Looking for advice on when to start homeschooling

Discussion in 'Homeschooling' started by Mom365, Mar 5, 2016.

  1. Mom365

    Mom365 New Member

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    Hi everyone. I have been lurking for a while and learning a lot, finally joined today to ask for opinions and advice.

    I would ultimately like to homeschool my DS, who is 5. I currently work full time, but plan to take early retirement in just less than 3 years (the November after my DS would start 2nd grade). My DH, who stays home with DS, would be supportive of homeschooling, but is not comfortable in a primary role. He would help out if I left detailed directions, but he doesn't quite have the love of learning I would like to encourage in DS and tends to project the attitude of schoolwork being a tedious chore (due to his own public school experience).

    My question is: should I put DS in public kindergarten and 1st grade, and then start homeschooling at 2nd grade once I can be available full time? Or would it be better to homeschool from the start, utilizing evening and weekends as necessary for the first two years?

    By way of background, DS attended one and a half years at an academic focused half day preschool, and this year is attending a Waldorf half day kindergarten. My husband and I work with him 15-30 minutes per day at home and throughout the day as opportunities present themselves. DS knows his letters, numbers to 20, and some sight words. His vocabulary is excellent. He gets along well with other kids, shares, makes friends, etc. I recently started teaching him to read at his request and that is going well.

    My reasons for wanting to homeschool are varied, and include a desire to give him a better, broader education than I believe he will receive in an institutional setting. Once my husband and I are both free of work responsiblities, we will be able to provide DS with travel and other experiences he would not get in public school. I am not adamantly opposed to public schools, I just think they have tremendous challenges which make it impossible for them to give every child the personal attention homeschooling allows. The public school DS would be attending has a good reputation, and I have no specific concerns about it or about DS's ability to get along there. I have looked at the state education standards for kindergarten, and DS can already meet them all, so I do worry him being bored. We viewed his preschool experiences as important for socialization, especially as an only child, but our views on that have changed, thanks in part to forums like these and talking to homeschoolers about their experiences.

    Sorry for the lengthy post. Your thoughts and opinions based on your experience would be much appreciated.
     
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  3. featherhead

    featherhead Member

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    I don't see why homeschooling wouldn't work. In the younger years it really doesn't take much time. Something like Sonlight or BookShark could work well. Your husband could do the reading to him during the day, and you could take care of a little LA and Math in the evening. I would at least give it a shot to see how it goes. Also check the laws in your state. Some laws don't even require a child to attend school (or register as homeschooled) till 7 or 8 years old.
     
  4. Lindina

    Lindina Active Member

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    I agree! Some other suggestions might be Five in a Row, or perhaps just read-alouds of random topics found at the library. My grandsons love Wild Kratts, and various similar shows on the public broadcasting station. There's even a maxim among some homeschoolers that "under 8, it can wait" meaning they don't really need formal academics until they become 8 years old. Until then, "guy stuff" your fellows do should be sufficient for during the day, you can do some guiding plans for them, and tend to a little bit of "formal" learning in the evenings, until you can be home to do the major stuff. When we homeschooled our son, I worked full time with an hour commute, and my husband had his own shop here at home. I did homeschooling evenings, weekends, holidays, and my summer vacation, and somehow it worked out. Mine was 5th grade on up, but ....
     
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  5. Mom365

    Mom365 New Member

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    featherhead and Lindina, thanks for your replies. We live in Washington, so you are right, featherhead, we don't even have to register DS until he is 8. DH is more concerned than I am - preschool was his break every day, and without outside school he worries about going insane. :) We are both in law enforcement and maybe a bit more paranoid than most about leaving our kids with people we don't know. That makes it harder to find outside activities for DS that can also give DH his "me time."

    We will continue to discuss and pray on this. I know we have time, but was feeling pressured with all of the neighborhood kids starting school in the fall. Thank you both!
     
  6. Dokta

    Dokta New Member

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    I write books. Each book on homeschooling begins by telling the parents that they are the best teachers their child will ever have. Consider the facts. You taught them English which is one of the hardest languages to learn. Before you begin to home school, I suggest that you conduct an experiment. Five is a good age. Begin teaching them addition. Start with 1+1= and move on from there. Remember to verbally praise.
    You two will have fun teaching and your little ones will love it. I suggest you do it at all times. I would teach in the check out lines and at Disney World. We taught them in life's quiet moments.
    I had seven kids and last year we had 4 graduations. Two sum Laude graduates.
    If you like teaching, Viola,! There you have it!
     
  7. Dokta

    Dokta New Member

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  8. Kaleylou3

    Kaleylou3 New Member

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    I agree with the others but I have to add to them. First, the curriculum. I did not use Five in a Row because I did not know about it early enough. I did use Teach Your Child to Read in 100 easy lessons. This is a great book! My DD loved it! The other curriculum that we used 1 year was The Heart of Dakota. http://www.heartofdakota.com/ This is Christ Centered but History based. The Science is amazing.
    When my DD was using it, she could not wait to go to the beach because that is what she was studying. As opportunity would have it, she was able to go in December rather than wait until Spring. She was elated. She packed her books in the car and off we went. It was quite chilly but that did not stop her from wanting to SEE what she had been learning about. It is very hands on and your husband would enjoy it. He would not feel intimidated at all once you got past the "what do I do next" stage and just learn. You utilize the library or a used book store for quite a bit.

    I am hoping for grandchildren (1 married, 1 in college, and 1 still home in HS) and plan to use this before school age so that I will have a good argument to keep him/her home should the parents decide they want to enroll in school.

    Second, I agree with your thoughts on school. My oldest was bored and it was not happy!! I was called into the office weekly it seemed because she was "sick of coloring" and "not going to color anymore" and they wanted me to do something! Well, move forward!

    The early years are fun years! Why stick them in a desk or chair and ask them to pay attention and "wait" on others to catch up before your son can move forward? Why take those hours of sunshine away from him when he can be playing outside more and be healthier for it? Why not have learning fun instead of rote?

    I do not know how you feel about christianity, but I have a hard time putting mine in public schools because christianity is taken out of teaching. How can one teach science or history and not include the Creator or His hand on the people that they are learning about?

    Why would you want to enroll him just to take him out in a few years? If you never expose him to that setting, he will never yearn for it - really. He may ask later and say he wants to go, but by then he will like the laid back life of fun learning and would likely not be happy. He would also likely pick up habits from other that are not to your liking. And bullying is a huge problem in schools today. I just would not want to subject my "young plant" to that and keep him in the "greenhouse" until later in life when he was more equipped to "bear the weather" and not be trampled physically or emotionally.

    Finally, there are usually great homeschooling groups you can join. Some have co-ops that are just great and he can still be in that setting with others his age, but with like-minded parents. There are also many places that he could go once or twice a week for classes and just be dropped off much like he is now and your husband would still have some time at home without him. Homeschooling has options galore. You just need to get plugged in to some resources in your area.

    Join HSLDA, http://www.hslda.org/, (or just browse the site) and you will find laws for your state as well as so much helpful information. You might be able to find out the homeschool group for area there too.

    Oh, one last thing (after the finally :) , is go to a curriculum fair! You will feel overwhelmed, but don't be! Just browse and find out about things such as sports, plays, music, art, co-ops, etc that are available to you.
    Happy Homeschooling and feel free to call me with questions you might have or even just for a little encouragement! - Valerie <phone number removed for privacy reasons - send a personal message - admin>
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 30, 2016

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