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We're going to home school!

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Nikki

Nikki

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Next year. :lol:

I've written Kailey's teachers a letter and it all depends on their reply and the steps they take to "fix" things if we take her out now or let her finish.

Either way, we are definitely giving it a try next year. I'm nervous, but within 2 days, I have found a HUGE support group in my area! There are over 300 parents that are in the group and the activities they have planned are so often that there's no way we could do them all.

For instance, they have swimming at the YMCA every single Friday and it's only $3 per child. Tuesdays once a month, they have music at a local church. They take field trips to the Farmers Market and several other places. And they are SOOOOO supportive. I've been overwhelmed the past few days at the number of emails I've recieved from these people that I don't even know telling me to call them or email them at any time.

Anyways, if anyone has ANY info, please post it. Thanks!
 
Congrats! From another thread, I saw that this was a huge issue for you.
 
Thanks baylok :biggrin

My hubby said that his main concern is me. He's afraid that I'll get too stressed out and hate being at home with them all day long. I've been home with them all day long since they were born and now that they're in school, I still have no break because I'm constantly running back and forth to an from school and activities.
 
sillynikki said:
Thanks baylok :biggrin

My hubby said that his main concern is me. He's afraid that I'll get too stressed out and hate being at home with them all day long. I've been home with them all day long since they were born and now that they're in school, I still have no break because I'm constantly running back and forth to an from school and activities.
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Yes, that was Pat's concerns as well even though he did want me to do it. He didn't want me to feel I had to just because he liked the idea.

I have found that there are some things that are not near as stressful like packing lunches and getting them out the door and to the bus stop in time. I am happy to not have to deal with that anymore!!!

As far as the teachers go - be ready for negative input. Some may be very understanding but others will not. I have had people who are teachers (or at least work for the School distrct) and had their children in my dance classes treat me differently since I had started homeschooling. One even said one time when I was asking a question about play try out times at the school since my son really likes being in the yearly plays: "O that's right, you homeschool" with that last word being said like it was some kind of disease.

I think some who teach for public school take it personally, like you think they are incapable. That is one reason why I had that letter that I had posted in another thread printed in the paper. Since then, most of them have been much nicer to me again.

Remember, you can PM or IM me anytime if you have any questions! :biggrin I am always happy to help!
 
How do children learn social skills when they are home-schooled? How do they make friends?
 
Is that a legitimate question or are you being hypothetical?

I have been through the socialization misconception in a couple other threads but I am happy to answer that for you here since it is a common question that people who have never home schooled (either as teacher or student) have a difficult time understanding. I didn't understand it either until I started teaching my own kids.
 
Heidi_Mighty_Mo said:
Is that a legitimate question or are you being hypothetical?

I have been through the socialization misconception in a couple other threads but I am happy to answer that for you here since it is a common question that people who have never home schooled (either as teacher or student) have a difficult time understanding. I didn't understand it either until I started teaching my own kids.
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Sure, give it a try.

I am really most interested in how home-schooled kids get friend-making opportunties as well as how they are socialized.
 
BTW - Here is the link to where I posted a copy of the letter that was put in the local paper if anyone is interested:

http://www.christianforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=2645

My kids are involved in many of the activities listed there involving other children of all ages and get to play plenty with other neighborhood children.
 
Heidi_Mighty_Mo said:
BTW - Here is the link to where I posted a copy of the letter that was put in the local paper if anyone is interested:

http://www.christianforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=2645

My kids are involved in many of the activities listed there involving other children of all ages and get to play plenty with other neighborhood children.
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But neighborhood children have friends from school, right? So the kids still get exposed to "non-home-schooled" kids and then may feel left out of their organized activities such as school dances, the prom, etc...

Also, friends made during the formative school years are the ones that usually are most likely to last a lifetime.
 
A couple of the kids that live on our block actually are homeschooled and all the other children in the other activities they are involved in are public schooled (not counting home school play days and picnics and other such activities).

Why do you assume that they can't be involved in the activities you mentioned? This will be Ryan's first year as a "Middle Schooler" and I had planned on letting him attend the dances. He has also been in a couple of the public school plays and will try out again this year.

No matter what situation you are talking about, there are always kids involved in activities that other kids can't be involved in and thus are left out. Are all girls trying out for cheerleaders and drill team chosen? Are all boys trying out for different sports chosen? Even the plays Ryan has been in, he has had to try out and there have been as many as 150 kids trying out for a play that can only take 50. I happen to know those other 100 kids were left out and felt bad over it, but that is life.

I am sure my kids will feel a bit left out when I don't allow them to go to pit parties and drink - but does that mean I should allow that?
 
Why do you assume that they can't be involved in the activities you mentioned? This will be Ryan's first year as a "Middle Schooler" and I had planned on letting him attend the dances. He has also been in a couple of the public school plays and will try out again this year.
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Hmm...then he's only semi-home-schooled?

That's cool if the public schools let him participate in such activities.
 
Yes, it is cool that our schools here allow that though no school is suppose to discriminate against homeschooled children, but some do anyway. The school system here even has what is called "Homeschool Plus" and I have seen this to be very beneficial to the older children. I am considering putting my kids through that when they are high school age but am not sure at this time. I may allow them to go to public school at that time too if they choose, but it is going to depend on them and what we agree on together.

I wouldn't say my children are semi-homeschooled since they learn all their subjects at home - even PE. I will allow them to participate in school related activities however such as school dances, band, sports, etc... Ryan did wrestling for a couple years but decided this year not to because he is so busy with other things. Last year he told me he was feeling "stressed out" by all the things he was involved in so I encouraged him to drop one thing at least but wanted him to choose. I think it was a hard choice because he is very active but 11-years old is too young to feel so overwhelmed. Kids need to be kids. Have time to play. Wait, what am I saying - us adults need play time too!!! :lol:
 
Heidi_Mighty_Mo said:
Yes, it is cool that our schools here allow that though no school is suppose to discriminate against homeschooled children, but some do anyway. The school system here even has what is called "Homeschool Plus" and I have seen this to be very beneficial to the older children. I am considering putting my kids through that when they are high school age but am not sure at this time. I may allow them to go to public school at that time too if they choose, but it is going to depend on them and what we agree on together.

I wouldn't say my children are semi-homeschooled since they learn all their subjects at home - even PE. I will allow them to participate in school related activities however such as school dances, band, sports, etc... Ryan did wrestling for a couple years but decided this year not to because he is so busy with other things. Last year he told me he was feeling "stressed out" by all the things he was involved in so I encouraged him to drop one thing at least but wanted him to choose. I think it was a hard choice because he is very active but 11-years old is too young to feel so overwhelmed. Kids need to be kids. Have time to play. Wait, what am I saying - us adults need play time too!!! :lol:
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Were you homeschooled?

I would think maybe allowing them to go to High School would be a happy compromise. I just say that because it's such a common experience for people that it may be hard to relate without it.

Just my opinion, though...
 
No, I was not homeschooled but during my junior high years I wished so badly I could have been (what an awful age, huh?). High school, on the other hand, was a different matter - for the most part, I loved it. But, that was a different town where the school had so much more to offer than this where I am at now, and a different year (18-20 years ago :o ), things were different then.

So, we will see when the time comes. I just take one day (or school year) at a time.
:)
 
saved4life said:
How do children learn social skills when they are home-schooled? How do they make friends?
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That was and has been my main concern. But I've found out that there is a support group in my area and they get together several times a week to give the kids an opportunity to interact with each other. They also plan lessons together and go on field trips together.

I'm feeling more and mroe secure and positive about the idea. I found out that there are 50,000 children in North Carolina that are being homeschooled. What does that say about the schools? Kailey has a good teacher when it comes to teaching. And Kailey loves her teachers. But when my child s told she can't clear her throat and when the teacher does nothing about moving her to a different seat in class away from a kid that constantly pokes her and picks on her, then I get mad.
 
saved4life said:
How do children learn social skills when they are home-schooled? How do they make friends?
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Social skills from peers?!? Are you serious. The kind of "social skills" kids learn from peers in government schools are generally cussing, disrespect for authority, drugs, cruelty, obsession with clothes, obsession with rock stars, obsession with sex, etc.

That kids need other kids their own age to be around constantly, before they can learn social skills is a big misconception. It also makes very little sense when you actually think about it.
 
Social skills from peers?!? Are you serious.
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You must be very knowledgable about child development and psychology.

Yes, Jack. You learn social skills from inter-acting with a group when you are young. Did you not attend school when you were young?
 
saved4life said:
Social skills from peers?!? Are you serious.
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You must be very knowledgable about child development and psychology.

Yes, Jack. You learn social skills from inter-acting with a group when you are young. Did you not attend school when you were young?
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Yes, and I learned lots of cuss words, the best places to find porn when you're under the age of 16, how to disrespect elders and all kinds of other great stuff that my kids aren't learning. As for how they interact with others -- they do just fine since their role models aren't juvenile delinquents.
 
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