The county has nothing to do with it, as we aren't a rural school. The district we're with is pretty good size, so I think they will balk at it. They'll try to say there's no reason for THEM not to teach those classes.
Public school is not an option for our family. But we did think for awhile that we would be sending our boys to church school this year. My 9 year old did not want to go to school. He likes being homeschooled. He is not a people person though and would rather be by himself or with his family than play with other kids. Six year old would like to try school, of course I think it has more to do with teh playground than anything Neither boy has ever experienced school of any kind. I am glad I have at least one more year before we have to deal with that decision again.
New homeschooling mom. Need advice. First, I want to say that this is a great forum. My son is in 6th grade in PS (has only ever been to PS). The concept of HS arose just before the shcool year started (I have been thinking about it for a couple of years, but never said it out loud). After many, many hours/days of researching pros and cons, technicalities, curriculums, getting the paperwork ready for the state, and (just today) setting up a meeting for tomorrow to purchase text books & meet with a support group, he says he doesn't want to be HS. I know that as the parent, I am suposed make him do what I feel is best for him. I am just really concerned that by forcing him into it, he will end up resentful of it. Does anyone have advice for me on this? Thank you in advance!
alittlepeace - Do I understand correctly that your son wanted to homeschool initially? I guess I think there are a couple of possibilities. Perhaps he was anxious about 6th grade and liked the idea of homeschooling. After getting into the swing of school perhaps he decided his apprehension was unwarranted. Another possibility would be that while he really wants to homeschool, like most of us, he has found the idea of change scary. I think you will have to have a heart to heart with him and try to dig out why he doesn't want to homeschool. Have you made any connections with the homeschool groups in your area? Perhaps finding a homeschool social group would help ease some of his worries.
mom2ponygirl - It has crossed my mind that the idea of change is scaring him. He did want to be homeschooled. He has been in this school since the beginning of 4th grade, has always resented leaving his previous school, and has struggled through the last 2+ years. Every morning he is fighting back tears because he doesn't want to go. Just two mornings ago, on the way to school, he asked me again if I would homeschool him. I finally got in touch with the right people over the last two days & it all seemed like things were falling into place. I guess that it took the wind out of my sails to have him do an about-face like that. I have contacted a social group, but we have not visited as yet. I will try to make that happen this weekend & do some more praying. Thank you!
Great thread! We've been HS'ing for 3 months now. Last week I asked my DS what he liked best about HS'ing and he said, "Being together as a family." I almost cried. He's only 6, so I didn't expect that answer. I hope they continue to feel that way. We initially decided to HS because I felt uncomfortable with the idea of sending my K'er off to school for 6 hours a day. Now I'm so thankful we're together every day...they are only 4 and 6 for goodness sake! None of us are ready to be separated for that long, 5 days a week. My DS did go to a Christian preschool 3 days a week last year. He loved it and excelled academically, but the teacher often had to talk with me because he "talked too much". He wasn't talking to other kids but was answering too many questions and responding to the discussion too much! I'm not sure I'd define that as a problem?! I shudder to think what this year at K would have been like.
My 3 oldest were in public school. I pulled them out 4 years ago when they were in grades 5,3,and 2. My youngest has never set foot in a school room and probably never will. The oldest rejected homeschooling for the first few years the other 2 have never had an objection to it. My youngest wants to "see what it's like". But she never says she doesn't like homeschooling. This year has been the first year I haven't heard my oldest gripe about going back. He only wants to go for the social part of it anyway. Hubby finally told him that he's home to stay. I think between that and him being involved with the youth group at church, he's finally decided to be content..
Every once in a while my girls will mention going to school, but when I asked them about it they said they thought it would be a fun field trip. They were more curious about what it is like and wanted to try it for a day, but after they talked to the kids in the neighborhood about what a typical school day is like they decided they would rather be homeschooled. They like choosing the order of our subjects during the day and having the option of heading to a nature center and working outside.
This is our first year homeschooling and while it's only been 3 weeks officially, my ds 7 tells everyone he likes it. He had two years of christian preschool, and public kindergarten, and 1st grade. He really hated ps last year. He still doesn't like everything we do, and he was afraid of not having any friends, but he's making some great friends with kids in our hs group.
My DS#1 loves being homeschooled. He started out in the PS for kindergarten and was bullied and beat up. The school and teacher just didn't seem to care. He remembers everything like it was yesterday, even though it's been several years. He always tells me that he never wants to go to school, just homeschool..lol. My DS#2 is Autistic and mostly non-verbal, so he doesn't say either way. He did go to the PS preschool until mid March when I pulled him out. He never once said school or bus after we pulled him, so I would assume that he didn't care.
Mine do but it's a double edged sword. my son's only experience in PS was kindergarten and that's all fun no "work" no books. My daughter knows school is work and home school is better class wise however she really misses a roomful of kids her own age and the break from her brother, which ironically enough is the same reason she dislikes PS. lol
My son is 8 this year and should be in 3rd grade. We have mostly hs all along, and with much frustration and tears. (on both our parts) But we recently discovered a serious vision problem that has been preventing him from seeing/reading things clearly. It is going to take some intense therapy to retrain his eyes to work properly, but it is such a relief to me to discover the source of the frustration and anger from him. Last year I know he'd have said that he wanted to ps, but I'm hoping we can slow things down and regroup this year and turn this thing around. He's apprehensive about how "fun" it's really going to be this year, but we both need it to be fun!! If he were in ps, he'd be in the "special" classes with little consideration for his intelligence vs his vision. We're so glad to be hsing and able to take the time to fix things.
Well, my youngest two like homeschooling. They like getting their work out of the way and being able to play the rest of the day, and not having to get up early My oldest dd wishes she was in school. Since she has never been to school she has an idealized idea of what it would be like. I think she would hate it but be too proud/obstinate to admit it. Really it is not an option though. We feel like homeschooling is where she belongs and unless God changes things drastically then that is where she will stay. This never came up until a couple of my homeschooling friends had to go back to work and their kids went to school. Now I think she feels a bit left out and is struggling to find her niche. We're working on that.
J likes being schooled so far but he does make remarks about wishing he could get on a school bus and go to "real" school. He is only 4 so PS isn't even an option yet, not that it would be anyway.
This is an interesting forum. Because of course, for most of us school isn't the option part, just the where and how. We are seriously thinking of sending the younger back to school after fall break this year. I had planned on putting them both in school next year (6th and 9th grades) but as I said, with the younger one we might bump it. The boys are both ok with either option. The eldest, who is really the reason we hs, is pretty committed to continuing to hs this year and go to "school" in the fall...but with the understanding (largely unstated) that if it doesn't "work out" he could come home again. But also the understanding that this is really the only year of trying out...once he comes home again that is a full on high school commitment. I cringe, but really the main concern for the boys is social. The younger simply misses his friends and our personal styles don't mesh real well. The older, well, all of his good friends moved away, so there isn't as much opportunity to make friends without school. Youth group and homeschool group are there, but way more girls than boys. (he is almost ready to see the benifit in that, but really wants a "best friend" more than a girlfriend) That his one activity is tap dancing doesn't really help. Anyway, both boys recognize that schoolwork wise, homeschooling is more effecient. But ds the younger is willing to give that up for regimentation. To each his own.
Our two children that we homeschool attended ps Kindergarten and 1st grade. They had a taste for it, and they say they never want to go back. They get all worried if someone mentions attending ps. I'm really not sure why, their experiences weren't horrible. I guess they just love all that comes with hs.
So-a friend is in college and wanted to interview my son for a child development class. One of the questions was what is your fav and least fav thing about school-I changed that to homeschool-his fav was not getting up early and less schoolwork and for least fav thing about homeschool he said "nothing." LOL I was very nervous about the "least fav" question, but turns out it was nothing to worry about LOL
