in the learning process. I know how each of my girls likes to learn, and I can cater to that. I love the local homeschooling families I know, and the fact that the children are all polite and well-mannered. The children are not concerned with fashion or brand names, nor pop-music or culture. Most of the homeschooling families that we meet with are TV and vidoe game free, so that does not influence how the children act.

I love that we can take off for a day long field trip to a farm, or spend hours on a hike, and it is learning.

I cherish the one on one time that homeschooling gives us...

And I am so proud of the things that the girls are absorbing.

*Edited to add* We were very sad to see how some of our friends children had changed after just a few weeks of public kindergarten. Within weeks, the boys were "too cool" for us, with a snotty attitude. They were suddenly concerned with who was wearing what, and begged relentlesly for "hit clips" or something, that played Destiny's Child and Britney Spears music. They sang song lyrics that involved "taking clothes off" and would dance while grabbing thier crotches. We heard about classroom bullies and teasing that made other children cry.

I could not send one of my girls into an environment like that. I know that not all schools are like that, but those are just a few things we heard about our local school.
What about you?

I decided to homeschool when I realized that no matter who I Talked to, no matter how well Karinna could read and no matter how stupid the policy was, Karinna could not enroll in kindergarten ebcause she missed the cut off date by 2 weeks.

I decided to teach her to read on my own so that I could just have her tested into first grade next year without going on to kindergarten. When I realized that we were doing just fine learning without the public zoo--err public school system, I realized I would just keep her out of that mess.

Schools aren't safe. I don't trust someone else to educate my child. I am not interested in having pop culture in my home where I don't want it. I am highly educated (even if i can't type for crap!), and i want my children to have the same chance to appreciate knowledge and learning. I want to be able to educate them in the manner I feel acceptable, and on the topics I feel are important.

Plus, I think public education is an outdated concept that doesn't actually work for most people. So I"m opting out.

and because of some of Hunters special needs. His diet would be a huge issue in public school. I do his therepy at home since and I doubt I could get that level of consistancy in a public school settings. Hunter has social issues that would set him apart from the other students and I am sure cause ridicule and I don't want him exposed to that till he is old enough to develop coping mechanisms for it. The least of my concerns but something that did go through DH and my minds is that Hunter will always be the tall super skinny red head who would fit nicely in a locker.

Originally posted by )O(Meeshi)O(
*Edited to add* We were very sad to see how some of our friends children had changed after just a few weeks of public kindergarten. Within weeks, the boys were "too cool" for us, with a snotty attitude. They were suddenly concerned with who was wearing what, and begged relentlesly for "hit clips" or something, that played Destiny's Child and Britney Spears music. They sang song lyrics that involved "taking clothes off" and would dance while grabbing thier crotches. We heard about classroom bullies and teasing that made other children cry.

I could not send one of my girls into an environment like that. I know that not all schools are like that, but those are just a few things we heard about our local school.
What about you?

I have seen the smae thing happen over and over. :(

We homeschool (unschool) for pretty much the same reasons as everyone else. We love the flexibility that homeschooling gives us. We can do what we want, and when we want, and not be tied to a schedule that a school dictates. Our boys will learn at their own pace, in their own way. We love being with them. We don't see the need to all of a sudden send them off just because they've reached "kindergarten" age.

The number one reason we hs is because it is what best meets ds's learning style.

There are many other reasons that I consider benifits of hsing but the above is number one.

As for dd, she would most likely thrive in a traditional school setting. We will have to wait and see if her needs can be met to both our satisfaction in the home environment. I think it can but it means significantly more work. Thank goodness she has an older brother because that makes the difference in the make it break or it for her. If she was an only child my guess is that we would have to find significantly more formal educational opportunities.

I come from a family of teachers. My grandparents, my mom, my aunt, my sister. All of which agree that ds is best served with the individualized education that he can get at home. My IL's, retired teachers, are not so sure and MIL takes it personally because she is a retired K teacher. I do think the FIL is seeing the benifits when he spends time with ds sorting food for the seniors. :) how many 5/6 year olds get the opportunity to help out a buch of grandparents and perform community service on Thursday mornings? I think MIL may have come around but it has been tough. She comes from the standpoint of have your baby and go back to work asap so this sahm thing boggles her mind.

Same here! ;)

Plus, now we are military (had considered it before military) and it just makes sense to us. We never know when we will move - mid school year moves are not fun when you have to pull kids out and then put them in another school. PLUS- when they move to another school, different things have been worked on at different levels. For instance, Austin attended 1/2 day K in WA when we were stationed there. We moved to NE where it is full day and he was here for the last 6 weeks of school. He was ahead in math, but way behind most of the other kids in reading. Poor guy!

We live on a street that has about 8 kids the same age as Austin, so he has a lot of friends (a couple of others are homeschooled too). Two of these kids that Austin plays with are soooo mean. One had a 'list' of all his friends... divided up into good, bad, poor and super poor. The kid put Austin in the super poor list because Austin didn't want to play what Duncan wanted. And there is another kid in the neighborhood that is downright mean to Austin... and he is a homeschooled kid. Kids will be kids - even the homeschooled kids. BUT... with homeschooling, they are dealing with the ganging up all day long every day.

So our reasons would be:
1) educational continuity with moving
2) safety
3) learning what *I* think he should learn
4) able to do things in our time on our terms
5) able to vacation (or move!) whenever and not have it be a big deal with school - example: my sister is graduating from the Air Force Academy and we are all going. My other sister is not able to bring her 2 kids because they have finals that week. We don't have to miss out.
6) FIELD TRIPS! :-) yesterday we went to the zoo - today we are giong to an aquarium (of course, we are on vacation!)
7) going at the kids own rate of learning - no 'grade' numbers are needed... the kids work at whatever grade level they are at without having to slow down or speed up for others just to meet a certain 'grade'.
8) GRADING! We don't have to worry about grading. There is no failing, because if the kids don't understand, we just work on it more - or put it away for later.
9) Nathan's special issues. ;-) He has a difficult time just BEING, let alone trying to learn anything, with other kids around. He has sensory issues (and Asperger's) that we can deal with at home without having to create a special education plan to modify things for him. We do what each child needs without necessarily needing a label for it to get services/modifications. *THIS* is a biggie for us.

All this said - I certainly do not think that other parents who choose different schooling choices are inferior. This is what is right for our family... and it's not for me to say whether or not it is right for other families.

Oh yeah, I used to be a teacher. And my mother is a special education teacher - and was a special ed supervisor for a county, and now works with gifted kids, creating programs for them. She actually has given me a TON of resources and ideas. At first, I think she was upset - but now she knows that I am doing the best thing for my boys. It helps that she can see that Austin would probably be drugged (because he can't sit still for 10 seconds ever!) and Nate wouldn't be able to be serviced properly for his needs.

My dd is almost 3 but we've been discussing homeschooling her since before she was born.

1.) We are Christians and want our Christianity to influence her learning.

2.) In general, the kids I meet these days are bratty, rude, disrespectful, etc. and I just plain don't want her around that 6 hours a day, 5 days a week.

3.) Each child IMO has a unique learning style. Some fit nicely into a school setting and some don't. I am not sure whether my child would or not, but I do know that we can tailor things at home for how she learns. We can pick our own curricula, unschool in some areas, do unit studies, whatever works for US.

4.) I would miss her if she were gone that long.

5.) A trend I have seen is that once in school, kids only want to play with someone their very own age (in general). I love that one of my child's best friends is a year older and a boy, and another buddy is also a boy and two years older.

6.) I think the school schedule wastes a lot of time (probably out of neccessity - bathroom breaks, etc.) and we can "school" in much shorter time period than that and add a lot of play time.

7.) there is a great homeschool group here. Not that this is a reason, but it will certainly help. They have a science club where LITTLE kids are disecting pigs if they want. They do drama, dance, choir and handbells, and even have some sports teams. And it is a Christian group.

8.) God gave ME (and dh :p) this child to raise. I know her better than anybody. I have the time and the resources to teach her, so why not?

I will add that I am not anti-school either, but I do feel strongly about homeschooling for US. My dd is in a Mother's Day Out program right now and it works beautifully for us. She loves it, her teacher is wonderful and nurturing and has not picked up any negative behaviors there, but she's still young. ;)

edited for spelling, since this IS a homeschool thread. LOL

all of the reasons many posted but when we started out there was one that really struck a chord in me...a wise proverb says to "train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it." If my children are sent away from me all day, someone else is training them...a teacher, peers, a text book I may not agree with. I am not teaching and training my child by releasing them to the care of another all day. My nine year old is not going to benefit from being influenced by a group of 9yo all day, the same goes with my 7 and 5yo.

We've had them in a very affluent Christian school and that's no guarantee. The kids are pretty good but still, there are some who I would never let my kids hang out with. And if that's what's going on in private school, I shudder to imagine what would happen in a public school where there are NO standards. :rolleyes:

Originally posted by Ladywithafan
I want to so badly but I'm so afraid of NY's homeschooling rules and I don't have faith in my abilities.

The school district here is for a farming community so I don't think the children are very materialistic- they don't seem that way around here so I guess that's a plus.

I am homescholol in NY. it isnt all that bad. Yes they want to know when your kid goes to the bathroom and what they wear, but, it is just paperwork. I homeschool because I want my morals and values that I install in them not someone they all see for a few hours and then move on from when they are done with that grade. I wish I could unschool but I dont think NY allows that so I dont. Yes we have school books adn workbooks. But we can do the work when we want to. You have to have 900 hours done each year. But everything you do with your child is homeschool. So I count then house as well. I want my child comfortabe in their enviroment.

Probably my reasons are about the same as everyone elses.

Graham is ready to start learning reading and other things but he misses the cut off for K by 4 days. I know that I can go ahead and start him this year and not have him wait another year to start learning.

Our nieces and nephew hate school and hate learning. Homework for them and their parents is a chore. I don't want that to be how my children see learning. I want it to be enjoyable and fun.

Dh and I both were bored in school. I survived high school by reading during my classes or writing letters. I very rarely paid attention and still was always tops in my class. I don't want my children to have to do that. I want them to learn and enjoy every minute of the process.

I can homeschool in about the same amount of time I would spend monitoring or volunteering in my children's school if they were in public school (homework and class parent type of stuff) so it makes sense that I just keep them at home and do the work with them.

I like that I can be flexible with their schedules and learning. If we want to go to the zoo we can. If I want to spend the spring and summer months studying science and the nature we can. We can schedule their learning in ways that work for us.

Like Nicole I am paranoid. There are too many sick people in the world for my peace of mind. I don't like my children to spend significant amounts of time with virtual strangers any way.

And lastly, I can teach my children from my value and moral perspective. I don't have to worry about sexual behaviors in elementary school aged children. My children can be naive and innocent for a while longer.

The world is a beautiful open book. I want them to live in a world without borders and have all the time they need to discover exactly who they are. :D

My dh works a schedule that does not mesh with PS. We get to vacation when we want and essentially come and go as we please.

I love the freedom. I love the way my boys learn. I would never be anti-school, I am just very happy to be homeschooling.

edited to add:
Many people think I homeschool to shelter my boys. It is quite the opposite. I hope they will go out into the world and experience it for all its uniqueness and beauty. I provide them with the safety of family to answer their questions.

We just began homeschooling my 13yo dd about a month ago. We tried everything we could over the course of 6th grade and half of 7th grade to get her feeling some sort of personal accountabilty with her work. She is a brilliant girl, and when she learns the material she knows it, so she sees the homework/rote memorization approach as needless busy work. She gets it, so she figures why keep going over it. Because of this, no matter what system we implemented, she ended up with poor grades due to late or missing assignments. She resisted doing the work so strongly that she was deceptive with us. I kept saying that homeschool is what I need to do, but held back and gave it every possible chance I could to have the school system work for her. Finally, after all our efforts were failing acedemically and her self-esteem was plunging, our personal relationship was eroding because of trust issues from her deceptions, it was all piling up. The final straw was when she started hanging out with a "bad influence" girl at school. **Note: I am just about as liberal as they come, so for me to call someone a 'bad influence' really takes some pretty strong reason** She started to lie more and got caught in some pretty serious ones. I decided to home school her the day I got called into the principals office for an urgent meeting. She and this girl were being suspended for harassing another student!

That was it - no way could I take one more minute of watching her continue to spiral downward like that. She is the sweetest, kindest, smartest girl but because her learning style was not supported at school, her self-esteem, family life, and social life were all a mess.

In the short month that she has been HS, the changes I see in her are astounding! She is stronger, happier, less moody, optimistic, *learning and challenging herself*, and really showing some maturity.

It totally ROCKS!

We will absolutely be HSing our youngest (just turned 3) and for now, our middle dd (almost 12) will remain in public school. She is doing well there and enjoys it. I see it as being a good thing for her even. She meshes with the learning style they use, plus she gets tons of "extras" on the side at home by simply participating in our family activities. We see everyday as a chance for learning and teaching. We all learn from each other and our world.

Oh - and we are soooo stoked to be sending Dylan to Not Back To School Camp...check it out at http://www.nbtsc.org/index.htm this year! She is excited beyond words, which is the best thing to see!

Lots of reasons (in no particular order):
1. Religious reasons
2. academic enrichment
3. schools in this area are filled with children with violent behavior problems
4. build family unity
5. keep our children as innocent as possible
6. privilege of teaching your own children how to read, how to add and subtract, etc. and seeing their faces light up when they "get it"
7. knowing that you aren't missing out on those moments
8. simple, easy living--no running all over the place and wondering where did your day go------our days are so simple and easy-going as there's no one to get to school at 8, preschool by 8:30, the dentist at 9am, etc.


Gosh...there are so many reasons--wish I had time for more! :)
Lisa :)

Glad to see this post, as I am in turmoil trying to decide what I should do. I have always been interested in homeschooling, but now that time is getting close, I am starting to chicken out and second-guess my abilities to teach ds. Will he listen to me as good as someone different? I mean, he is in swimming lessons and is learning so much more listening to a teacher teach him to swim rather than me. So now I wonder, will he listen to someone else better than he would listen to me? I get so confused at all the curriculums etc. And one small thing that crosses my mind is will I raise 'pansies' by homeschooling them? Will it make them 'soft'? Not that I would want them to act like Rambo or anything, but you kwim? I just can't fathom the thought of turning him over to the school system in Sept. I will miss him so badly.....can I do this? Can I teach him successfully? Waaaaaa! Someone help!!!!!!!!:eek:

Yes, you CAN teach your own children successfully! lol It did take a period of a few months for them to adjust to my new role in their lives, but please don't stress. You'll start out really keyed up and strict about everything (or the opposite) and eventually find your balance. I hs ds for all of preschool, and he's now in K. We both LOVE it. However, I have a much different approach than I did in the beginning of the year. I was a public schoolteacher pre-children days, and am a real stickler for following our state's guidelines for each grade level, and having a fairly traditional school day-type routine. HOWEVER, I avoid workbooks like the plague and everything we do is hands-on, kindergarteny, crafty, educational stuff that ds can't get enough of! We do use workbooks for phonics, but as a treat, to pull all this "stuff" we've learned over the year in phonics, we bought Dick and Jane books that he can READ!!!! and he's just so, so proud. His first book that he read all the way through was our original Dick and Jane from the 1950s, which he loved!! (and so did my parents!)

Don't allow yourself to get overwhelmed over the curriculum. We're Christian, and narrowed our selection to just a few companies to pick from. It's kind of like looking at houses to buy----so many options, sizes, features, locations, you have to pick your top 3 or 5 "must haves" and go from there. Ours were: Christian, based, hands-on, and "kindergarteny". DS is bright but we're not trying to impress anyone with his rendition of "Light Brigade"---we just want to raise sweet, wholesome children with good character who do their best.

Also, not wanting them to be a "Rambo"-type kid was one of the reasons for us homeschooling in the 1st place. I hate this disrespectful, sassy, Pokemon-loving attitude I see so many children with today. Hopefully, our schools will change, but I just don't want our children exposed to so much of the unnecessary garbage that is out there. (4yo watching CSI and Survivor, being shuffled from boyfriend's house to boyfriend's house, etc.) Guess my bad experiences with my school children years ago have just stuck with me and wanted to keep my children as innocent as possible for as long as they are able to be. There are exceptions to every rule, but I just wasn't really able to "teach" when I was a teacher of 2nd grade, because of so many issues with the children in my classroom. I just don't want my children to miss out on a good education because of all that going on in the schools, at least in this area. :(

Wow--sorry this is so long!

Remember---this is just my opinion from my classroom experience. I just felt that society is forcing our children to grow up so fast!

Lisa

1)Flexibility. We do what we want when we want...vacation, wake up time, bedtime.

2)Dh and I are so opinionated we would drive everyone nuts. He would be out picketing about various curriculum matters, I would be complaining about teaching methods. This way we can stay friendly with our local school superintendent (good thing, since he lives across the street).

3) It's fun.

Bad schools with absolutely no consistancy - In my neighborhood kids literally change schools every 2 years, loooong bus rides, and daughters who are soooooooo far off of the "what they should know when" path that even the school officials I spoke with didn't want'em, lol.

Right now my eldest is in an alternitive school that only meets 3 days a week. It's a great place, but probably not worth the cost to continue. DD likes it, but feels like she's not learning half as much as she was at home. She's a social child by nature, but even she pointed out that if that's all she's getting out of it, we're better served buying a bunch of museum passes and hanging out at the park more in nice weather, lol.

Originally posted by librarymama


3) It's fun.

I really think this says it all! It really is fun. My biggest problem is finding time for all the cool stuff we want to do.

BTW, we had a great time doing the natural egg dying this afternoon - a big hit with ages 11-3 (ok, 44 if you count mommy ;) )

So many reasons....

I dont want other people telling my kids what to think....

I am a control freak....

It *is* too early to get out of bed! :D

I didnt want my children acting like brats & becoming spoiled & greedy - my kids are not materialistic in the least - I wanted it to stay that way!

I didnt want my kids exposed to popular culture -
After 1 week in Waldorf school my dd was telling rude jokes from South Park she learned from kids at school & was exposed to britney spears. not happening!

I was molested in school - both public & lutheran,as early as 1st grade. I wasnt about to take any chances of that happening to my kids. The world is getting crazier & kids are acting out younger & younger nowadays. I want to know what is going on with my kids at all times.

dh has 2 weekdays for his days off, if the kids went to school they would hardly ever see him.

I love being with my kids & I love that we can do whatever, whenever! Hawaii is really nice in February, if they were in school we couldnt go then! :)

theres more of course, but gotta nurse the youngest now....

Originally posted by Robin
Our nieces and nephew hate school and hate learning. Homework for them and their parents is a chore. I don't want that to be how my children see learning. I want it to be enjoyable and fun.

Same here. My cousins complain about how much they hate reading. Probably, b/c they never get much say in what kinds of books they want to read, other than for a book report.:rolleyes:

Also, there is so much from school that I just don't remember learning. I got good grades through all of school, but I usually just studied for the test and soon forgot any of the information. My dh always makes fun of me b/c I know hardly any history info. And I always got good grades in history! I'd like for my ds to do more hands-on learning and less textbook stuff than I did in school.

And one small thing that crosses my mind is will I raise 'pansies' by homeschooling them? Will it make them 'soft'?

And sitting in a classroom for several hours a day forced to be quiet (and possibly drugged) makes them a man?
(Nothing against schooled children here, not at all!)
Just like school children, homeschooled children are all different.

Follow your heart, sometimes homeschooling is the best thing for a family, sometimes not.

I have always known I would be a homeschooler.
(Since I was 4 and my mom had a friend that homeschooled. LOL!)
However, if the time comes when my children are older and we feel school would be better for one or all of them, ok, that is an option.

Hope
mom to a homeschooled Rambo boy

hmm.. tough one because it I could go on for far too long! LOL!

Simply put? Because I can and it feels right. The kids are just.... awesome. Maybe they would be the same kids in school as they are unschooled but I just don't think so.
I love being with my kids and couldn't imagine them being gone for hours a day... seems more like child care than schooling. If school was only a couple hours? Maybe.

I don't homeschool, we love our local schools and have been in this district for the kids entire school "life". But in regards to the homeschooling and boys and "pansies"....just wanted to say that my older daughter was in Girl Scouts for 5 years, along with a few homeschooled kids. Both families also had boys. My husband is also a referee coordinator for soccer in our area, and knows a few homeschooled boys (7-12th grade) due to this. All the boys who are homeschooled we know are so very sweet, so very secure in themselves, very "boy" like but not the fake, macho tough crap......and yes, I know it has more to do with the parents and who they are and how these boys are raised over anything else, but it sure appears that homeschooling is not turning them into anything negative at all. Although for the reference, lol, I'd rather my girls marry a pansy over a tough, macho Rambo type **anyday**!!!!! :D

Also, again, I don't homeschool, but those afraid of not having interaction with other kids? Remember that most all YMCA's and other groups like this offer homeschool time for PE and for interaction. I know our local one does, as well as our local swim center, community one.

If my kids ever, ever began to hate school or have a hard time with other kids or the way things were taught, we definetely homeschool. It'd be a challenge, but for my kids? I'd do anything. I know so many kids now and back then who hated school, dropped out, did poorly due to pressures from other peers, etc. It's sad! How many would have suceeded with homeschooling, or someone to help advocate for them? )o: I could not stand the pressure of high school, and dropped out solely due to the pressures. I, luckily, enrolled right away in a community college and got my high school degree as well, but I have so been there and done that in regards to pressures and how school can be a negative for sure! My kids also know this; if they ever have a hard time at all, they need to let us know. I feel sad for the ones with parents who don't get involved and would never consider anything else for struggling kids, including other means such as a smaller school, private school, alternative, etc. I know homeschooling is not for all, but there are other options and means to help keep kids happy and positive about learning.

Okay, this thread pushed DH and I over the edge! :p

So now I have questions and I need answers. We live in California and I know the state is strict about homeschooling. I've been looking into local resources to see what charter schools we can go through that would ensure everything is done "right". Our oldest is currently in 2nd grade, but advanced. She chooses not to put effort into *anything* and it's incredibly frustrating to DH and I. We'd like to see her perform at her best and be proud of her abilities. That's not happening in public school. We used to work with her quite a bit at home but now she doesn't get home until 4 pm then does 3 hours of homework a night. The work is easy but she likes to act like she can't do it. :confused: It leaves us with very little time to teach her anything and we feel she's not advancing at all any longer, much less at the rate she could be advancing.

So here are my questions:

*What are some good websites for homeschooling ideas, crafts, learning activities?

*What supplies have you found helpful? Doesn't need to be "necessary" just helpful to the learning process.

*What extra-curricular activities do you put your child in for social interaction?

*DH and I are now struggling with the decision to wait until next fall or to start her now. Any ideas/opinions on this? We don't want to "interrupt" her and incorporate HUGE changes mid-year, but at the same time it means 2.5 months of her sitting in a classroom where she's bored and does *maybe* 1 hour of "work".

* Any othe suggestions or tips?

BTW, we still have to run this by bio-mom who I doubt will go for the idea without an argument.

TIA

I think others have covered our main reasons. First, my learning philosophy is that children learn naturally through their own curiosity and that teachers presenting information is stifling to kids' natural learning process and creativity.

Pop culture...big classes and totally uninspired curriculum...love the flexibility of homeschooling...my dd is highly gifted and was bored to tears by the worksheets (she begged me to let her go to the local public K)...kids growing up too fast...all our some of the reasons we homeschool. I'm not paranoid or scared of bullies. But it does feel weird to ship your kids off to someone else to raise.

I'm not necessarily totally anti-school. My son is severely language-delayed and I am looking seriously at having him attend a school for kids on the autism spectrum (which it appears he is) for at least a year. It's a great place -- 3:1 student:teacher ratio, sensory integration therapy, speech therapy, Brain Gym, all kinds of cool stuff. I actually may send my daughter there as well, since they have classrooms where "neurotypical" kids are mixed in. With the low ratio, I feel she would get the individual attention that she needs to thrive in a school setting. It would be almost impossible, and certainly physically and mentally exhausting, for me to provide my son with everything the school can give him. I will be there tons volunteering, too.

So I always have an open mind and am willing to reconsider each year whether homeschooling is right or whether school is a possibility. I also respect my kids' wishes; as I mentioned, my dd wanted to go to school very badly so I let her try it for herself.

We do not homeschool, but I commend you all for doing what you found to be best for your children. I just wanted to comment that you can raise a child who attends public school (even here in a state who's schools rank in the bottom three in the nation) who is not materialistic or into pop culture. It is done by being a parent from day one and raising your children appropriately. I am so proud of my daughter who, although she is not schooled at home, still stands firm in her beliefs and isn't drawn into what is 'popular'.

I'm not trying to argue about homeschooling vs. schooling, just trying to clarify what has worked for us. Oh, and we did homeschool one year (last year), but found that it wasn't best for us.

<I hope it was okay to butt-in>

Originally posted by Lisha
We do not homeschool, but I commend you all for doing what you found to be best for your children. I just wanted to comment that you can raise a child who attends public school (even here in a state who's schools rank in the bottom three in the nation) who is not materialistic or into pop culture. It is done by being a parent from day one and raising your children appropriately. I am so proud of my daughter who, although she is not schooled at home, still stands firm in her beliefs and isn't drawn into what is 'popular'.

I'm not trying to argue about homeschooling vs. schooling, just trying to clarify what has worked for us. Oh, and we did homeschool one year (last year), but found that it wasn't best for us.

<I hope it was okay to butt-in>

I really agree with this. I think it takes a lot of effort on the parents' part but 'can' be done. I just worry about my children losing their innocence and I will hate being away from them :(

Originally posted by Lisha
We do not homeschool, but I commend you all for doing what you found to be best for your children. I just wanted to comment that you can raise a child who attends public school (even here in a state who's schools rank in the bottom three in the nation) who is not materialistic or into pop culture. It is done by being a parent from day one and raising your children appropriately. I am so proud of my daughter who, although she is not schooled at home, still stands firm in her beliefs and isn't drawn into what is 'popular'.

I'm not trying to argue about homeschooling vs. schooling, just trying to clarify what has worked for us. Oh, and we did homeschool one year (last year), but found that it wasn't best for us.

<I hope it was okay to butt-in>

I completely agree with you Lisha. Homeschooling is no guarantee. In fact, a ton of the boys that I know (Out of 100 or so families) who homeschool are totally obsessed with Gameboy. Several spend hours simply watching TV and playing gameboy. That is just one example I can think of off-hand. I actually like a small amount of pop culture. I just like that I can offer my kids more than a steady diet of it.

Originally posted by Lisha
We do not homeschool, but I commend you all for doing what you found to be best for your children. I just wanted to comment that you can raise a child who attends public school (even here in a state who's schools rank in the bottom three in the nation) who is not materialistic or into pop culture.

ita with you mama... I think it's really hard here in the bay area though :( Kids are pushed to grow so quickly. When kids moved here out of state it took *years* for them to catch up to us (this was the 90s and it has only gotten worse) *sigh*
But yes I have met quite a few well adjust, kind children who were not HS'ed. If I felt this area wasn't so "advanced" I wouldn't be so worried about putting my kids in school but if I am going to have to make all that effort to keep them on track here I may as well just go all out y/k?
We all have to do what's best. Not everyone can or wants to HS and I can totally respect that.
I hope that some of the enthusiastic replies haven't hurt feelings. There are not many places IRL and online for us to share why we do what we do and how great we think it is.. It's such a balance though not to sound as if you are putting someone else down for not making the same choice.
{hugs}

Lisha - you are right - it is possible. My sister's kids are in public school & dont seem materialistic,etc to me. But, I am easily overwhelmed & with 4 kids (heck, even when i had 2!) I dont want to work that hard. I want an atmosphere that is conducive to what I want for my kids. If I am going to put my children in a situation where they are exposed to say, certain kinds of music, then I feel it would be unfair of me to deny them the right to listen to that music. But - there is just some music I dont want them exposed to AT ALL. If they are home with me, it isnt an issue.

As they get older I allow them more freedom, open them up to more things - I dont want to shelter them til they are 18 - they'd be in shock! LOL but I do want to preserve their childhoods as long as possible....

I'm not saying homeschooling is perfect & a gaurantee - I simply think that what I want for my kids is easier to attain if I keep them at home. I'm also a control freak ;) Many people who want to shelter their kids think Waldorf is great - it wasnt good enough for my requirments LOL

well, gotta nurse again.....

We are homeschooling because

1) homeschoolers tend to be better behaved than kids with constant peer input from school (whatever the school may be). I want her to be an individual.

2) I want my daughter to learn Creation and not just evolution.

3) I homeschooled and want my daughter to enjoy all the wonderful fieldtrips that I got to enjoy. All learning shouldn't take place indoors!



:) Jennifer

Originally posted by KD
ita with you mama... I think it's really hard here in the bay area though :( Kids are pushed to grow so quickly. When kids moved here out of state it took *years* for them to catch up to us (this was the 90s and it has only gotten worse) *sigh*
But yes I have met quite a few well adjust, kind children who were not HS'ed. If I felt this area wasn't so "advanced" I wouldn't be so worried about putting my kids in school but if I am going to have to make all that effort to keep them on track here I may as well just go all out y/k?
We all have to do what's best. Not everyone can or wants to HS and I can totally respect that.
I hope that some of the enthusiastic replies haven't hurt feelings. There are not many places IRL and online for us to share why we do what we do and how great we think it is.. It's such a balance though not to sound as if you are putting someone else down for not making the same choice.
{hugs}
KD, I agree with you as I'm in the Bay Area too. DD goes to an alternative school and fits us perfectly. It's interesting when I see the opinions of public schools here because I haven't experience many of these things in DD's school. Being in the Bay Area, there is a big push for kids to be "advanced" in everything....charter schools are popping up everywhere and kids are being pushed to learn an enourmous amount in a school year. I'm glad to say that our school isn't this way. There is testing done at the school, but there isn't this strong push to make sure the kids "test well". DD's class has 19 kids, 1 teacher and 2 parents in the classroom at all times. I guess it's more like a co-op as all the parents have a "job" so that the teacher can really focus on curriculum and such. All the parents meet and get to know each other before they can be in the classroom with the kids....anyway, my point is, there are alternatives out there. I think homeschooling is awesome, but I have no higher education, so I feel inadequate to truly be a teacher to my kids....this alternative is working for us because I get to be in the classroom, at the school and interact with the kids, teachers and parents, without being worried that I can actually provide curriculum to my DD.

I agree KD....I miss many things about Ca. and that area....but I went to school there, grew up there, as you know...and no way in heck would I send my kids to school there. And yes, likely due to my own icky experiences with the crap I dealt with. From drug pressures, sex, clothes, and more! Add in a few gang type things....argh! I'd be homeschooling too!
It's hard to find an area with "it all". We have great schools here, and none of those issues really. But there are things I certainly miss about there, that I don't have or get here.... and have considered, a few times, lol, moving back...til I remember the schools and other issues. I know, or hear, that there are some great charter and Waldorf schools....but money would be a factor for us, and I'd be scared we'd not get int, or not be able to afford it. Ugh.....

Originally posted by ~Denise~
I know, or hear, that there are some great charter and Waldorf schools....but money would be a factor for us, and I'd be scared we'd not get int, or not be able to afford it. Ugh.....
Our program is free.....I too can't afford charter/private schools....the local Waldorf school costs a bundle too, and quite frankly, I wasn't impressed with it much anyway.

Maribel, your dd's school sounds neat! We are also in SJ and I pulled ds out of public school after 2nd grade when they were really starting to pressure him to be at grade level and I felt there was too much pressure on the kids about the standardized testing. I didn't want him to feel like he wasn't smart because some things are more difficult for him. He has lots of talents/strengths, but they may not be what the school thinks is important for him to be good at.

We homeschool now, and it is really neat (this has been our first year). I didn't go to college either ;) We learn a lot *together*! Also, if you got through elementary school, then you can teach what you learned there, right? (although, we don't do a whole lot of "teaching/lessons", we just read lots of diff. books, play, explore, do hands on activities, etc.)

Originally posted by schnookies
We live in California and I know the state is strict about homeschooling.


Oooh noooo California is one of the easiest states to homeschool in!!!!

You have 3 options, join a public school charter homeschool program, join an umbrella school (you pay for it, can be small or big, religious or not) or file an R-4 affidavit stating that *you* are a private school (which costs about 10 to file I believe and there are only a few minor records you are supposed to keep)

There are so many states that don't have as much freedom as we do....

I teach h.s. biology in the inner city. I would never send my son to my school, but I do wonder about home schooling secondary level students.

I spent many years getting my biology degree and many more years working as a biologist.

When I teach biology I have so much to offer my students because I am so well versed in the subject, have so much practical experience, and LOVE biology.

Without this background I think it would be like me trying to teach someone to sew by practicing one step ahead the night before. Maybe I could do it, but I'd be clumsy and the effort would be very limited.

My schooling and experience did more than teach me the mechanics of biology. It fully influenced the way I think and how I see the world around me. I bring this to my class every day.

I mean no disrespect. I would probably homeschool my son if I could, but I see the wealth of knowledge, experience, and talent my fellow high school teachers of chemistry, history, English lit., etc. have to offer and wonder how a homeschooling parent can offer the same depth.

Most of you mention homeschooling little ones, but what about older kids?

Kathleen

Originally posted by Maribel
KD, I agree with you as I'm in the Bay Area too. DD goes to an alternative school and fits us perfectly.

That's awesome you guys found something free up there! When I lied in Santa Clara my DD went to a HSing enrichment classes 2x a week from 9-2 and it was free (the one Emma spoke about). The big downer was having to drive 1/2 up HWY 17 and back! Ack! On "school days" we would drive 2= hours a day! :eek:
It was really a great program but programs like that and the one you are talking about tare so hard to find! *sigh* In the south (south south! LOL!) bay there is zip! I simply can't afford to private school her.. Well I could here but what about our other children?
At this point though I think we found something in HSiing that I can't find elsewhere... Well for now! LOL!

Originally posted by ~Denise~
I agree KD....I miss many things about Ca. and that area....but I went to school there, grew up there, as you know...and no way in heck would I send my kids to school there.

Yep :( We are a bit removed being so south but it IS here. The kids have not been affected by it thankfully but we supervise them pretty darn well ;) LOL!

Originally posted by mammakat
Most of you mention homeschooling little ones, but what about older kids?


We have a homeschool class day twice a month. The parents teach the classes and the kids (k-12) are able to pick 3 that they'd like to take. There is a biology class, physics etc.. taught my moms and dads who know their subjects very well. It works out great for the parents who don't know much about thoe sciences.

Also high schoolers can take Community College classes, while still in high school. I know a lot of people get higher science and math done this way...

Originally posted by Tap dancin mama


Also high schoolers can take Community College classes, while still in high school. I know a lot of people get higher science and math done this way...

This is what we plan on doing. :)

Originally posted by mammakat
I mean no disrespect. I would probably homeschool my son if I could, but I see the wealth of knowledge, experience, and talent my fellow high school teachers of chemistry, history, English lit., etc. have to offer and wonder how a homeschooling parent can offer the same depth.

Most of you mention homeschooling little ones, but what about older kids?

Kathleen

well, IMO i don't feel that every child is the same i.e cookie cutter & necessarily *needs* the depth in every subject.
perhaps my child won't be interested in science, math, etc.. does that make sense?

my sil, bil & 3 aunts are all teachers so i can repsect your position.. but to me ~ & i lean towards an unschooling approach atm - if my ds wants to focus on outter space then, so be it.. i will not force english lit down his throat just so he can "get" the depth of it.

i guess it varies b/c our views are different.. you , as a teacher see what the child is "supposed" to learn in your class, by the subject, etc.... me as a HSing/UNschooling parent am not following the suppose to's at all... *lol*

when my ds is of junior high level & doing well and i feel is ready & he *wants* to go out of the home for school... we'll see. but jr' high is the earliest i'd ever consider sending him.

and if we don't send him, we'll continue to follow his interests, & have a great time w/ our HSing :)

As far as when the boys are older, I agree with the Mama's who mentioned the community college and other resources. Most of the community colleges here have "running start" programs that homeschooling kids can also do. And I have a sister who is on her way to being a geologist (and on her way to marrying a geology professor!) so if my boys are interested in scienc-y stuff, we're all set for a great resource there,lol. I didn't go to college (dh did a few years, no degree though), but I certainly think I can help the boys find books, places to go, people to talk to, etc. to learn whatever they are interested in, and learn whatever it takes to get into college (if that's what they want to do). I don't doubt for a minute that they'll get a good "education", even in jr. high/high school aged years. We are unschooling, but if one of my sons decide to take a course, or a class or something on a subject they're interested in, that's a great way to learn too. :)

Lisha, you are more than welcome to "butt in"!! :) From everything I've read about your daughter, I can tell she is a wonderful young lady! I know that not "all" children are so easily swayed by what is popular, or what their peers are doing. I have also met quite a few children who attend public school and are well mannered, fantastic kids.

My concern, though, is that a majority of public schooled children I have encountered *have* been totally consumed with the messages portrayed by pop culture.

If my girls expressed an interest, down the road, in enrolling in public schools, I think we'd let them give it a try. But, that would not be for a few years. I'd like for them to develop a true sense of self beforehand.

In the future, we will be moving to the Ithaca, NY area. There is a huge homeschooling/unschooling community there. There are co-ops where parents teach the advanced sciences and mathematics and so on. Also, there are programs where homeschooled children can attend college classes for the advanced classes. I feel certain I could teach HS level chemistry, physiology, physics, and mathematics because these were my strong classes in HS. However, I think it would be beneficial for them to take the science classes at a co-op or college, because they have the materials and supplies already on hand for labs and whatnot.

Jennifer (schnookies) I started another homeschooling question and answer thread because i was afraid your questions were getting buried in this discussion. If you search my latest posts, you'll find that thread. :)

I love this thread :) even though I am not a HSer (yet).

I've been having 'issues' with my 9yo for years. I can trace them back to the time he started going to school and interacting with kids I wouldn't have chosen for playmates, yk? He went to daycare with the sweetest most wonderful woman while I worked and then went back to school. He was such a sweet, though spirited, kid. The freshness set in when I allowed him to play with kids who were fresh to their mom :( Then all the things hw has been exposed to through the schools. *sigh*. We've talked about it, and he doesn't really want to be schooled at home. At least he says no now. I'm considering dabbling in it a bit this summer since my 2yo is ready. I'd love the older to have the experience of teaching the younger.

Anyway, I live in the Northeast and it seems that HSing is totally 'out there'. I've met one person who homeschooled, and I only know her because her DS begged to go to school and is in the same grade as my DS. (Side bar: this boy is/was kind of a discipline problem and I don't like him to play with my kid, so there is no guarantee really).

But I'm rambling... maybe there is this homeschool under culture up here that I don't know about?

Heather, I was able to meet up with all sorts of local homeschooling families by placing an ad in the local paper. Our classified paper has a section called "Who Knows" where you can ask questions for free, and people respond with their phone number. I asked "Who knows of any local homeschooling groups in the Naples area" and was surprised to find 15 phone numbers to call in the next paper. :eek: I called most of them. I found some of the families to be too focused on religion, or to be too cenetered on TV and video games, so I didn't persue meeting with them again. But there were a bunch of families I met who live a lot like we do, and who homeschool for the same reasons.

If you're interested in meeting up with other local homeschoolers, maybe an ad in the paper, or a few signs up a local libraries would help you get in touch with some! :)

Heather,

Do a search on google
'your state homeschooling'
This is what I did
There is a site a-z homeschooling cool's or something or another
I think they have a state by state group listing
Also, about.com has state by state info

I found my homeschooling group, homeschool brownie troop through the internet.
(When we thought we were moving to another part of my state I had found a violin teacher, homeschool co-op, list of potential babysitters, and natural food co-op.. all through the internet!)

Even though I live close to these people, never knew them until I found them online!!!
I tried placing a flyer in the health food store looking for other families, but the owner would not let me.
The paper is a good thing, too.

GOOD LUCK!!!

I do like the community college idea. That's a great option. Also the homeschool day class sounds good.

Harvest girl I must tell you that many of my student's "didn't like science" until they took my class. I hope you are open to the idea that interested isn't always generated from within.

Thanks for the responses.
Kathleen

We unschool because I think people learn best when they can pursue their own interests. We have great school options here - alternative public schools, waldorf, community school - but I don't want my children in that environment. We have a huge secular homeschooling community here also.

"I mean no disrespect. I would probably homeschool my son if I could, but I see the wealth of knowledge, experience, and talent my fellow high school teachers of chemistry, history, English lit., etc. have to offer and wonder how a homeschooling parent can offer the same depth. "

It isn't my job to teach my children everything. I am here only as a facilitator. If they show an interest in biology (or art or higher math or whatever) then it is my job to help them find a resource to learn that subject. Whether it be taking 1 class at the high school or community college or finding a mentor (like my friend that has a PhD in chemistry). When Ara really wanted to learn about glass blowing, I couldn't teach her that. Instead we called a local glass blower and arranged a field trip. I would much rather she learned about things from people that actually use their practice daily than in a classroom from someone that simply teaches about it.

Originally posted by Lisha
I just wanted to comment that you can raise a child who attends public school (even here in a state who's schools rank in the bottom three in the nation) who is not materialistic or into pop culture. It is done by being a parent from day one and raising your children appropriately.


Lisha - I wanted to say that I agree with you wholeheartedly. I know many public school children who are truly nice kids and some homeschooled kids who are not well-behaved. I really think it all comes down to the parents. Recently I took my children to a homeschool dinner. There were some boys there who were really out of control - probably near the age of my one son who does go to school. The parents of these children were in the next room, socializing - not once did they come to check on their children. Some of the other parents (like me!) stayed in the room to keep the chaos down. My children were amazed at the behavior they saw. 3 year old Lauryn said, 'Where are the Mommies?'

I've seen similar behavior at other homeschool events, from different children. It just goes to show you that peer pressure is everywhere. And we as parents need to be aware of our own children's actions - even though it is nice to be able to chat with the other grownups.

Originally posted by Stacinator
This is what we plan on doing. :)

US TOO! :) I CANNOT wait! LOL! I am going to go with her (if she'd like) for the first few classes.. It could do *me* a lot of good too! We plan on starting light.. Anything she would like to take and then talk about more serious subjects.

Originally posted by mammakat

Harvest girl I must tell you that many of my student's "didn't like science" until they took my class. I hope you are open to the idea that interested isn't always generated from within.
Thanks for the responses.
Kathleen

i would never discourage my children from learning anything - if they had an interest.

and i wholeheartedly agree w/ what alison said here:

"It isn't my job to teach my children everything. I am here only as a facilitator. If they show an interest in biology (or art or higher math or whatever) then it is my job to help them find a resource to learn that subject. Whether it be taking 1 class at the high school or community college or finding a mentor (like my friend that has a PhD in chemistry). When Ara really wanted to learn about glass blowing, I couldn't teach her that. Instead we called a local glass blower and arranged a field trip. I would much rather she learned about things from people that actually use their practice daily than in a classroom from someone that simply teaches about it."

very well said.

to each their own... ~ :)

Could a mod scootch this thread over to the Alternative LEarning forum now that it's died down?

Thanks! :)

we can pray, read the Bible, include "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance (sp?), learn songs of any culture (in middle school I remember we couldn't play Christmas carols in band because it offended someone).

I also don't like being on someone else's schedule (getting the kids ready for school). We don't have to stop doing something because time's up.

I like it that we can get a drink when we're thirsty and use the bathroom when we feel the need!

I enjoy my kids; I don't get the posts where people are happy their kids are going back to school!?!

Now people used to comment I was a well behaved child and I was public schooled but my kids now get that comment a lot. I like it!

I just noticed Heather's post in this thread and I had to jump in. Heather- look up www.MHLA.org and www.AHEM.org there are tons of holmeschoolers out near you- MA is actually full of them! I started a new HS support group with a friend three months ago and we already have almost 40 families involved!!! And this is in Hampden County way out around Springfield.
There are many many resources for you if you decide you want to jump in. Oh, check out Tammy at www.FRC.com too she offers lots and lots out your way!

Oh, and to be on topic, we homeschool because I love being able to respond to each child's learning needs and I would never ever send them to the local public schools and Waldorf is too far away for us.

A little bump

A little bump

Wow - I could go on and on. Some of the biggies. Please note these are OUR FAMILY'S OPINIONS (not necessarily those of all HSers.)

1) School is SO not the ultimate learning environment

leading to

2) We can do a much better job at home

3) I love being involved in the learning process

4) I did NOT want to have to hold my kids back to "grade level" so I taught Molly to read when she asked me to, at age 2.5. She would have been a freak in the school system by the time she was of age to go. The others followed suit, reading not quite as early (3 or 4) but a lot earlier than the schools would want them to. They then taught themselves so many things through reading that there would not have been a place for them in a conventional school even if we had wanted to find such a place.

5) I did not want my kids in such an artificial environment where the authority figure is "one of them" (as opposed to "one of us" in the kids' eyes) and the second in command is another kid. :p

6) I know from research where the whole concept of the public school system came from (a desire to conform people to a social and political standard) and I don't want my kids there.

7) Yes, it is WAAAAY too early to get up :)

8) I hate artificial limmitations on learning ("no - we're done with butterflies - it's on to dinosaurs now." "No we have 3 more weeks of rocks before we go on to bones"...)

9) I hate artificial limitations on creativity ("The flower must be red and the leaves green.")

10) I disagree with the idea of confining children to age peer groups. There is so much to be learned from those both older and younger than yourself, as well as so much to be learned by teaching/sharing with those older/younger than yourself.

11) I would be supplementing a PS education at home anyway (writing, for instance, is rarely taught to a degree of proficiency that is acceptable to me) so why not do it all at home?

12) It's waaaaaaay cheaper! When my stepson was in school, every time we turned around, the school wanted $ for something.

13) Many fewer negative social interactions/learned behaviours

14) 5 or 6 is too young to send my child away to strangers all day.

15) Kids need time to play and be kids

16) I didn't want to see them lose their zest for learning. School killed that in my stepson and does for many children.

17) When we pulled my stepson out, I asked for the objective lists for the next grade. Turns out they were bundled in packs of K-12 or 6-8th grades depending on subject. I was shocked at how little (if ANY! :eek: ) new info was listed for each year. And that was in a state with a "better than average" school system. He made so much improvement in his years at home that I could never question the decision to hs.

There are oh so many more reasons but these are the few that sprang to mind.

School mamas, please know I'm not intending to slam you if you are reading this. I'm just answering the Q with our own personal reasons whether others agree with them or not.

Oh - as for older kids, the beauty of it is that you are turning out auto-didacts. You don't have to learn everything and teach it to them; they learn to teach themselves. Of course, I enjoy learning along with them, but I don't have to get deeply "into" every passion of theirs, and the passion takes them to so many places that they cover a ton of info. Best of all, because they are pursuing it on their own, searching for and sifting facts that have meaning to them, they RETAIN that info instead of memorizing it for a test and then core dumping it. It also teaches them to approach things with a critical eye when one source says one thing and a different source says another. This is definitely something I want to foster in my kids!

I have the benefit of having had a "guinea pig" in my stepson. :) I got to hs an older child and see how far ahead of his peers he was when he returned to the system (at his mom's insistence.) And that was a child who didn't even LIKE to learn and had been WAAAAAY behind before we pulled him out to hs him. :)

Since my kids love to learn, I am already experiencing the joys of watching them become experts in their own fields by following their passions. Just today, my 9 yo identified a spider for a gardening friend of mine (who really likes critters and is no slouch in the insect identification game!) by a description. They then searched on the name online and found pics that confirmed her identification. (In the case it was a goldenrod crab spider.) :)

OK, I will end my epistle here. Really. :p

Dh adn I were reading in the local paper just today how some parents are protesting the amount of relegion in the local school system. I am a pretty firm believer that Public schools and faith should be separate. We do teach faith in our hs'ing but we teach all faiths or at least as many as we can get information on. Our HS co-op invites members of different background to come give talks and lead a lesson on thier faith. We had a short class on buddhism this week which will lead into a series of classes this fall. While my son is still a bit young for a lot of this we still attend and he grasps what he can. I have a good friend who is an 8th grade teacher in NC and to hear her talk about how much more policing she does than teaching it just saddens me. I know she worked hard to learn to teach but the kids are just out of control.