For those of you who have pulled your dc our of ps...

[mommycheryl]

did you find that you missed it???

 

This is the last week of school here and we are planning to hs next year. As things wind down, I am having a really hard time with that decision. I felt heartsick when I realized this was my last shift working in the school library. I saw yearbooks today and all I could think was that my little guy would never have one.

 

Now I am totally doubting out decision, of course, right after we told the kids that was the plan for next year. Is this normal, my process of deschooling or should I re evaluate this decision? Our reasons for wanting to hs haven't changed, but right now it feels like we made a really crap-tacular decision.

[Impish]

Nope.

 

Diva was coming home every day, miserable. She was being bullied by peers and her teacher. She 'hated' math. Her teacher told Wolf that Diva 'didn't think rules applied to her' and 'she would end up a drug addict'. This was in front of Diva, who was all of 8 yrs old.

 

I've never regretted pulling her, even on the days when it seems we get nothing accomplished but arguing.

[JoyfulMama]

Going from the normal to something completely new and different can be stressful, and that can appear in many ways. In one way, the things you always thought were going to happen (i.e. yearbook) won't, and you are mourning the loss of those ideas. In another way, you are starting a new adventure, with unchartered waters. So you are welcome to feel conflicted, and second-guess what you are doing. Just be sure to remind yourself of those reasons you made the decision to homeschool, and remind often.

[athena1277]

I was a bit sad about the things my dc would not do since we homeschool. However, once I got started and saw all that they are able to do that they couldn't do in a brick-an-mortar school, it didn't bother me much anymore. It sounds like you need to make a list of all the positive things about homeschooling that made you make the choice to hs. Homeschool can be really fantastic, just wait til you get started! Oh, and things like ordering/receiving new schoolbooks can get you pretty excited about the new school year. :D

[tennismomkelly]

I do think that what you're experiencing is normal. Whenever you make a big life change you usually feel a lot of different emotions. It's not uncommon to question yourself. But, try not to dwell on what you will miss about PS. Think about what you will enjoy about HSing.

 

We pulled DS out of PS at the beginning of this past school year. I haven't regretted it at all!! We have no plans of ever sending our kids back to PS. Sure, there our days when I wish that I had more time for myself but I see the big picture and know that we're making the best decision for our family.

[Vida Winter]

did you find that you missed it???

 

 

 

No, not at all. It was such a relief. Life is about choices, and you cannot do everything. For everything that my children will miss, there are other things that they will experience. And remember, it is not only the good things they will miss - they will miss many bad things as well.

[texasmama]

Sounds normal for such a big change. I often have mixed emotions about decisions I have made...I can always see the positives and negatives of all situations, which makes things more emotinally complex. The ps situation obviously gave you and your child some positive things, and it is okay to miss those and feel sad. That doesn't make your decision to hs a bad one. :grouphug:

[chiguirre]

No, but our relationship with the ps was fraught. I did worry about what the kids might miss out on, but now that we've been hsing for 4 years, I've found that there are tons of opportunities for hsers. They've done all the nice things available in ps and things that they wouldn't have been able to do if they were enrolled.

[GoVanGogh]

Re: Yearbook.

Make your own!

I am totally not into scrapbooking, but I decided - after looking through our neighbor boy's public school yearbook - to make my son his own yearbook. Later, I was talking to a homeschool mom that scrapbooks a lot and she said, "You know, I don't put all this time and energy into homeschooling to NOT chronicle our journey."

I just make a simple, simple scrapbook with photos of field trips, science activities, etc. and include my son's narrations.

 

My son has never attended public school, but I had so many mixed emotions in the months leading up to us 'really' homeschooling. I felt very emotional over not buying him a school backpack, lunch kit, 'school' crayons, etc. I think it is normal. Homeschooling is a major decision - one of the biggest we have made as parents. It is bound to come with a bag of emotions!

[m0mmaBuck]

DS misses seeing his friends and I miss the opportunities to talk with other parents.

[Debora R]

At first I kinda felt that way...though mostly about high school stuff. The prom, senior trips, year books....I thought then that I'd want them in ps for those final years, because they were such an important part of my young life.

 

As time goes on, I don't feel that way anymore. Those trappings become less important as time goes on, and schools aren't what they once were in terms of safety and social conditioning.

 

Oh, and: When I was a kid, we had an unconfirmed rumor of a pregnancy of a single 9th grade girl, and maybe a handful of pregnancy drop outs in high school... When I was teaching in a middle school, 2002, there were a fairly large number of pregnancies and regular arguments between girls (13 & 14 yo) over their baby-daddys.

 

I don't want my children involved in that culture.

[Hunter's Moon]

I am a high school student about to start homeschooling in eleventh grade, and honestly, I don't feel I am missing anything.

 

I know, I experience two years or high school already, but I would have much rather been homeschooled.

 

I am sick of hearing people talking about drug, sex, and alcohol, all the fights that happen over a boy, and all the weapons (two guns at my school in two weeks).

 

There are things your children will experience that no PSer will. Your children will love to learn when their peers will dread the very thought. Your children will be well-rounded, while many PS kids go to school and then barely have time for anything else after homework.

 

Just think of all the benefits you and your children receive and that PSers will never get.

 

And to the poster above, I hear ya! Lol.

[Dmmetler]

Yes-mostly about things like science fair, the Spring Art show, and the like. However, DD had a generally good K experience and the reason for pulling her now was to AVOID getting into a foreseeable bad situation because the curriculum was such a poor fit for her (as was the 1st grade teacher. Sweet lady, but not ready to deal with DD).

[Lovin Learnin]

We just pulled our daughter and will officially begin hsing in the fall, although she is itching to start sooner. I do have twinges of "What in the world are we doing??" but my reservations are rooted in losing my salary. I'm excited for what it means for her.

 

Choir is the only activity I think she would miss and the middle school and high school choir directors have already told us they have had homeschoolers in the past so the precedence has been set. If she still desires to we will pursue those activities.

[Supertechmom]

Shutterfly has these

 

http://www.shutterfly.com/photo-books

 

Make your own each year. My elementary ones were very similar to the hard cover ones.

 

Change is scary!

[mommycheryl]

Thanks for all the support. It's nice to hear from some people that have been there, done that. Every one of my close hsing friends have done it from the beginning.

 

I just hate change, and once we get past these end of year things, maybe it will even out. And I suppose, once I start seeing my friends from school involvements outside of school (we all spend way too much time at our pool together during the sumemr) maybe I will feel less like I am losing that interaction. On a good note, dd band teacher offered her the opportunity to participate with the middle school band. Our schools don't allow part time enrollment, but I guess other kids who left middle school to hs have been able to get the music, come to the after school rehersals and concerts. That made her pretty happy.

[HerdingCats]

We pulled my oldest out of ps mid-year several years ago. In the following weeks and I had so many times of doubt. Over time it got better as I learned to acknowledge the positive aspects of ps without romanticizing them, and realize that this new lifestyle was going to be filled with different pros and cons, but that for us it was still the better choice. Every year that goes by, I have different things that I have to grow into and new challenges to face, but the doubts have gradually subsided. It will get better:-).

[NanceXToo]

Definitely not! I pulled my daughter out toward the end of March of last year, at the end of third grade, homeschooled her for the rest of third and all of fourth, and never looked back. We've had so much fun homeschooling. And there were just way too many things I did not like about the public school system. I wish I had pulled her out sooner- or better yet never sent her to begin with.

 

At least I won't make that same mistake with my 4 y/o son. He'll be home with me right from the beginning :)

 

I agree with those who said make your own yearbook. There's nothing all that special about a school yearbook, you can make one that's a lot nicer and that depicts much cooler stuff than any public schooler's yearbook can depict :D

[JeneralMom]

We pulled DS6 after X-Mas. He misses twp friends he made, but sadly, neither one of their mothers have responded to my invitations for playdates yet, but I am hopeful. His K teacher misses him, and we correspond. Until the last day of class she continued to call his name on the roster, and all the kids would say "S isn't here today, maybe we will see him tomorrow". That made me sad to know that I mad these little kids sad.

 

My DH is more sad about missing things like driving them to school, and science fair, etc. but he is glad we pulled them from PS, especially after the curriculum changes here in Texas.

[FaithManor]

I didn't pull mine from ps but from a really great private school where I was teaching. I might have continued teaching there as dd and ds #1 were thriving. However, towards the end of the year, ds developed a heart problem and the pediatric cardiologist told us to "take him home and keep him healthy" which is exactly what we did.

 

We haven't looked back and for everything that they have missed out on, there have been many more and probably better experiences that have filled those gaps. DD went on two mission's trips that both would have interferred with normal schooling plus with the tuition at her school, space camp would have been out of reach. So, she was able to go to space camp and won the "Right stuff award". She also apprenticed at a farm and with a veterinarian as well as working in my parent's business and helping our pastor's wife when she was on best rest during her pregnancy. Actually, there are many things that she would have missed if she had remained in a regular school.

 

I did grieve for my job and dd was blue for quite sometime because she really wanted to have science and Bible class with the 8th grade teacher who was fantastic. But, now she says she doesn't regret one thing and hopes to homeschool all of her children.

 

We kept ds healthy and his heart condition resolved. Definitely no regrets there. The other two ds's have never known anything but homeschooling and they don't seem to miss out on much. Right now they are learning visual basic programming and metal casting from their daddy and music from me.

 

DD did take piano lessons (though a couple of years were with the piano teacher of my childhood instead of me), three of them are taking riding lessons, and all of them played at least two years on a homeschool soccer league before we decided that we really weren't a sports oriented family and would like to quit that run-around.

 

Most of all, I am grateful that dh and I have such strong, loving relationships with our children. This is a closeness I am not certain we would have if they were in regular school.

 

Faith

[Paige]

My son's last day of 2nd grade in public school was last week and, while I was excited about his last day, when we were getting his things together and leaving I teared up a little. A little friend of his came up to us and asked if she would ever see him again and gave him a huge hug, then his best friend for 3 years came over to say bye and it all made me so, so sad. I really don't think he will see the little girl or many of his other friends again. Hopefully we will at least see his best friend and he will make new friends too but it's sad to think of the ones left behind. My younger daughters will still be at that school so I didn't feel too bad for myself leaving everyone but I will miss some of the kids from his class. He didn't have a great year but it wasn't horrible and he had a good year in 1st, so I don't have a lot of negative feelings toward his school or teachers. I think I'll miss all my one on one time with my youngest while the older kids are at school but I'm hoping we will find a lot more new things that we enjoy together that will make up for it.

[Starr]

We took dd out after first grade. We really didn't ever miss school but did over program in the beginning with a co-op, 4-H and stuff.

[cathmom]

We took my oldest out after first grade. *I* never missed it at all. He missed show and tell and lunch. We solved that by having family show and tell for a while and making up a lunch menu!

[creekmom]

Look into the co-ops that are available to you. The one I joined has a yearbook, drama club, spring formal, etc. - You might be surprised at how much some co-ops resemble a private school!

[mommycheryl]

We took my oldest out after first grade. *I* never missed it at all. He missed show and tell and lunch. We solved that by having family show and tell for a while and making up a lunch menu!

 

LOL! On dd12's list of homeschooling pros/cons she put that school has more variety for lunch. :001_huh:

[EarleneW]

Nope- not at all. Bullies, my 2nd grader learning about oral ***, ummm- nope- didn't miss it a bit.

[Denisemomof4]

I cried. My dd's teacher cried. My dd cried. I had been homeschooling for 9 years and put all my kids in school to help my youngest, adopted from an orphanage, who had MANY issues. BUt when older dd started to have migraines, sometimes daily, I was DONE. It was extremely difficult for me. Dd LOVED school. The teachers and kids LOVED her. I absolutely LOVED, LOVED, LOVED the school. I was more impressed with our little public school in the country than I was with a private Christian school. I was shocked at how many things they did with the kids, how much they did to make it fun. I was shocked at the amount of money and time for the arts. It was such an impressive little school.

 

I felt I had no choice, my dd was getting too many migraines. She's had two since I pulled her out 2.5 years ago and I'm POSITIVE it was the lighting. Anyway, I was upset. I wanted this to work for her. I absolutely had NOTHING negative to say about this school or anyone who ran it. The adults were strict, yet loving, with the kids. The kids were so well behaved! They have gotten awards. I was absolutely torn to leave such a gem behind.

 

It was the right decision. We're having a blast homeschooling. Dd still sees a couple of the friends she made in school, fell away from others. She's made some WONDERFUL homeschool friends. We're having so much fun, and she LOVES homeschooling.

 

Give it time. Try to find fun things to do with your kids. A co-op? I think it's important for the kids to be around other friends/homeschoolers. Take time to just ENJOY them. I used to school my boys 4 days per week and on Fridays we went out and had fun. Some days, usually bad weather days, I'd surprise the kids with movie days, having popcorn for lunch. We'd take wonderful field trips without others. Your kids can learn to love it more than ps. Just give it time!

[mommycheryl]

My son's last day of 2nd grade in public school was last week and, while I was excited about his last day, when we were getting his things together and leaving I teared up a little. A little friend of his came up to us and asked if she would ever see him again and gave him a huge hug, then his best friend for 3 years came over to say bye and it all made me so, so sad. I really don't think he will see the little girl or many of his other friends again. Hopefully we will at least see his best friend and he will make new friends too but it's sad to think of the ones left behind. My younger daughters will still be at that school so I didn't feel too bad for myself leaving everyone but I will miss some of the kids from his class. He didn't have a great year but it wasn't horrible and he had a good year in 1st, so I don't have a lot of negative feelings toward his school or teachers. I think I'll miss all my one on one time with my youngest while the older kids are at school but I'm hoping we will find a lot more new things that we enjoy together that will make up for it.

 

I think you about summed it up for me. DD12 is the main catalyst for homeschooling, getting her out of the middle school. But until now, ds7 has had a pretty good time at ps. I think he has some serious gaps that one on one teaching would have caught, but I've never had a problem with our primary school. We jus t feel that if we are homeschooling one, having the other in ps would really kill the benefits of not being stuck to a school calendar. And third grade has horrible teachers.

[cathmom]

I felt I had no choice, my dd was getting too many migraines. She's had two since I pulled her out 2.5 years ago and I'm POSITIVE it was the lighting.

 

 

I had a similar experience at school. I am very sensitive to fluorescent lighting, but didn't know this until I was an adult. It seriously affected school for me!

[Tree House Academy]

That first year, I sure did. I had been PTO president, a parent volunteer in the classroom, a sub, and a project leader in the school. That first year, I felt some sort of nostalgic sadness that we didn't get to go to the awards banquets, etc. However, this year, it didn't even cross my mind. :) We are very happy homeschoolers and have learned very easily that those things really mean nothing at all. :)

[happyhomemaker25]

I don't really miss all the drama that went with having kids in PS. But sometimes I do think about things they might be better able to do in a school setting. Homeschoolers have a lot of options open to them though. Our co-op makes a yearbook every year and it's a lot more personal then the big tome I used to bring home.

It's a big adjustment. Give yourself time to adjust. Your kids need the time as well. Once you start you will see the advantages! :001_smile:

[QueenCat]

Almost every homeschool group we've been involved with has had some sort of yearbook. Among the different groups, we've experienced art shows, talent shows, drama productions, chorus productions, science fairs, geography fairs, field days and more. The biggest difference is the parent involvement and how much care and appreciation people show to all the kids, not just their own. If you want these experiences, you can probably find them in a homeschool group.

[Lilymax]

It's been over three years for us, and yes, I do still miss some of the nicer things about school, such as class parties, and spirit week and all the excitement at the end of the year. I feel a little twinge of remembrance when all my friends talk about these things. I even miss working at the book fairs, and parent-teacher conferences. LOL

 

There are indeed ways to recreate these experiences in a homeschool setting. Just tonight, we gave our sons printed and signed certificates marking the completion of their grade level this year, and praised them for doing so well. Is it the same as an awards ceremony at school? No. Will I probably always miss some things about school? Sure. Is it enough to make me put them back in school?

 

NO flippin' way!!! :001_smile:

[MtnTeaching]

Yearbook:

Do the ps school yearbooks have pictures of the impromptu trip you took to the zoo because you heard there was a new baby giraffe born yesterday?

How about the trip where the whole family (including the golden retriever) drive from Denver to SLC with a 30 minute notice to accompany Daddy on a business trip. The pictures in this yearbook entry included a walking history tour of downtown SLC, a day spent studying our family history at the LDS Genealogy center, a day at a working historic farm with our own private tour guide, and of course, the SLC zoo.

How about pictures of your kids mummifying that chicken, blowing up the volcano, reading about Genghis Khan in a tent in the basement with a camping lantern and a bowl of popcorn...and realizing you've been there for over two hours when you try to climb out of the tent and your legs won't work.

Library:

How about remembering those 28 kids (with barely 10 minutes allotted for them to find a book to read at the ps) when your child comes to you with three bags full of books he's picked from the local library...and you knowing you're going to have to come back next week because he will have read them all by then.

No, I don't miss the hours spent in front of the school copy machine, heading the PTA Hospitality Committee, checking out the books at library time, volunteering at the Scholastic Book Fair, trying to get the bored, wiggling little boys to focus on the boring worksheet they are supposed to be finishing or patrolling the playground.

The time I would have spent continuing to do these things at the PS is now spent making those yearbook entries with my children.

[....]

Anything that you feel like you're "missing", you can recreate.

 

-you can have your own Library Day

-a lot of homeschool groups have yearbooks (ours does)

-your kid can take classes through homeschool enrichment/co-ops

-you can join a group that has park day (recess)

-there are homeschool proms and commencement ceremonies

 

Homeschooling can also open doors to things that are just impossible if you are in ps

 

-my kids have been all over the country (and they're little!)

-my 3rd and 2nd grader are learning several foreign languages

-my 3rd grader has read Goethe!

-the kids have more of a chance to think for themselves, develop a strong self-identity and a huge amount of self-esteem

-they can work independently and take charge of their own schoolwork

-they can spend a lot of time exploring subjects that are fascinating to them (my kids have become experts in a couple of topics that they are obsessed with)

 

Everybody's homeschool is going to be different, but you're not closing doors, you're opening them.

[mommycheryl]

That first year, I sure did. I had been PTO president, a parent volunteer in the classroom, a sub, and a project leader in the school. That first year, I felt some sort of nostalgic sadness that we didn't get to go to the awards banquets, etc. However, this year, it didn't even cross my mind. :) We are very happy homeschoolers and have learned very easily that those things really mean nothing at all. :)

 

Thanks for sharing that. I'm that same kind of mom at school, so hearing that yes, the nostalgia was there for awhile, but will go away eases my mind. :)

[Maddysmom26]

did you find that you missed it???

 

This is the last week of school here and we are planning to hs next year. As things wind down, I am having a really hard time with that decision. I felt heartsick when I realized this was my last shift working in the school library. I saw yearbooks today and all I could think was that my little guy would never have one.

 

Now I am totally doubting out decision, of course, right after we told the kids that was the plan for next year. Is this normal, my process of deschooling or should I re evaluate this decision? Our reasons for wanting to hs haven't changed, but right now it feels like we made a really crap-tacular decision.

 

 

Im with you on this.. We are starting in Sept. 5th grade. She has a few more weeks of PS. Ive got mixed feelings as things wind down. But overall Im feeling the positives of HS at this point outweigh her PS. Im keeping an open mind and we will see how our first year goes. Im hoping that she can eventually go back to Private HS. But we have time to decide and we may end up totally loving our HS'ing Journey.. We will decide together as we venture through ...

 

I think any kind of change is always difficult for some.. but just go into it with a mindset that nothing is ever set in stone! ;) Thats what Im doing.

[Maddysmom26]

Anything that you feel like you're "missing", you can recreate.

 

-you can have your own Library Day

-a lot of homeschool groups have yearbooks (ours does)

-your kid can take classes through homeschool enrichment/co-ops

-you can join a group that has park day (recess)

-there are homeschool proms and commencement ceremonies

 

Homeschooling can also open doors to things that are just impossible if you are in ps

 

-my kids have been all over the country (and they're little!)

-my 3rd and 2nd grader are learning several foreign languages

-my 3rd grader has read Goethe!

-the kids have more of a chance to think for themselves, develop a strong self-identity and a huge amount of self-esteem

-they can work independently and take charge of their own schoolwork

-they can spend a lot of time exploring subjects that are fascinating to them (my kids have become experts in a couple of topics that they are obsessed with)

 

Everybody's homeschool is going to be different, but you're not closing doors, you're opening them.

 

 

WELL SAID! I Should copy this and hand it out to those people that make a funny face when i say we are going to start home schooling. ;)

[elizabeth]

I suppose the answer is dependent on why you are hsing. We do so for academic excellence so there was no hesitation or regret whatsoever. We could not get dd out of there quickly enough.

Edited June 5, 2010 by elizabeth
typo

[MamaSheep]

Yes, I miss it. Well...some things about it I miss, some things I don't. This was our fourth year homeschooling ds and our first year with dd at home. Ds went to public school through the end of 3rd grade and dd went for K and 1st. It seems like each year there have been times when I've second-guessed our decision. When that naggy little voice starts up in the back of my head I've found it helpful to have my reasons for doing this in writing so I can go back and read them. I also read through some key journal entries that remind me just exactly what life was like "back then" because I find that I tend to give it a rather romanticized soft-focus gloss as the years go by. Homeschooling has made such an enormous difference for my ds that people who knew him then and know him now say they can't even believe he's the same kid. In fact, one lady who knows him now, but DIDN'T know him then was getting his file ready to transfer over to the Jr. High last spring (we maintain an IEP at the school for complicated reasons) and called me up in half a panic just SURE they'd gotten his file mixed up with some other kid with a similar name because she could not IMAGINE that the boy she knew had EVER fit the descriptions in the paperwork. I assured her that yes, indeed, that was where we'd come from, and it really helped me realize just how much of a difference leaving the beaten path has made around here, for all of us.

 

Dd's situation is a little different. But then our reasons for bringing her home are not the same as they were for ds, and will likely diminish with a little more time. She does miss the social aspects of public school, and honestly we do have some pretty good schools around here that I wouldn't mind her attending. I suspect that down the road a year or two she may go back again.

 

But yes, I think it's fairly normal to miss things about public school. Honestly, though, at this point there are things I'd miss about homeschooling if I put my kids back in public school. I rather like being able to set my own schedule, up to and including taking extended trips without having to ask anyone's permission. I like being able to take a sick day without getting a doctor's note or worrying about whether anyone's going to miss a test. I like knowing what happened in my child's day so that when I say, "what did you learn today" and they say "nothing" I know that's not really so. I like knowing who my children's friends are, and how their relationships are playing out. I like knowing whether they actually ate their lunches or not. I like being able to go to the museum, zoo, park, aquarium, botannical gardens, and library on off days and hours when they're not crowded and hectic. I like being able to share my favorite books with my kids, and I really like those "lightbulb moments" when they suddenly "get it". I'm not sure I want to hand those back over to someone else. Maybe I'm just selfish, but I liked being there for my child's first smiles, first steps, first words, and so forth, and I like being there for these older developmental stages too.

 

Anyway. I think I'm just starting to babble now so I'm going to stop. Go write down your reasons for homeschooling so that you can remind yourself as needed, or re-evaluate if things change. Then take a few deep breaths and tell yourself to trust your decision. It will be DIFFERENT, but it will be just as much fun and there will be just as many precious memories.

[Mom2J112903]

I have not read all the replies, so forgive me if I repeat something.

 

J will not be returning to Catholic School for 1st Grade-if ever. We are taking each year on its own, deciding what is best for him each year. He spent two years one in K4 and one in K. While we did REALLY enjoy his K4 year, his K year was not *as* enjoyable. There were only SEVEN students in his K4 class, even the Principal did not imagine the class would grow to 22 for K! This was a HARD adjustment on not only J, but the ENTIRE K4 class. You would think that with only 7 students in K4 these students would be ahead of the students that did not attend K4 at the school. SOOO not true! Now they all did "catch up" and WOW the things they learned! J had some health issues this past year and with those in combination in our finally listening to the bug in our year, we decided that homechooling would be best for J.

 

Will we miss it? YES! Will I miss the stress that Catholic School gave us, NO! Will we keep in contact with our friends we have made, OF COURSE!

 

We have SO many doors open that would have never opened before. Sure some closed for us, but SO many opened for us when we decided to homeschool.

[lisabees]

Hmmm...I hs only one out of my four kids...and this was our first year. DS14 was struggling in academics, so we gave him a chance to catch up.

 

Would I miss the ps if all four were hs? Yup.

 

I like the energy and sense of community with our public school. I like being part of something bigger - people trying to make a community work well. Our schools have many events that are amazing because of its big community. We live in a great town with tons of great people. Sure, my kids could gain more book knowledge if hs, but I am not driven by that desire. We provide plenty of other opportunities to our kids.

 

So, I am not hs because I am against something. I am not against public education. I am not against the diversity found in public schools. I am not against teachers who are doing the best they can within the system.

 

I will hs for my children, if the need arises. Ds14 will probably return next year and ds16 wants to stay home to be in more control of his education. I will take one year at a time.

 

Now, are there things I love about hs that I couldn't find in a ps? Absolutely! My son now reads above grade level because I hs him. Because of this, he is more confident. I got closer to him this year, and we were already close. There is certainly more flexibility and interest-driven learning while homeschooling.

 

If you are second guessing yourself, remember that hs doesn't need to be forever. Try it. There is nothing wrong with discovering that it isn't a good fit. It won't make you a bad mother to go back to ps. Be bold and try.

 

I remember my first day. I was shaking and crying in my bedroom before I went downstairs to open up the first book, as my son looked at me with anger and disbelief (he did not want to be hs). I plowed through my doubts and hs him was the best thing ever. I have not had one regret. And, in the end, he is grateful for all that he accomplished.

 

Consider the reasons you are hs. Are you running from a bad situation (academically or socially)? Can you make that bad situation better by staying and making changes within the system? Or is it so bad, you need to get your children away? Does the situation apply to all of your kids? Do you have support from your dh?

 

Sorry for the rambling thoughts!

[ChemMommy]

We've hs'd all the way for 11 years now and, now and again, I have regrets. I have positive memories of high school mostly and miss that my kids won't be in band or go on trips with friends. I regret that they will feel like outsiders because they don't know the local high school jokes.

 

BUT, we still play musical instruments and participate in choirs with other adults. We take family trips and make great memories. And we certainly have our insider jokes around here.

 

I think that as the years of being responsible for your kids' educations creep by, everyone has little regrets. We just kid of "fell" into hsing; I think I would have been terrified to "pull" mine out.

 

HUGS!! and Welcome to the group here!

[GWOB]

We pulled dd9 and ds7 out in Nov. 08 when they were in 3rd and k. Do I miss it? Many times I do.

 

We moved to a small town because I wanted my kids to get that whole experience of growing up in a small town. I wanted them to feel safe walking to a friend's house after school. I wanted them to ride their bikes to and from school, meeting up with their friends along the way. I wanted the whole nine yards. I wanted to be the PTO mom, classroom volunteer, etc. I wanted it all.

 

Unfortunately, the school royally sucked. The kids were mean because my dc weren't born here. The parents are mean because we aren't from here. Academics take a distant second to sports. My kids were bored out of their minds.

 

Still, I do get twinges of regret. We recently attended dh's step-sister's graduation in the same small, TINY town in which dh was raised. I almost cired during the ceremony, in which a whopping 13 students graduated. They were all so close. They had memories together. They grew up together, went to Prom together, had loads of fun together. My kids will likely never experience that, and that kinda breaks my heart.

 

You know what else bugs me? I do miss the nice moms, the ones to whom I spoke every day. I miss getting to know the kids in town. I miss being "normal" instead of one of those weird homeschool moms. I know my life would be so much easier if my kids went to ps, but gosh would I miss them! I know it is a sacrifice, but I just want so much more for them. I want to be the main influence in their lives. I want our family to be their cushion in life. I want them to be half-way intelligent. I guess I'm just delaying "fitting in" around here, but I know it will be worth it in the end.

 

You do get used to it. You do get to the point where the benefits of hsing outweigh the benefits of ps. Hopefully you are in a larger area (my town has 3400 people) and therefore have more opportunities to meet other hsers. Even here, my kids have made wonderful friends, usually "non-natives".

 

Sit back, relax, and look forward to the wonderful ride ahead of you. Hang on! It really will be amazing.

[yellowperch]

I could have written your post, OP. My children left our lovely little walk-to public school in April. They left not because we didn't love the school--lovely families, kind and caring teachers, a resposive principal who knows and likes our children--but because we want something more for them.

 

So I do miss the school sometimes. Yep, I do. And I miss having a little more time to myself. But I don't miss knowing I needed to try to homeschool, but not doing it.

[Paintedlady]

We didn't miss it but our first year I was plagued with worries that I was doing them some big disservice. Then I started reading John Taylor Gatto and he opened my eyes about what I was saving them from. I'm free from those doubts now. So, no we don't miss it.

[duckens]

I saw yearbooks today and all I could think was that my little guy would never have one.

For what it's worth, I threw my yearbook out over a decade ago. (I'll be 40yo in a few weeks).

 

Not everyone who has prom, yearbooks, and all of the traditional trappings has a happy public high school experience. Public school does not guarantee a 90201 happy high school time.

 

I am glad that you are making the choices that are best for your family. I'm glad that you are focusing on that.

[Peela]

Yes, I would focus on the reasons why you are homeschooling and making a change, rather than what you are leaving behind. Change is a part of life.

 

No, I didn't feel sentimental about leaving the school system- or if I did I don't remember it. My kids went to a pretty good school and I still didn't like it. I felt so relieved to be letting go of institutionalising my children ...I felt so freed (although nervous and also frightened) at the idea of taking responsibility for my own kids.

I have often said, the hardest part of homeschooling for me was making the decision. On the other side of that decision, it's been fine.

 

My kids have many homeschooling group photos, many certificates, many Scout camp memories....much time over the years for friendships, activities, holidays....a lot of joyful and memorable times. I am sure school woudl have provided them with memorable times too...but they havent lacked them for not being at school.

[Luckymama]

This is our youngest's last week of private school. We've had a kid at the school for the past twelve years! I know that I will cry the last day of school. Heck, I'll probably cry as I run the used uniform sale for the last time!

 

We're going to be one of the "short term" homeschooling families. Dd will be home for 5-8th grades, then she'll have a choice of private and charter high schools.

[WistfulRidge]

I was PS'd up through the beginning of 10th grade and the best day of my educational life was the day my mom received the necessary approval from the State and pulled all of my siblings and myself out of school. I missed out on nothing good... what I missed out on were the lockdowns, the marijuana and cigarette smoke drifting from the bathrooms, the teen pregnancy etc, and the belittlement from peers and teachers alike for not fitting the norm... educationally (I liked learning/reading - gasp!-) and socially.

 

RE: the Yearbook: I have only a handful, and to my knowledge they're sitting in a box at my parents house. I ordered them because my mom thought I should have them. I have no use for them. Why pay $$ for dozens of pictures of people that I didn't know, didn't like, or didn't want to remember? All the pictures and keepsakes from the good times I took, or had taken, myself and they get carefully carted around with me. If you really feel like your child(ren) will miss out on having a yearbook - make your own! Or, alternatively, if you are actively involved in a decent sized homeschool group, suggest that you do a yearbook for your group (the group my mom/younger siblings belong to do this. They have a blast - the older kids are in charge of everything and the littles help them with things like layout and drawing special pictures of things they like to go opposite their actual portrait.)

 

When you HS, sure you're going to miss out on some of things that society considers the "norm", but in reality a good HS education has so many pluses that you don't mind missing out. Some things it is better to miss out on anyway and other things can ultimately be accessed through other programs/groups or done at home by yourselves.