Homeschool v. Private school

Jmgresham22 · October 2013

So it's decision time for me. I have a soon to be 4 year old and soon to be 3 year old. If I want to send her to private school I need to enroll her next school year instead of testing her in at 5. So... I need to know pros an cons.

We are not really a schedule driven family and I struggle with organization so I'm wondering if I should avoid homeschooling because of this?

Anyone unorganized and been successful??

Jmgresham22 · October 2013

I want the best for my kids... And so public schools here are not an option. I'd like to send them to a Christian academy but there are none nearby. Private school seems kind of snobby.

When I say not organized I mean I'm not a scheduled person so I seem to be bad at time management. I've gotten a little more organized storage wise since I started my own business in direct sales.... But I guess just the planning of activities and time management are my main concerns.

Ritzy19 · October 2013

I would say that I'm not the best at time management myself. I just started officially homeschooling my almost 5 year old in September, and by that I mean "we start our curriculum in September". I was nervous about the same things that you are -- finding the self discipline to get materials ahead of time, carve out the necessary time in our schedule with another LO to take care of as well, and just being able to stay on track without getting behind. Some days I'm more disiplined than others, but for the most part I'm happy with the progress we're both making. The beauty of Homeschooling is that you can adjust your schedule and your lessons as you see fit. Some weeks I end up bumping our schedule around a bit because something comes up, and that's okay. I love the freedom of being able to do that.

calimama2007 · October 2013

Other than the education itself, you haven't stated a reason you would consider homeschooling.

There are many factors involved that go beyond the academics.

Jmgresham22 · October 2013

Let me figure out how to word this correctly.....

I would prefer my children to get an education where there aren't constant disciplinary issues around that prevent them from getting a proper education.

The school system here has a lot of problems with that.

Our faith is also important and I would choose a Christian based homeschooling program if I do home school.

I also feel like being that neither of my children are at their prime in the morning that afternoon study would be best for them to process information and learn.

wifeofadam · October 2013

I think that based on your last response you just need to really think about a few things:

1 - Are there any good Christian private schools around you that meet the academic standards that you have for your kids? I know that where we live there are several private Christian schools, but I'm not confident that they can do a better job of teaching my kids than I can at home. Most are non-chartered schools and their curricula just aren't the best, IMO.

2 - Are you confident that the private Christian schools are going to reflect your faith? I have a few differences in theology with some of the Christian schools in my area and sometimes I wonder if it's more dangerous to put someone else in charge of my childrens' religious teaching than it is to put them in public school where there is no religious teaching at all. I feel like my husband and I, and our own specific church family, should be responsible for teaching our kids about our faith.

3 - What type of education do you want for your kids? Some types are going to require good organization, especially as your kids get older and if you have many of them in different subjects. If you're planning to do more unschooling or purchase curricula that outline very specific lesson plans for you, you can probably get away with being less organized. Curricula that aren't as specific are going to require more work on your part to put together the lessons.

4 - Do you WANT to homeschool? I honestly feel like I was called by God to homeschool my kids. Do you feel that way? Maybe you need to pray about it to find the answer. And if you do feel God nudging you towards the homeschooling route, I think you'll find that He'll also provide you with the organizational skills/patience/energy or whatever else you need to do it. He wants you to succeed!

As far as afternoon study goes, I think you'll find that most homeschoolers usually do their work in the mornings and then most of the co-ops and other activities geared towards homeschoolers happen in the afternoons because of it. You could certainly do your lessons in the afternoons (or even evenings) if it works better for your family, but that may prevent your kids from being able to be involved in a lot of the homeschooling activities offered in your area. You may find that as they get older, your kids will learn to be better in the mornings. The best time in my house seems to be 9-11 so we get most of our book work done then. Most of the homeschooling families I know do the same thing. Another reason I do it that way is because we can get it out of the way early. If I put it off until later I find that stuff doesn't always get done.

Jmgresham22 · October 2013

Thanks! I do want to homeschool. I don't feel like others should be in charge of what my kids learn.

There are not ANY Christian schools locally the nearest one is a 30 mile drive one way. And I'm not sure how good of a school it is.

calimama2007 · October 2013

If you agree with what @+adamwife+ said, then I think it's just a matter of figuring out logistics. Sometimes kids will do their best in the afternoon, sometimes in the morning, it can fluctuate.

I'm too tired right now to give you a truly meaningful response, lol, but if your heart is in it, you can absolutely do it!

erbear · December 2013

private school.

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