XP Homeschooling
kaitylin
member
I know I don't have to cross this bridge for awhile but I'm curious what your thoughts are on homeschooling or experiences if you have done it.
I was initially 100% opposed to the idea. I think school is
important and that kids need the socialization - especially since we may
be one and done (or have a second pretty far down the line). I know
there are sports and clubs to associate with other kids but I still feel
that school teaches more than just math and reading.
My DH, on the other hand, is really wanting me to homeschool DD. He feels very strongly about it. I'm guessing it's because he had horrible experiences at school having ADHD (and was kicked out of numerous schools as a kid - but now has 2 masters degrees so I guess he turned out ok!) He thinks we can giver her a much better education at home (1 of his masters degrees is in teaching and he was a math teacher before going back to get his MBA).
I'm just really torn. We live in a horrible school district and definitely don't feel good about public school where we live now. There is a private school I want to send DD to so badly (a bilingual school and I think it would be so great for DD to learn another language at a young age. I went to French school growing up and I want her to have the same experience).
DH just doesn't think it is worth the money. Honestly, we will have to make a ton of sacrifices to afford private school.
We can homeschool and get all her materials for free through the K12 homeschooling organization since they partner with public schools in California so all the materials are provided as if she was going to school but we teach her at home.
I don't love the idea but want advice.
The one plus is that if I homeschool I can stay home with DD but if I send her to private school I will have to work to pay tuition and then I will be gone until 6 pm each day (as will DH) so she will have to do after school programs and have less time with us.
Thoughts?
Re: XP Homeschooling
You just need to decide whats best for you, your family, and your child. Some children excel in school and some excel in homeschool. Your DH should not totally base his decision on his own school experiences, since your LO may not have the same issues/experiences. Plus, schools are better equipped to handle ADD/ADHD now, than they were when we were kids.
Thankfully, you still have plenty of time to figure everything out and a lot can change/happen in 4 yrs :-)
For what it's worth, my DH and I knew we would either home school or private school DS. When the time got closer, we based our decision on what we felt would work the best for DS's learning styles and personality (he ended up at a private montessori school).
We homeschool (DH is a SAHD). Our children are 7, 5 1/2, and 2.
We have a large support group of homeschooling families that we socialize with - playdates, field trips, science experiments, Halloween/Valentine's (and other) parties, etc. It is a great group that welcomes all families - secular and non-secular - and my kids have friends.
We have a curriculum that we follow and our kids are doing very well.
My kids are in gymnastics, karate, and DD#1 is in Brownies. DS will join Boy Scouts/Cub Scouts next year when he is old enough (have to be in 1st grade).
DH has always wanted to homeschool but I was a skeptic. I read some books about homeschooling and met other families that do it successfully. I was a convert and we decided together that it would be best for our family.
If you have any other questions, let me know!
To explain where I?m coming from let me tell you that I am a teacher. I spent my first 9 years as a public school teacher and the last 9 as a private school teacher. In the midst of that my DH homeschooled my oldest DD for 1.5years - K and 1/2 of 1st.
Both my oldest dd's now both go to my private school.
The good for us: scheduling, time home with dad, time home with little sister, learning directed toward interests, awesome homeschool groups/parties/field trips, no stress about homework, and no stress about the neighborhood school or busing (which really concerns me), little exposure to what I prefer to protect my kids from.
The bad for us (don?t you love my grammar today???): DH doing most of the teaching. Duh, yeah, I know, I'm the teacher. I'd love to homeschool but I was the one working. DH is just too much an ADHD guy. He loved it, but I wasn't thrilled with the academics during 1st grade, especially after DH?s Dad passed away that fall.
Mind you, this is just my case, and if I were the one home I'd be happy to homeschool. Also, the school district next to us offers homeschool classes, instruction, testing, sports and more - it's a school of choice that we could use. I would be totally open to this if the need arose.
As far as socialization, the homeschool kids I know are very, very, very well socialized. They are in clubs, learning groups, play groups, sports and so many activities. One mom I know spends a good part of her day driving her kids hither and yon to the skate park, horseback lessons and so much more. Yeah, a couple are a little weird. One practically dresses her child like she's on the little house on the prairie. . . but I know plenty of weird kids and families in the public and private schools too!
My oldest does NOT want to be homeschooled again; she likes school with her friends. Of course her experience with school is a private school with 160 kids PK-8th grade ? 17 kids in her middle school. If she had to go to a public middle school perhaps she?d think differently ? or not.
You need to decide for yourself. You need to decide which philosophy you like ? there are a LOT of them out there. You need to decide on a curriculum. You need to connect with other homeschool families ? that is absolutely essential. Plus you don?t need to reinvent the wheel.
Homeschool kids ARE a little different. Typically they are much more comfortable talking with adults. They are independent. They often march a bit to their own beat. One of my oldest DD?s best friends is homeschooled. I don?t think you?d ever know it. Another good friend is as well ? you most certainly would know it. I wouldn?t worry about the stereotypes ? just about what is best for you and your family.
It can be great, it can be awful. If you decide to do it however, I?m certain you can do it well.
I homeschool
My daughter is 6 and in the first grade. We sent her to public school to kindergarten last year, and she loved it, but she did not do well. The teacher passed her into first grade anyway, even though she couldn't read or identify all the numbers she was suppose to. I had just gotten offered a weekend nursing job, so I jumped on the Homeschool band wagon and I absolutely LOVE it. J will be in "2nd" grade in 3 weeks, and she is doing amazing! I love spending Mon-Fri with her. I feel like we are much closer now.
She does go to co-op on Mondays where she takes 3 classes and gets tons of socialization, AND she has dance classes and tball.
I wouldn't change anything now. It was the best decision that I ever made!!
Make a pregnancy ticker
My oldest is 4.5 and we are planning on starting homeschooling kindergarten in the fall. Several years ago I never would have considered it, but I actually met a lot of moms who do it successfully over the last few years and it just seems like the better option for us. Private school really isn't an option for us, but public school is and if homeschooling doesn't seem like it's working well for us, that's what we'll do. We have already connected with some local homeschooling families that get together for playdates and field trips, and DD is in a homeschool choir that she loves. There's also a co-op that she can start once she's five. When we start kindergarten we will be using Sonlight curriculum, and I can't wait to see how it all works for us.