I'm still having trouble getting him to sound out unknowns rather than "look and guess" like he was taught in kindergarten. I can't even imagine what it would be like with over 30 kids in one class! Although, when I started first grade we had 31 or 32 in a class -- back in a time when all kids were taught at home to behave, instead of just a chosen few. DGS did come stay with us for a while when he was 4. He was in Head Start, and ALL he learned there was cuss words and gang signs! So my son pulled him out and he lived with us from January through April. I had him writing his full name (copying), adding and subtracting to ten, and almost reading in that time, but of course he lost all that by kindergarten. I wish I could say it's a terrible school district, but it's actually considered a "good" school, pretty much the norm around here... And most parents just think that's "school" and must be put up with, endured. Actually, I don't think his first grade ps teacher truly "hated" him -- I never met the lady, myself -- but that was his perception of her attitude, at any rate, from Day One.
I always gave mine the choice as of high school, just b ecause my oldest started begging at JR level. I kept him on task by reminding him he would not be able to do so and so if he were in public school. I never sent mine to Public, just private Christian schools that we prayed about first. I would never have sent him out if God had not provided the exact, actually over the amount, that I prayed for. Now with my Brain child, She could have graduated in 11th, three years early for her age so I made her take a year out for fun... well the fun turned out to teach her to want to be an actress even though I taught the class I would not have had the kids to do this with had we not chosen to send her out to graduate with a class ( ya that was abust too, she had two people in her class it was a really small school lol) LAst child who would be home and will be next year for the most part, if not totally home aside from his College courses... hes 11th, and wanted to go out for two years, but not really. This year he is out, enjoys the PE class the Art Class, is learning a lot in Christian Counseling ( Phsyc equiv.) and well he kind of wishes he was still home. I told him if he wants to home school we can do it and still let the school he goes to be "His School" because they do home schooling kids as well. This would only mean he would be graduating with his friends at a school graduation like his brother and sister did, same school even. To him this will be real graduation even though its not accredited or anything, and we will have pictures of all three in the same place so that too is cool! If you stay home thats great, if your child thrives and you have a good place for your kid to go, thats great too, whatever works best for your child. After all they have to be learning right?
It's been a little while and oldest ds is getting tired of the daily grind of public school. Maybe he'll want to homeschool again?
Mine all asked to go to school eventually. They wanted to be "normal," I was very sad. I've seen others put their children in school too. After the novelty has worn off, I think it takes 3 years for the child to ask to be homeschooled again. I think the other side always looks more attractive.
I sent my # 3 and 4 child to school because I thought it was time. They didn't really want to go, but they are glad they went now. I have experienced some extreme burnout so this was the best solution for our family. I may put in 2 more after Christmas because my 8 year old was just diagnosed with dyslexia, and I am so worn out from all of the demands.
Lisa I am sure it is helpful with your large family. I am looking at possibly bringing mine home after Christmas , second semester, if he keeps his talk about it not being all its cracked up for. The only benefit I have seen is that he has to sit in a room with noise and work. At home they get the benefit of quiet learning when they need it. My ds is only technical one home, his older brother lives here will College life etc so it was definitely to join in group classes that we put him out there. I am grateful to God we have access to a Christian Private school that has no gang members, I over heard a grandad taking yesterday about one of the schools I was thinking of sending ds1 to years back and found out its total gang terrirory and not safe to walk around there alone after dark. This is a residential area! ITs because of the highschool in mention. Not to scare anyone but just something to check out and know we have to know when we send our kids out to the world we will be risking consequences.
"we have to know when we send our kids out to the world we will be risking consequences." That's true, but it's equally true that we're risking consequences when we infantilize our kids and deny them practice with coping mechanisms and skills to safely navigate the world as it is. Not saying they should take unnecessary risk and certainly not meant as a criticism...but it's wise to consider the balance.
"After the novelty has worn off, I think it takes 3 years for the child to ask to be homeschooled again. I think the other side always looks more attractive." Tina, I think you're right that kids do suffer a lot of "the grass is greener on the other side syndrome" LOL. That said, I think it's ultimately individual. Some kids will try school for a single semester and know it's a bad fit, and ask to come home. Other kids will make a great transition and never ask to come back to homeschool again. Meh. Everyone's different. Even within the same family, kids are individuals.
True true, I was just saying that we need to be away, stuff will happen but it will build character, right?
I'm concerned because I feel like the older two have changed into different people... they have other influences and those influences aren't always good. I can see negative changes in their behavior and attitudes. I feel like if I take them back out, they will resent me at this point. I am trying to wait until they get tired of it. Do you think that's the best thing to do?
I would watch and see how they do academically as well... because face it if they are gaining ground on the learning but struggling in attitudes, you can curb the attitudes at home, but if they want to go out to school you can use that to work the obeying regarding behavior ... kwim?
Yeah, I know what you mean. They did well (academically) with homeschool, and are also doing well in public school. So, that's not an issue. It's just the behavior and I am worried about the outside influences. I know we can't avoid bad influences, forever, but I want them to be secure in who they are first.
Personally, I take issue with your implication that we infantalize the kids we keep at home through high school, as though they don't get to live in the "real world" or practice coping mechanisms. You're all about saying "every family's different", but every now and then your attitude slips through...
Glad that mine have never wanted to go. Even with friends there and when the older ones were little we lived right next to the elementary, but they never asked to go. I hope it all goes well for them!
I am really not enjoying the stress ds has had, but part of it is he is doing community theater again this fall/christmas play. He wasnt going to , but went to the try outs cause they said they needed him for Aladdin, but then found another guy ( he was relieved!) but now they have him being understudy... just in case. ds is upset about it cause there is so much more to do... and its every night. Ds is wishing he could just stay home and work in the morning, so I am contemplating putting him on home school status ( his private school teacher would still be in charge of him, he would just work from home) up to the tech week if he does not get way ahead of himself.... there are really a lot of things that do not work well when you are used to home school and you go out in high school. There is way to much time used up.
2 of my public schooled kids are doing good.. My oldest will graduate from the academy this year and my daughter is A/B honor roll.. She struggles in math, but she's trying and that's what matters.. My 16 year old son, he's a whole other story.. He loves school, but doesn't want to do the work to learn.. He's super smart, but school to him Is just a place to go to see his friends. I don't think any of them will ever ask to come back to homeschool again.. My daughter wanted to go back because she had few friends and she wanted to play basketball and was too old for the city leagues. Unfortunately, she fell during basketball practice and broke her wrist so she's been placed on "C" team and basically benched for the season. But she's really done well grade wise and put my mind at ease as to how well I actually did with teaching her..
I asked my ds16 yesterday how he was thinking, he said he thinks he will stay... He got 90 on his English Test, is done with english for the week, so he has Christian counseling ( the hardest cause its AP/College course) and History ( he loves history) and Art ( real live art teacher lol) and Spanish ( the bane of his existence two ..) PE, and he has friends, He is there for the friends...even though there are only a couple kids in his grade level cause its like a mixed class of JR Sr highers, he likes it. The hard weeks will be between Thanksgiving and Christmas cause they will cut class for rehearsals and such for Christmas stuff... and he is learning what it will be like when he goes away to University... he wants to go next year but we are having him do schooling at CC. and school so he can grad with his class.
It's been awhile since I've been on! It's been almost a year since I last posted on this topic. Things have changed since then. As some of you might recall, I have four children. Three are school aged. These three asked to try out public school last year and I felt the oldest two had changes in their attitudes. As the year progressed, their attitudes changed even more. I feel like the oldest two became different people. The youngest school-aged child was not so affected (2nd grade). Oldest not as much as second school-aged child, but still not good. This year, youngest school aged child is back to homeschooling. The oldest two are still going. Baby is still too young for school. Both in public school are doing great, academically, but we are still very worried about their personality changes. Oldest realized he better shape up or he will have to homeschool again, and has made some positive changes. However, the things he is hearing at school are terrible. No lockers this year because students are selling drugs out of them, etc. Very worried about that. This is a great school district, but apparently that is a huge problem. DD is continuing with her awful behavior. She has a horrible attitude, says bad words, name calls, is extremely disrespectful, so on and so forth. She needs to be out, honestly. I just don't know if taking her out will solve the problem. DH says sending them to public school was the worst decision we have ever made. The only reason I haven't pulled her already is because the school year has already started and she would have to catch up. Oldest ds is in band. DD is in orchestra. That's kinda hard to provide at home. What are your thoughts? Sometimes it helps to get an outside perspective.
