Best of luck to you all!

Thank you to everyone! My daughter is warming up more to the thought of going to school more and more each day. I am actually now getting excited for her. All I ever want for my child is to be healthy, happy and well adjusted. I have no questions in my mind that this right choice for her and I can't wait to see what the future brings our way.

Thank you to everyone! My daughter is warming up more to the thought of going to school more and more each day. I am actually now getting excited for her. All I ever want for my child is to be healthy, happy and well adjusted. I have no questions in my mind that this right choice for her and I can't wait to see what the future brings our way.

Thanks everyone! My daughter is slowly warming up to the fact that she will be going to school in fall. So we are on the right track.

Thanks for the acknowledgement, it means a lot to me.

Thank you so much! I hope this my case as well, I will take all the burden of worrying about this. I am going to do everything in my power to make this the most positive experience for her.

Thanks! I am going to do everything in my power to make this school experience as positive as possible. I can only hope that some day soon her dad will become the parent she needs. it is the quality of time not quantity I can see that she is in need of his love and acknowledgement of her. I try to pull double duty of being both parents to her, but I can't replace the lack of love and security she is lacking from him.

Thanks, these are all great suggestions.

I have asked her dad to please try again with her overnight but he refuses. she doesn't have that safe and secure feeling with him like she does with me.

Any input on how to make the transition process easier for my 7 year old next school year would be appreciated. A little about my daughter. she is 7, will be 8 in November. Has never been to public school or in any type os school setting, besides one on one with me. We are considered first grade this year, so she will be going into second. It has been a rough couple of years for her. I got a divorce in July 2011 and then got back together with her dad until March 2011. Our life is better now than ever, but she has separation problems when it comes to me. So I am very concerned about that aspect of public school. She does go to her dads a couple times a week and was good with staying over night (did it for about 6 months), then end of last summer she had three bad nights crying wanting to come home. So no more overnights. And does stay here and there with her older sister and my friend if I need to a babysitter. Usually cries a little when I go to leave. But for the most part once distracted is fine. I am afraid of her crying and feeling scared when she starts school in fall and really want any ideas to lessen this feeling for her. Also I know how mean kids can be, I don't want her labled as a baby. So this is the socializing part. Now onto the academic part of schoolin which she is ahead. But being that she is shy and has never done this. Any ideas or things I should be going over with her so that she will be comfortable in participating in class. What should i be teaching her or reinforcing? Any advice will be appreciated. The reason for me putting her in school is that we are planning on moving this summer (in the process of looking). And financially I would like to be working while she is in school, so that I can give us financial security, I am looking at our future. This was a hard decision, but I know in my heart it is the best decision for both of us. Thanks Susan

Thanks!

Any input on how to make the transition process easier for my 7 year old next school year would be appreciated. A little about my daughter. she is 7, will be 8 in November. Has never been to public school or in any type os school setting, besides one on one with me. We are considered first grade this year, so she will be going into second. It has been a rough couple of years for her. I got a divorce in July 2011 and then got back together with her dad until March 2011. Our life is better now than ever, but she has separation problems when it comes to me. So I am very concerned about that aspect of public school. She does go to her dads a couple times a week and was good with staying over night (did it for about 6 months), then end of last summer she had three bad nights crying wanting to come home. So no more overnights. And does stay here and there with her older sister and my friend if I need to a babysitter. Usually cries a little when I go to leave. But for the most part once distracted is fine. I am afraid of her crying and feeling scared when she starts school in fall and really want any ideas to lessen this feeling for her. Also I know how mean kids can be, I don't want her labled as a baby. So this is the socializing part. Now onto the academic part of schoolin which she is ahead. But being that she is shy and has never done this. Any ideas or things I should be going over with her so that she will be comfortable in participating in class. What should i be teaching her or reinforcing? Any advice will be appreciated. The reason for me putting her in school is that we are planning on moving this summer (in the process of looking). And financially I would like to be working while she is in school, so that I can give us financial security, I am looking at our future. This was a hard decision, but I know in my heart it is the best decision for both of us. Thanks Susan

I can totally relate.

I am right there with you. I don't have any answers for you, but I do understand how you are feeling.

I agree it is worth reading for the geography alone. But I did enjoy reading the rest as well.

Exactly! I am big on letting them be a kid as long as possible. My daughter has done daisies and basketball with other 7 year old girls, I couldn't believe how these girls are so clicky and are like preteens. Lots of drama, too.

Thank you girls! During our homeschooling, my daughter had a lot of changes going on in her life ( I was going through divorce in early 2011). I think homeschooling was the one thing that remained the same in our daily lives. And has hard as everything was homeschooling brought us comfort in a bad time in our life.

I recommend WWE. I use it in my homeschooling. But I can honestly say I would use it for afterschooling as well. It doesn't take long to do. And I feel it is a very strong writing program. I also have my daughter write to penpals. I also use FLL and very short lessons.

I am thankful to be able to homeschool my daughter. I have been doing this from the get go, preschool, and it has been very rewarding. Yes I live in NY and have to report and follow some guide lines, but for the most part I have freedom with my homeschooling. I love the fact that I can pick her curriculum and if something doesn't work for her I can make a change. What it takes school 6 and a half hours to accomplish, I can get done with her in less than half that time. I also really like the fact that if we had a late night, school can start a little later lol, I do believe that my older to girls were sick a lot more the first few years in ps, then she has been. I can pick a curriculum and tweak it to fit her. Also she gets one on one teaching. So with that said, I realize how our school day is evolving. And that what started as hit and miss schooling in preschool. And mostly concentrating on learning to read and write. Evolved to the basics in K, math, reading, writing. Then mid year some grammar, basic geaography and a dab of science. This year in first, we concentrated a lot on the basics, math, reading, writing, grammar and spelling. And science and history here and there. After are holiday break, we started back in January with the same, but now science and history are done weekly. Next would be to add more geography(she gets some with her history, but I would like her to have more than that). May try to add that in by spring, but for sure will be done weekly starting next year. I should add we do do some of the visual arts, but won't be added into our schedule weekly til she next school year and maybe not til January. with this said I love that I am able to introduce a new subject at her own pace, or our own pace:) My daughter is very creative when it comes to the visual arts and on her own time has down art projects and is being taught how to play guitar. And as far as phys ed goes, that is an everyday occurance here. Been that way since she was a toddler.

Math fact drilling doesn't seem to work here. My dd gets frustrated!

I agree tweak to fit your homeschool!

Thanks for putting a link to the post about why you should work on twtm skills.

Thank you so much for this post.

So glad you posted. I am in NY and was thinking of doing a unit on backyards birds as well in the spring.

Thanks for taking the time to share these!