So do I have to take off for every holiday from homeschooling? MLK day? Easter? Etc.? Normally I would be more than happy to take them all off but since I am due to have my baby The end of May I want to be done as soon as possible. I would have started school earlier if I'd known I would get pregnant! As it is, if I take all the holidays off I will still be doing school a few days past my due date. If I don't take them off, I'll finish a couple of days before my due date. I have no idea what I'll do if this baby comes early! So far only one of mine has been early, by 3 days, and the other two have been more than a week past their due dates. I guess if baby is born before school is over I'll just count diaper changing, learning about newborns, and helping momma as school Oh, and when I say I want to finish early, I am pretty sure we'll be done with all of our curriculum early in May or late in April, but to get our 180 days in it will be more like the week of May 26th.
You can do whatever you want to do. Thats the beauty of homeschooling. In fact I shooled Noah until the day before Thanksgiving and started back a few day after. I try to stick to a M-Th or M-F schedule. If theres a holiday in there we do a little something on that holiday and then we continue on as usual. We did the same with Christmas break too, so were ahead a week right now. We are planning on going to California the 10th of March so we'll be taking 10 days off then. I also school year round but at a more relaxed pace, typically 3 days in the summer. I keep up on things like Math and Writing/Language just so Noah doesnt forget where were at.
Oh I also took 3 months off last year after Macy was born. So Noahs summer break was from March to June. We just did the bare minimum those 3 months. I also bought a subscription to time 4 learning so Noah could play games while still learning at the same time.
I only break for the biggies. (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, etc). BUT...we also take any off that hubby has off, however, we'll try to do a family field trip and it's still counted as a school day!
I guess I shouldn't be concerned about doing school on holidays. Its not like someone is going to come look at my records and say "hey, you didn't take enough time off!". Before I knew the baby was coming I was planning to take a lot more time off throughout the school year, but now I just want to be finished so we can have lots of time after baby is born.
Take the time you need! If you get the work done, then it doesn't matter how many days it takes, does it? I mean, if you put in the extra time by not taking off the holidays, then you're putting in your time! I wouldn't worry about it! If you and your child are fine with it, and need the time off after the baby is born, then that's exactly how you should do it!
This year we have to keep track of our days and write them down. I count everything... they dont specify what counts and what doesnt you know. Kids are always learning. So just because they dont sit down and do seatwork that day, and go to the Zoo instead... shouldn't that count as well. I think so. Personally I think keeoing track of days is just crazy. I know we do a lot more thab the 170 or 180 days our state requires.
I would check with your state requirements for homeschooling. Perhaps some of the ladies here from Calif can answer that question. Sam
Here we have to have 180 days and since Joyce was behind when I pulled her out last week, we are trying to do at least SOMETHING that counts as school even on the weekend to try to be able to have spring break and a regular summer break. It makes my mind spin to think that she could miss a bunch of days in ps and still pass with less than 180 but hsing you have to have exactly 180 or more. I'm definitely not complaining because this week has been so much better than the months from Aug to Dec last year!
In California it is 180 days. And I do count a lot as school work. Going to my Drs appt. for my ultrasound was all we did for school one day! I totally think that counts as a field trip I probably keep more records than I need to, but I keep a journal where I write down what we do for school each day. Not all of it because it seems like learning happens every moment of the day! But I at least I have something written down to show that we did school each day.
I don't see how diaper changing counts for school, but I can tell you getting kittens will earn Jeannie a Brownie patch! Adopting them, neutering them, and giving a donation to the shelter were the requirements.
I think of it as life skills!:lol: There are days when Joyce helps me so much with the babies I feel she deserves the credit for the help!
Well, you know I think of those old TV shows where the school kids were sent home with a baby doll for a day and had to pretend it was a real baby and then write their report. Hehe.
I dont think diaper changing alone could count for school, but I'm sure other things were done throughout the day when combined can be counted kwim. Life skills, everyday math, science etc.
Crystal's best friend just had her weekend with the doll, Baby Think It Over for her parent and child development class. She had to keep the doll with her the whole weekend and take care of it. She had to wear a bracelet thing that wouldn't come off that has the baby's key on it. When the baby cried she had to hold the key in it's back until it laughed. It might take up to twenty minutes before she could stop holding the key. It would wake her up during the night crying just like a real baby. I think changing and helping care for a real baby should count as child development class too.
Wow! What a doll. When I said changing diapers I meant that partly in jest. But along with other things about baby care I certainly think it counts for school.
Jennifer, Are you saying since you pulled dd our of school last week, that you are still required to reach the 180 days? I would think they'd kinda "prerate" that figure? I dont know hmmm.
In California, you only have to cover a set amount of days if you are operating under option #3 and the set number of days are determined by your program or group. Otherwise you operate as a private school and set your number of days. You just have to keep a register of days. The group I was under required 180 days. We are no longer with them and we complete as many days as I set. Patty
