I have been an eclectic/classical homeschooler for 9 years. However since March of this year I have been doing so as a single mom. Although I am blessed with a great work at home career as a freelance author and web content/marketing developer I am so tired of being dragged in so many different directions with four children between 4 and 11. I am looking for every reason to enroll them in a local charter school. I feel really guilty about even considering it, but feel as if I am not doing either of my jobs well right now. Two of my sons have fallen behind and work suffers from my lack of attention. Really needing some advice and/or encouragement. Please note: although I am a writer by trade I am also a terrible speller so be kind. Steinbeck was also an awful speller.
Maybe a change of curriculum and approach is what's needed. Maybe you need to go with something very open-and-go, like workbooks or something, at least for a few subjects? Like Reading, English, and Math, with something multi-level for science and social studies? I don't see the 4 year old doing much independently, but the older ones could. Maybe that would free you up a bit? It might not be the classical approach you envision, but it could get done. What are you using right now?
I don't think there is any shame or guilt in recognizing your limits and adjusting your life accordingly. We all have our "ideal" image of how things should be. Ideally, you could do it all and do it all superbly well, but the reality is we are creatures of limited energy and time. I'm exhausted just thinking about your busy life! So, charter school might not be your ideal choice, but it could be the best choice given the reality in which you live right now. I'm not trying to discourage you from homeschooling, but I am trying to encourage you to leave the guilt out of whatever decision you make.
