Home school before school age?

[Mom-ninja.]

There is something that bugs me. A woman asked me where my boys go to school and I told her we home school. She said, "Oh, I home school my kids as well. I home school until they go to Kindergarten."

 

:001_huh:

 

I also had another woman say pretty much the same thing by telling me she home schooled her kids until they were 4.

 

I'm not sure I hid the befuddled look on my face. I think what is happening is that some women are saying that being a SAHM is home schooling. Now, of course, I realize that children under the age of 5 learn all the time, and parents are the number one teacher. I get it. To me though there is a difference between school age kids and preschoolers/toddlers/babies.

 

When my kids were under the age of 6 I didn't consider myself a home schooler. I considered myself a SAHM. Now, I am both a SAHM and home school mom. Just because you don't put your child into day care does not mean you are a home schooler, at least in my point of view.

 

It also bugs me when women say they had a natural birth when what they really mean is that they did not have a c-section. Natural, to me, means sans drugs, but that is not the mainstream meaning of natural childbirth anymore.

 

So is the mainstream meaning of home schooling changing as well to include women who are SAHMs to children under school age even when they have no intention at all to home school when their kids are school age?

[LibraryLover]

LOL

Edited April 27, 2010 by LibraryLover

[teamturner]

I believe I started my homeschool journey when I did preschool at home after my twins did a year of preschool in a preschool. We did FIAR type stuff and lots of books. There was a focused effort to teach phonics at that time as well. We actually started focused reading lessons using Phonics Pathways in the latter part of that preschool year.

 

I have a friend that does preschool at home and then sends her dc to public school in Kindergarten. She didn't call it homeschool but there were lessons and workbooks, etc. She got them ready for K at home. Perhaps this is what these ladies mean. I don't have a problem with them calling doing focused learning with their preschoolers "homeschool."

 

Just my 2 cents!

[mollies73]

I was also a little puzzled when my cousin stated she was going to take her son out of school to homeschool him. Not the 6 year old, the 3 year old. He was in preschool at the time. I thought it was interesting. I think, though, that many schools are getting very rigid on kindergarten entrance exams and children are being put in remedial classes because they can't recognize all their letters and their sounds, count to 20, write their name, and recognize several sight words. This is what happened to a nephew of mine who didn't attend pre-school. He went to all day kindergarten and then had to stay after for an extra hour to "catch up." When my mother was a kindergarten teacher many moons ago, she said you learned to recognize your letters and numbers, write your name, and be kind to others by the end of kindergarten. Today's kindergarten is like yesterday's first grade, and parents are feeling the stress of it.

[Embassy]

I think they are referring to teaching their children at home rather than send them to a preschool. I wouldn't have a problem with someone saying they homeschooled during the preschool years.

[Allearia]

It does strike me as a bit different from what I do, but on the other hand sending kids to preschool is almost universal where I live so it is very unusual for them not to go to school. I can see where that could be considered homeschooling preschool.

[SheilaZ]

For me, I don't considering that homeschooling. I consider that to be parenting and cudos for them for doing so. Many pass that duty onto other people as soon as possible.

 

I don't consider a child homeschooled until they don't report for public or private school as the mandatory age.

 

But then again, I am not a huge supporter of Pre-school in general.

[Dandelion]

So is the mainstream meaning of home schooling changing as well to include women who are SAHMs to children under school age even when they have no intention at all to home school when their kids are school age?

 

Personally, I don't have a problem with moms saying they're homeschooling their toddlers/preschoolers (and I'm meeting more and more of them - we have at least 20 moms in our HS group who fall into this category). However, I do understand your point. I don't think the "mainstream meaning" of homeschooling is changing - but I think more and more moms are learning about homeschooling (which is very positive IMO) and are therefore identifying themselves as homeschoolers. Who knows - many of them may decide to homeschool their child(ren) once they're school age, even though that wasn't their plan starting out. I know some moms who see the early years as a "trial period" during which they're trying to figure out whether they could/want to homeschool. So, as far as I'm concerned, it's all good...

[StephanieZ]

I think this is a new trend. . . and I have decided to take it as a compliment.

 

Hs'ing is becoming trendy & admirable. . . and so someone who (let's face it) is not at all hs'ing (watching Elmo & friends and reading story books does not count, lol :confused:) . . . wants to be identified with us hardworking, cool hs'ing moms. I never thought doing this crazy hs'ing thing would make me cool. . .

 

OK. Fine. If immitation is the sincerest form of flattery. . . than wishing/wanna-being must be some other sincere form. . .

 

I wouldn't sweat it and wouldn't at all debate it. . . But, I do agree it's totally strange, and definitely NOT hs'ing in the sense that most of us do it here. . .

[Kate CA]

There is something that bugs me. A woman asked me where my boys go to school and I told her we home school. She said, "Oh, I home school my kids as well. I home school until they go to Kindergarten."

 

:001_huh:

 

I also had another woman say pretty much the same thing by telling me she home schooled her kids until they were 4.

 

 

I know what you mean and do understand your perplexed feelings as I simply do NOT equate teaching preschool to a 4/5yo before they go to public school the same as what we do here all day long. :lol: With that said, I do think that there are families that absolutely start their homeschooling journey much earlier than I because their children are ready to do so. I know several families that began homeschooling their 4yos in earnest and did more with them than I did with my 6/7yos! :D

 

I don't think that is really what you are talking about though, and I would agree with you. There are people that say they have been homeschooling since birth. I say I was a mama until I began homeschooling. I think they are very different things. I don't sweat it though - to each his own mindset and I don't have to agree with them. There are many that don't agree with me! :001_smile:

 

I was also a little puzzled when my cousin stated she was going to take her son out of school to homeschool him. Not the 6 year old, the 3 year old. He was in preschool at the time. I thought it was interesting. I think, though, that many schools are getting very rigid on kindergarten entrance exams and children are being put in remedial classes because they can't recognize all their letters and their sounds, count to 20, write their name, and recognize several sight words. This is what happened to a nephew of mine who didn't attend pre-school. He went to all day kindergarten and then had to stay after for an extra hour to "catch up." When my mother was a kindergarten teacher many moons ago, she said you learned to recognize your letters and numbers, write your name, and be kind to others by the end of kindergarten. Today's kindergarten is like yesterday's first grade, and parents are feeling the stress of it.

 

I would agree with this description of K and first grade. Kind of scary for those children who simply are NOT ready at all at that age. I used to say K was graham crackers and naps, but no longer. In my opinion it is a sad change. I think the rush to school is robbery of many a child's playing/exploring years.

[Brindee]

For me, I don't considering that homeschooling. I consider that to be parenting and cudos for them for doing so. Many pass that duty onto other people as soon as possible.

 

I don't consider a child homeschooled until they don't report for public or private school as the mandatory age.

 

But then again, I am not a huge supporter of Pre-school in general.

:iagree: This is EXACTLY how I feel!

 

I think this is a new trend. . . and I have decided to take it as a compliment.

 

Hs'ing is becoming trendy & admirable. . . and so someone who (let's face it) is not at all hs'ing (watching Elmo & friends and reading story books does not count, lol :confused:) . . . wants to be identified with us hardworking, cool hs'ing moms. I never thought doing this crazy hs'ing thing would make me cool. . .

 

OK. Fine. If immitation is the sincerest form of flattery. . . than wishing/wanna-being must be some other sincere form. . .

 

I wouldn't sweat it and wouldn't at all debate it. . . But, I do agree it's totally strange, and definitely NOT hs'ing in the sense that most of us do it here. . .

:001_smile: Love that attitude! :thumbup1:

 

I know what you mean and do understand your perplexed feelings as I simply do NOT equate teaching preschool to a 4/5yo before they go to public school the same as what we do here all day long. :lol:

 

There are people that say they have been homeschooling since birth. I say I was a mama until I began homeschooling. I think they are very different things. I don't sweat it though - to each his own mindset and I don't have to agree with them. There are many that don't agree with me! :001_smile:

:iagree: I'm agreeing with you! :D

[Jean in Newcastle]

Well, in one sense I feel like I've homeschooled from birth. But that's because the attitude toward learning and exploring the world that we have is one that we had from the beginning and never left. Esp. in the young years we did a lot of Charlotte Mason things that can be done even with the very young.

[Just Robyn]

If you are planning to homeschool in K, then I agree that you are homeschooling when your child's age is below the compulsory school age. I really like the term "homeschooled from birth."

 

If you are planning to send your child to public school for K, then I think teaching them letters, counting etc. before K is being a parent. I don't think keeping them home from preschool is homeschooling because I don't agree with preschool in most cases.

 

I guess that feels to me like rewarding my kids for brushing their teeth in the morning. You have to brush your teeth every morning and you don't get a reward. Now, if you clean the bathtub when you're done just to be nice, I'll probably buy you an ice cream cone. You taught your child their letters etc. before K? Well, yeah, of course. If you keep on teaching them at home beyond preschool, then you get to all yourself a homeschooler, and you can even apply the term retroactively.

Edited April 27, 2010 by crstarlette

[Mrs Mungo]

I agree with you on both counts!

 

When women tell me they had a natural childbirth I often ask "you mean vaginal childbirth or do you mean drug and/or intervention free?"

[Tap]

We taught both of the kids to do basic kindergarten skills like basic math and reading at home after they came home from preschool/kindergarten that was teaching them simpler items. I didn't consider it homeschooling at the time, but looking back it is exactly what it was. For ds15 I just limped along, but for dd11 we used Veritas Press Phonics Museum and Saxon Math. It wasn't to 'school' them, we just believe that when a window opens in a child's brain, you start shoveling and don't stop until it closes.

 

Dd3 goes to a daycare/preschool and it cracks me up that they have 'curriculum' and set learning topics. LOL Okay, so she knows that we are in 'Spring Season' as she called it. But, honestly what does a 3yo really understand about the changing of the season. She asked me yesterday if today was her party (fall bday) or if Santa was coming. LOL It cracks me up to spend so much time teaching young kids to regurgitate answers to questions that they really don't even understand.

 

So, while this 'curriculum' is supposed to be soooo wonderful I don't see much value in it other than to keep them occupied and interested in talking about pretty pictures. Ds learned to read when he was 4 with no curriculum but I consider his learning to be more worth while and valuable than dd3's well regarded preschool.

[Peela]

I think if I inteded to homeschool from birth, I would think of myself as a homeschooler from then on. If I had thought that, I would have done it differently to how I did it. I did read to them a lot, but I coudl have done a lot more and would have if I didnt have the mindset of sendng them off to school for their "real" education. I dotn think hoemschoolng only starts when they hit school age.

I don't have a problem with people considering keeping kids home from preschool/kindergarten as homeschooling.

The cooler homescooling is, the better. I think anyway- depends on how well they homeschool I guess.

On the whole- I dont care. I am not in some elitist club.

[Mom0012]

I think I would reply by asking what curriculum they used. Maybe they did do something like FIAR?

 

Lisa

Edited April 27, 2010 by LisaTheresa

[Mom0012]

Personally, I don't have a problem with moms saying they're homeschooling their toddlers/preschoolers (and I'm meeting more and more of them - we have at least 20 moms in our HS group who fall into this category). However, I do understand your point. I don't think the "mainstream meaning" of homeschooling is changing - but I think more and more moms are learning about homeschooling (which is very positive IMO) and are therefore identifying themselves as homeschoolers. Who knows - many of them may decide to homeschool their child(ren) once they're school age, even though that wasn't their plan starting out. I know some moms who see the early years as a "trial period" during which they're trying to figure out whether they could/want to homeschool. So, as far as I'm concerned, it's all good...

 

Yes, I dragged my kids to a coop where they were too young for any of the classes and let them play in the nursery. It seems silly now, but I was trying to figure out where I fit in and I was so worried my kids wouldn't have friends if we homeschooled that I was trying to make connections. I only went to the coop one time because I quickly realized we did not belong there, but I did join a homeschool field trip group before my kids were school aged and there are many people in that group right now with very young children. Actually, I would say at least 1/3 of the group falls in that category. However, I do think most of these people are at least intending to homeschool into grade school.

 

Lisa

[Wheres Toto]

My son won't be compulsary school age for over another year (when he graduated ps EI they said don't bring him back until he's 6) but we are currently doing a curriculum that is a mix of kindergarten and first grade work. We do take it slow and I don't put a lot of pressure on him since he is young (especially for writing) and I don't have to worry about any reporting (not that I ever do here in NJ). He just loves learning and gets bored easily. Since I am planning to homeschool at least until high school, I do consider us homeschoolers.

[Dmmetler]

Well, I was curious about homeschooling, mostly because I'm a teacher by career choice and it was one part of education I didn't know much about , but planning to send my DD to parochial school. However, when DD was 3, I discovered that there really weren't any other kids around who weren't in preschool at least part-time. So, I joined a homeschool loop online (and let them know exactly where I stood-that I was an at-home mom of a 3 yr old, and wanted to know more about HSing) and started going to some of the homeschool park days and meet-ups simply because, while I didn't see myself as a homeschooler for a 3 yr old, there were enough people homeschooling older kids that there were kids her age there to play with. She loved it, I loved it.

 

When she started K this fall, she missed park day SO much (and was thrilled when an event fell on a day that she could do it), and I found myself going anyway because I missed the adult time.

 

Fast forward, and by January we'd decided that traditional school wasn't a great fit (not bad in K, but 1st grade...ugh!), and even DH was willing to try a year of homeschooling.

 

Honestly, I don't know that I would ever have made that jump for next year had I not "homeschooled" preschool and connected with homeschoolers when I did, because it was being around all those older kids that convinced me that this was something that was not only a good academic option, but was a better social fit as well. I suspect I would have continued to try to make the school work for DD-and that she would have been miserable. And I give a lot of credit to those homeschoolers who allowed a SAHM with a preschooler, who's husband was adamant that his daughter would go to Kindergarten, to tag along!

[FO4UR]

I see two reasons for this.

 

#1 - preschool is a mandatory thing in the pov of most American parents these days.

 

#2 - HSing is viewed in a positive light by many.

 

...and there is something to say for a natural desire to keep momma's littles at home with momma, which makes the above 2 points a perfect pair for saying "we homeschool" when a mom just wants to keep 3yo at home...b/c a "lowly" SAHM couldn't possibly prepare a child for 1st grade without the title of "homeschooler"...not sure how I feel about all that.

 

Either way, it's not something I would question....just encourage those moms!

[angela in ohio]

It also bugs me when women say they had a natural birth when what they really mean is that they did not have a c-section. Natural, to me, means sans drugs, but that is not the mainstream meaning of natural childbirth anymore.

 

They're just trying to avoid using the other term for it. ;)

[angela in ohio]

To me, homeschooling begins when a child would have gone to kindergarten. Before then, I call it parenting/mothering. Of course, I don't consider there to be 'afterschooling;' I call that parenting as well. My parents did that for me in the eighties. If preschool ever becomes actually mandatory (not just the norm,) I would consider homeschooling to start earlier.

 

I know people with 11 yos who say they have been homeschooling for 9 years. Some also say they homeschool from birth. I disagree. (It makes it confusing when someone posts a thread or has a conversation IRL about how long they have been homeschooling, too.)

 

I won't usually debate it with anyone, unless they want to use other homeschoolers' resources for their dc (co-ops, etc.) when they have every intention of sending the dc to school at K. Our last co-op had a policy that you must have a sincere intention to homeschool your dc, not just be looking for a free preschool group. :001_smile:

[Doodle]

I think they are referring to teaching their children at home rather than send them to a preschool. I wouldn't have a problem with someone saying they homeschooled during the preschool years.

 

This is what I would have assumed her to have meant too. When Doodle was preschool age, everybody else his age was in preschool, even if their mom was a SAHM.

[vonfirmath]

I DO describe teaching my not-yet school-age child as homeschooling.

 

Why? To emphasize to folks that think they could never homeschool that they are ALREADY doing it. We teach our kids to talk, to potty, to walk. If you can do that, then you can teach them other things as well! It's a continuum. You don't start teaching your kids at 6 years old when they don't go to government first grade; you start teaching them on day 1, when you work with them on how to eat and learning when they are hungry and when they are tired.

[Doodle]

I think if I intended to homeschool from birth, I would think of myself as a homeschooler from then on. If I had thought that, I would have done it differently to how I did it. I did read to them a lot, but I could have done a lot more and would have if I didnt have the mindset of sending them off to school for their "real" education. I don't think hoemschoolng only starts when they hit school age.

I don't have a problem with people considering keeping kids home from preschool/kindergarten as homeschooling.

...

 

I did consider myself a "homeschooler" from the time of Doodle's birth. I knew that is where I was headed. And I do believe I did things differently with him as a result. I considered us preschooling at home just as I now consider us homeschooling even though it is still a couple of years still until we are "official" in my state.

[Wheres Toto]

Why allow the government to decide at what age our kids should start learning "schoolwork"? My son is 4 but we've been doing what the government would consider kindergarten or first grade work. We use various homeschool curriculums and resources to do it. Just because the NJ DOE doesn't think he's old enough it shouldn't be considered "school"?

Edited April 27, 2010 by dottieanna29
nevermind, having trouble explaining

[KAR120C]

On the one hand, there's not much to homeschooling before kindergarten - it's not like you have to deal with state regulations, testing, transcripts, etc. But on the other hand, when we didn't send DS to preschool at 3, our playgroup had disbanded, the mothers' club was full of infants and toddlers, and the local homeschoolers weren't exactly welcoming. That was kind of harsh.

 

I think it really has a lot to do with intentions, and intentions can be hard to measure. If someone says they're only homeschooling until kindergarten, then I really don't take that very seriously (although I'm fine with their being in the homeschool group provided they don't completely overrun it). But if someone with a preschooler is planning to homeschool, then it doesn't bother me one bit that they start calling it that before mandatory reporting age.

 

When DS was fairly young, probably right about the mandatory reporting age here (7), I joined a different homeschool group, and I think everyone had the impression that because he was that young I was a "new homeschooler". I got a lot of terrifcally inappropriate advice that amounted to, "Since you clearly don't know what you're doing yet, let me assure you that you'll soon be following in my footsteps"... Hm. :glare: We'd been actively homeschooling for four years at that point - we hadn't had to fill out the little form for the state, but we had a nice comfy routine worked out, we were making great progress at a pace that suited both of us, I had read the Well Trained Mind and about a gazillion other books, I had been active on messageboards, I knew my options and I knew my kid. I really had virtually nothing in common with a "new homeschooler" except the age.

[Wheres Toto]

On the one hand, there's not much to homeschooling before kindergarten - it's not like you have to deal with state regulations, testing, transcripts, etc. But on the other hand, when we didn't send DS to preschool at 3, our playgroup had disbanded, the mothers' club was full of infants and toddlers, and the local homeschoolers weren't exactly welcoming. That was kind of harsh.

 

 

 

I never have to bother with reporting, testing or transcripts so by that standard we'd never be homeschooling. ;)

 

I have the same problems with my mom's club. I still belong but ALL the kids my son's age and MOST of the ones my younger daughter's age are in school at least part of the time. I've been lucky that my local homeschool groups have been very welcoming - there are many others with only young children and, of course, the younger siblings.

[Ellie]

There is something that bugs me. A woman asked me where my boys go to school and I told her we home school. She said, "Oh, I home school my kids as well. I home school until they go to Kindergarten."

 

:001_huh:

 

I also had another woman say pretty much the same thing by telling me she home schooled her kids until they were 4.

 

I'm not sure I hid the befuddled look on my face. I think what is happening is that some women are saying that being a SAHM is home schooling. Now, of course, I realize that children under the age of 5 learn all the time, and parents are the number one teacher. I get it. To me though there is a difference between school age kids and preschoolers/toddlers/babies.

 

When my kids were under the age of 6 I didn't consider myself a home schooler. I considered myself a SAHM. Now, I am both a SAHM and home school mom. Just because you don't put your child into day care does not mean you are a home schooler, at least in my point of view.

 

It also bugs me when women say they had a natural birth when what they really mean is that they did not have a c-section. Natural, to me, means sans drugs, but that is not the mainstream meaning of natural childbirth anymore.

 

So is the mainstream meaning of home schooling changing as well to include women who are SAHMs to children under school age even when they have no intention at all to home school when their kids are school age?

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

[dirty ethel rackham]

I considered myself a homeschooler when my oldest was 3. Around here, preschool is expected. If your child is not in preschool and you don't live in a neighborhood with tons of kids, you will not see other children. All our playgroups fell apart because the kids went to preschool. Since my son could not go to preschool (potty training/bowel disorder) I had to find an alternative so that we would see other kids more than once a month at a LLL meeting. That is when I discovered homeschooling. We jumped in with both feet, embracing the philosophy and the lifestyle. We took lots of field trips, we started FIAR and my son taught himself to read by age 4. I have to say that our "homeschool preschool" program was much more enriching than most Kindergartens. My son would have in-depth discussions with museum docents at age 5 (and he even corrected one at the Field Museum when he misspoke about something on the Book of the Dead in the Egypt exhibit.)

 

If someone had told me that I wasn't homeschooling because my son wasn't "school age", I would probably have been pretty offended. Besides, mandatory schooling in my state does not begin until age 7.

 

Now in situation described by the OP, I would reserve judgement because she could be doing purposeful educational activities with the child instead of free play all day, especially if preschools are expected and inappropriately academically intense like they are around here.

[ezrabean2005]

I really don't know why it would matter. Homeschooling is a natural extension of parenting. A mother is a teaching mother. If an unschooler doesn't use a curriculum even though the child is school age, they are still being homeschooled.

 

Now granted you may have a different definition of homeschooling than she understands, but likely each of us on the board will vary in many ways in our opinions as well. Some see finding a pair of shoes as math and someone else may not feel that "counts" (pun!:D) unless it's a CLE program. Neither is better, it's just perspective.

 

Her definition does not makes yours any less valid. And yours does not make hers any less valid. She may feel that she did homeschool them. So what does that matter to you?

[fairfarmhand]

Does is count that I had a natural childbirth when I didn't have an epidural, only a little pain meds?

 

:)

[iquilt]

I've noticed this trend as well. We have new neighbors whose oldest attends private K but whom she says she homeschooled last year for preK. Her younger child (now only 2) however, attends preschool at the same private school as her sister. I was puzzled a bit, but she was also quick to say that she could never actually teach them anything beyond K:glare: so I just smiled and asked where they go to school. :tongue_smilie:

[Guest Dulcimeramy]

I'm sure we've all thought about this one.

 

For my family, my definition depends on what exactly I was doing with each child.

 

My oldest child was homeschooled at 2.5-3 years old, because he was learning to read and otherwise using first grade curriculum. His "school time" was the happiest part of his day.

 

Two of my children began homeschooling at age five. One was almost seven when we officially got out the books and began the lessons.

 

Naturally, I read to these all of my boys when they were littler, took them to the zoo, showed them things about the world and had learning experiences, but I was just being a Mama. We weren't homeschooling yet.

 

I do think things have changed, though. When my boys were little, preschool was not so universal in my area. I think the mothers who don't send their kids to preschool in 2010 are really swimming upstream and we should "let" them call it homeschooling. They have opted to teach their children at home when their kids' peers are going to "school." Isn't that the definition of homeschooling?

[greensummervillian]

I think some women say natural childbirth because they don't like to say the word vaginally. I didn't think I was squeamish about that, but I caught myself recently. I met a woman who had an 11 lb 11 oz baby. I wondered if she was able to deliver vaginally, so I said, "Did you have to have a cesarean or...?"

[Brindee]

I think you all are right that different people have different definitions. And that's okay, because we ARE all different! :001_smile:

 

To ME: Preschool is a rather new "invention". For hundreds of years parents taught their kids stuff at home, because they were responsible parents! Of course a parent is going to help their kid learn to eat, walk, talk, be nice, learn the alphabet, sing, go potty, etc. AND, when the child is interested, they'll help them learn letters and numbers and words. To me that's all being a parent! I WANT to call it parenting because it's my child. They're so little.

 

I certainly understand where people are coming from when they call it homeschooling, I just think parenting is providing all they need and what is good for them. My oldest and youngest were talking and reading young. I did LOTS of activities and "schooling things" with them to help them keep progressing at the level they basically were requiring. They WANTED to do this stuff! I get that! But I still just called it parenting--meeting the needs of my child. :001_smile:

 

I don't think it really particularly matters. Just my personal view that I'm not getting across well. :tongue_smilie::001_smile: I do appreciate this thread, because people can say where they're coming from, others can see, and (hopefully) say, "Yeah, that makes sense too. I just prefer it THIS way." Helps with more understanding. I'm thankful for everyones opinions!

[Jean in Newcastle]

I think you all are right that different people have different definitions. And that's okay, because we ARE all different! :001_smile:

 

To ME: Preschool is a rather new "invention". For hundreds of years parents taught their kids stuff at home, because they were responsible parents! Of course a parent is going to help their kid learn to eat, walk, talk, be nice, learn the alphabet, sing, go potty, etc. AND, when the child is interested, they'll help them learn letters and numbers and words. To me that's all being a parent! I WANT to call it parenting because it's my child. They're so little.

 

I certainly understand where people are coming from when they call it homeschooling, I just think parenting is providing all they need and what is good for them. My oldest and youngest were talking and reading young. I did LOTS of activities and "schooling things" with them to help them keep progressing at the level they basically were requiring. They WANTED to do this stuff! I get that! But I still just called it parenting--meeting the needs of my child. :001_smile:

 

I don't think it really particularly matters. Just my personal view that I'm not getting across well. :tongue_smilie::001_smile: I do appreciate this thread, because people can say where they're coming from, others can see, and (hopefully) say, "Yeah, that makes sense too. I just prefer it THIS way." Helps with more understanding. I'm thankful for everyones opinions!

 

Just continuing the conversation here. . .

 

But by your definition, even what I'm doing with my 12 year old in homeschooling is just parenting. Which I would be fine with as a term. It's like when someone trotted out the shopworn "Oh, I couldn't have the patience to homeschool" the other day. I said, "Well, I don't see why it's any more patience than we need just to be parents." They looked thoughtful at that, so maybe I got them to really think about it!

[StartingOver]

I don't let public education standard dictate what or when I teach my children. I have 3 homeschool graduates and two little ones already homeschooling, ages 2 and 3. I have been homeschooling since the day my oldest was born in Feb, 1988. ( Actually before that with my step daughters. )

 

It is like anything else in my mind if what others say doesn't harm you, why on earth do you care. There are many opinions out there. There are many things I don't believe in pertaining to homeschooling, but I would never come here and say something about it. As I don't care to offend others !

[Sputterduck]

Well, I've had formal curriculum since my son was 2... I considered myself homeschooling for sure at that point.

 

Even before that, I considered myself to be homeschooling him because we did specific teaching every day. Most moms I know just go about their day and their children learn a lot from that, but I was specifically schooling mine already.

 

My mindset partially stems from my childhood where my mom put me in a sit down at a desk in a classroom type school at 2. It was not daycare. We had a schedule of classes and sat at desks doing tasks, etc. This is normal to me.

 

The funny thing is I schooled my son much more formally at 2 than I do now that he is almost 6.

[Mom-ninja.]

LOL

 

:lol: I know! Pet peeves are funny and meaningless, and yet we all have them.

 

 

For me, I don't considering that homeschooling. I consider that to be parenting and cudos for them for doing so. Many pass that duty onto other people as soon as possible.

 

 

 

 

This is what DH says.

 

 

 

I think this is a new trend. . . and I have decided to take it as a compliment.

 

Hs'ing is becoming trendy & admirable. . . and so someone who (let's face it) is not at all hs'ing (watching Elmo & friends and reading story books does not count, lol :confused:) . . . wants to be identified with us hardworking, cool hs'ing moms. I never thought doing this crazy hs'ing thing would make me cool. . .

 

OK. Fine. If immitation is the sincerest form of flattery. . . than wishing/wanna-being must be some other sincere form. . .

 

I wouldn't sweat it and wouldn't at all debate it. . . But, I do agree it's totally strange, and definitely NOT hs'ing in the sense that most of us do it here. . .

 

This is exactly the vibe I got from one of the moms. She was saying it as if she wanted to able to say she had done something "cool".

 

 

 

I won't usually debate it with anyone, unless they want to use other homeschoolers' resources for their dc (co-ops, etc.) when they have every intention of sending the dc to school at K. Our last co-op had a policy that you must have a sincere intention to homeschool your dc, not just be looking for a free preschool group. :001_smile:

 

I never debate with anyone either. Our co-op had to come up with the rule that if you join the co-op for classes, you have to have at least one child age 5 or above. We had problems with moms coming with younger children only, and treating the co-op as a play group.

 

 

 

I think it really has a lot to do with intentions, and intentions can be hard to measure. If someone says they're only homeschooling until kindergarten, then I really don't take that very seriously (although I'm fine with their being in the homeschool group provided they don't completely overrun it). But if someone with a preschooler is planning to homeschool, then it doesn't bother me one bit that they start calling it that before mandatory reporting age.

/QUOTE]

 

:iagree:

 

 

Her definition does not makes yours any less valid. And yours does not make hers any less valid. She may feel that she did homeschool them. So what does that matter to you?

 

Because it's a pet peeve. You know, a pet peeve, something trivial and yet it bugs you. Does it really matter in life what the different views of home schooling are? Nope. Not a bit. However, everyone has pet peeves and most of them are silly. It can be interesting to pick them apart and talk about them, but that doesn't mean it's a serious topic.

 

 

Does is count that I had a natural childbirth when I didn't have an epidural, only a little pain meds?

 

:)

 

Nope, you had a vaginal birth. ;) Unless by "little pain meds" you mean a shot or two of whiskey. :D

 

 

Again, let me say that if someone knows they want to homeschool past school age then it makes sense to me to say you home school even if your child is under 5. However, if someone has no intention at all of keeping their kids home once they reach mandatory school age, I don't consider that home schooling. As others have posted, I consider that parenting.

 

Here's another pet peeve....when someone asks if my DH is "babysitting" our dc. :confused: In my view point fathers don't "babysit" they parent. A babysitter is a non-parent/guardian that is paid (sometimes not) to watch kids.

[Tutor]

I don't have a problem with it. I usually tell people that our children have been homeschooled since birth. :001_smile: Depending on the context and tone of the conversation, I may ask why they chose to stop homeschooling/ changed their educational philosophy. I either get confused stares or have really good conversations about education.

[Wheres Toto]

Here's another pet peeve....when someone asks if my DH is "babysitting" our dc. :confused: In my view point fathers don't "babysit" they parent. A babysitter is a non-parent/guardian that is paid (sometimes not) to watch kids.

 

:iagree:

I told my dh before our kids were born - you are not a babysitter, you are a parent. I don't have to hire you to have you be with our kids. Thankfully, he agrees and has no problem taking care of our kids. But, I know lots of moms in my mom's club, homeschool groups, etc. that have husband's that won't watch their children unless its absolutely unavoidable (like mom's in the hospital). Even if they're home just hanging out, they expect mom to haul the kids out with them to the store, etc. Unbelievable.

[Quickbeam]

Just because you don't put your child into day care does not mean you are a home schooler, at least in my point of view.

 

This touches off something that annoys me. Daycare is not school. I think people call it school to make themselves feel OK about doing it (I'm not saying it is or is not OK; I just think people who need to justify it do so by calling it school).

 

I haven't begun HSing with my children yet. They are 3 and under one, respectively. We're just messing around over here:D.

 

Because it's a pet peeve. You know, a pet peeve, something trivial and yet it bugs you. Does it really matter in life what the different views of home schooling are? Nope. Not a bit. However, everyone has pet peeves and most of them are silly. It can be interesting to pick them apart and talk about them, but that doesn't mean it's a serious topic.

 

 

I agree.

 

p.s. Tutor, I love your signature.

Edited April 27, 2010 by Quickbeam

[MrsJewelsRae]

We have a new mom in our homeschool group, her oldest is only 4 but they come to learn and be with like-minded families. I think they are in the gleaning stages, seeking advice, support and friendships for the when they begin more formally, if they haven't already. We've welcomed her warmly. I think it's tough when you first announce you will be homeschooling, everybody starts asking when your oldest is only 3 "when are they starting kindergarten?", I think a lot of moms want to prove that they have their ducks in a row and have to be defensive when others begin their attack about "socialization" etc. To say that she belongs to a hs group may give her a little more validity to her family and friends.

 

I've heard a few moms that apparently have an inflated "Super Mom" complex of themselves and in order to build themselves up they need to put others down. They argue that they basically homeschool too, since they do all the things that a hs mom does, plus their kids go to school. Well, either you don't understand what goes on all day long in a hs'ing home or your kid is just plain way too overschooled. They argue that "well, I taught my child his numbers, I taught him how to add, I taught him how to read, I taught him his multiplication tables, I work with him on schoolwork every night, we take him to museums and the library, I help him with his school science projects and we have intelligent lively discussions about world politics and news, etc- so we do everything that homeschoolers do too". (Go you! what do you want- a parade in your honor?)

[ocelotmom]

I don't think keeping children at home instead of sending them to preschool is automatically homeschooling. Keeping your kids home from preschool and basically just letting them do what they want is not homeschooling. I don't recognize "radical unschooling preschool" as homeschooling.

 

(This isn't intended as criticism of that choice. That's basically what I did with DS, and with DD1 up until the last few months when she started asking for more. But I didn't call it homeschooling, either.)

 

If you're conscientiously engaging your child in activities (whether directly academic or more play-based) on a regular basis, then I don't see why it wouldn't count as homeschooling.

 

So basically, similar to the preschool vs. daycare distinction if I were sending them somewhere else instead of staying at home.

 

We have a new mom in our homeschool group, her oldest is only 4 but they come to learn and be with like-minded families. I think they are in the gleaning stages, seeking advice, support and friendships for the when they begin more formally, if they haven't already. We've welcomed her warmly. I think it's tough when you first announce you will be homeschooling, everybody starts asking when your oldest is only 3 "when are they starting kindergarten?", I think a lot of moms want to prove that they have their ducks in a row and have to be defensive when others begin their attack about "socialization" etc. To say that she belongs to a hs group may give her a little more validity to her family and friends.

I joined my local homeschool group when my oldest was 3.5, partially because I liked them and there were a number with younger siblings the same age as my two, and partially as information/support gathering. I doubt I'd be homeschooling today if I hadn't done this. Having the established community makes it so much easier (for both me and DC) to take that leap when kindergarten sign-up time comes around!

Edited April 18, 2011 by ocelotmom

[Hwin]

I still say "planning to homeschool" since my son's still preschool age. Do I consider it homeschooling to do activities with your child and then send them to school at 5? Not really.

 

edited to add - of course, I would just let it slide if someone said that because, prior to school age, homeschooling is a pretty fuzzy idea to me.

 

-Hwin, a SAHM (because I don't work my out-of-the-home job on weekends!)

[Mrs Mungo]

I can see it either way.

 

My eldest was reading before she was 4. What is the difference between me teaching her to read vs. her brother who learned to read at 7?

 

BUT, it is kind of bothersome when people act like teaching a 3-5 year old to read is the same as teaching my 15 year old how to do Algebra. It's not the same level of commitment being with your adorable preschooler all day v. your argumentative teen. It's sort of like the people who suddenly understand exactly what I go through during a deployment when their dh leaves town for 3 days.

 

Mostly? I they want a way to differentiate themselves from moms who put their kids in a highchair all day and ply them with snack and television.

[unsinkable]

We have a new mom in our homeschool group, her oldest is only 4 but they come to learn and be with like-minded families. I think they are in the gleaning stages, seeking advice, support and friendships for the when they begin more formally, if they haven't already. We've welcomed her warmly. I think it's tough when you first announce you will be homeschooling, everybody starts asking when your oldest is only 3 "when are they starting kindergarten?", I think a lot of moms want to prove that they have their ducks in a row and have to be defensive when others begin their attack about "socialization" etc. To say that she belongs to a hs group may give her a little more validity to her family and friends.

 

I've heard a few moms that apparently have an inflated "Super Mom" complex of themselves and in order to build themselves up they need to put others down. They argue that they basically homeschool too, since they do all the things that a hs mom does, plus their kids go to school. Well, either you don't understand what goes on all day long in a hs'ing home or your kid is just plain way too overschooled. They argue that "well, I taught my child his numbers, I taught him how to add, I taught him how to read, I taught him his multiplication tables, I work with him on schoolwork every night, we take him to museums and the library, I help him with his school science projects and we have intelligent lively discussions about world politics and news, etc- so we do everything that homeschoolers do too". (Go you! what do you want- a parade in your honor?)

 

That's funny! :lol:

 

It reminds me of an aquaintance that told me she and I spent the same amount of time with our kids.

 

When I pointed out that hers were in school all day and mine were home with me she said it all evens out.

 

Huh?!!?

[unsinkable]

This thread started almost a year ago.

 

Not that it matters. I liked reading it -- I missed it the first time around.