GVD22 Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 DD will be in 8th grade this year and I'm starting to feel a little bit of the panic I felt when she was going into middle a few years ago. Even though I have been researching high school courses and requirements since she entered middle school, now that it's almost time for high school I am really feeling the weight of her education on my shoulders(especially since we have a new baby and I feel like there are not enough hours in the day to teach my other 3). Kudos to those who do this with kids in the higher grades and infants too! DH doesn't really have an opinion one way or the other on what curriculum I use and has no idea what is required of her to graduate and get accepted into college. He has said in the past that if I just show him what I'm interested in he will take a look at it but I would love for him to take some initiative with her education and bring things to me that he has researched. He fully supports me in homeschooling(he helps teach them in whatever areas I need it) but he doesn't like to research things and that is my strength.:glare: I just hate feeling like everything rests on me. I think I'm going to talk to him tonight. Does your spouse take an active role in choosing curriculum and making sure your children meet all the requirements for high school and beyond? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 My spouse takes an active role in teaching those things he believes our eighth grader should know. Recently he was disturbed to learn that Sterling had never seen Ghostbusters and he stopped everything to have a movie marathon. Seriously, he does actively pursue resources for teaching them what he thinks they need to know. This spring he decided to teach the youngest to read. He was burdened by the awareness that our older three all read at the same age the youngest was but the youngest wasn't reading yet. He talked to me about it first and I told him the youngest just wasn't showing signs of readiness yet and that it was no big deal and I was actively working on phonological awareness and other pre-reading skills. He went out and picked up some LeapFrog stuff and implemented it. He was right. The kid began to sound things out and snap, there was the phonological awareness I'd been thinking he needed first. So I guess we have different priorities and we act on them independently of each other. It is this way with all other parenting, too. It's no wonder evolution selected humans who had more than one parent. Or it's why God made us this way. Whichever you prefer. The point is, parents are different and that's okay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnandtinagilbert Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 Dh doesn't do anything but tell me when I can spend the money I requested. *I* like it this way. Yes, it's a huge burden and yes, I cried about it b4 high school began, but I realize what would take him a zillion hours to figure our RE: school, takes me a few hours tops. He's an expert in his field, I'm an expert in mine. Try and try and try to NOT be worried. If you've done well in your choosing up to this point, you will continue to do so. You can do it! Be encouraged. We actually have transitioned into high school with ease (material wise) b/c I discovered we were really heading in the same direction, just using materials that were a little more advanced. Spend some time reading old h.s. threads. It will bring you comfort and give you a wonderful springboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkateLeft Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 Recently he was disturbed to learn that Sterling had never seen Ghostbusters and he stopped everything to have a movie marathon. Of course! Ghostbusters falls into the "cultural literacy" category, as far as I'm concerned, along with Monty Python, the Hogfather, Tales of the Gold Monkey and all 10 seasons of Stargate SG-1. :D (My poor kids... hehe) My husband is happy to offer advice and input on curriculum if I ask, though he's primarily only interested in the math and science materials. However, he trusts me completely to make all the educational decisions. It works well for us that way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 Does your spouse take an active role in choosing curriculum and making sure your children meet all the requirements for high school and beyond? Not really. He leaves all of that to me. Not to say he isn't interested and has input, but he leaves the choosing to me. We have a formal meeting at the beginning of every school year to talk about our focus, where ds is academically, what my long term plans are, and where I need his support. We discuss other issues as they arise. He is a very hands on dad who is really handles the weekend chores, discipline, and doing things with ds. He is a carpenter and that is the one subject he does "teach". We'd do that whether we homeschooled or not. However, homeschooling gives us the flexibility to add it in more often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 No, dh isn't really involved unless I specifically ask him to be. For example, I did ask him to help me evaluate math curriculum since he's an actuary and I struggle with math. Other than that, though, I am the one who has to teach it, and I am the one who is most familiar with the academic needs of the kids. I am actually glad dh is willing to trust me so much--it makes it so much easier to teach what I know fits me and the kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 I do the research and then talk to DH to ask his opinion. He's gotten more involved the past couple of years since I had reached burnout level. But he has never sought out material to teach the children. He uses what he knows. He works from home and hears us all day and is able to jump in and talk about stuff. Sometimes though, I'll admit quietly, this drives me out of my mind. As for high school, an accredited diploma is extremely important to my DH so I found Keystone National High School and he decided that was what we were going to use for all the kids. Period. That kind of bums me out. But it is what it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom31257 Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 My dh doesn't take an active role when it comes to curricula, and he is a school teacher. I will say that my dh is not a "take initiative guy" in most areas, though. He's really laid back, which I needed to help balance my not laid back personality! He trusts my call on it because he knows I have more time to research it. I do discuss it with him from time to time, but I'm the one with the kids all day. I think he believes that I know their needs better than he does. I have an 8th grader this year, so I know how you are feeling about high school coming. I've come to accept that I may not give my children the absolute BEST education they could get because I know my own limitations. However, I do know they will get better than they would get down the street (almost literally!). I've been researching for quite a while as well, and I'm not 100% decided on any curricula yet. Perhaps we need a social group on the board for those just one year away from diving in to the great unknown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen+4dc Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 No, dh isn't really involved unless I specifically ask him to be. For example, I did ask him to help me evaluate math curriculum since he's an actuary and I struggle with math. Other than that, though, I am the one who has to teach it, and I am the one who is most familiar with the academic needs of the kids. I am actually glad dh is willing to trust me so much--it makes it so much easier to teach what I know fits me and the kids. :iagree: I have an 8th grader this year, so I know how you are feeling about high school coming. I've come to accept that I may not give my children the absolute BEST education they could get because I know my own limitations. However, I do know they will get better than they would get down the street (almost literally!). . :iagree::iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 Recently he was disturbed to learn that Sterling had never seen Ghostbusters and he stopped everything to have a movie marathon. Must have missed this one - I think I just sent one off to college without having watched Ghostbusters! He's an expert in his field, I'm an expert in mine. Same here. Dh doesn't have the time, expertise or inclination to micromanage the curriculum. I do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amys Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 My DH doesn't get involved. He will be working with our 13 year old on some computer programming/web design at my request, but probably will leave any actual curriculum to me even on that!! I'm panicking about high school, too. This is my first year HSing the 13 year old, and I don't know whether we'll make it through 8th grade, much less high school!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest hsbydesign Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 there are a number of us 8th grade moms hanging out at the HS board now. Join the club. Where is this? I've been fine doing it all on my own until this year (entering 8th grade) and I am BEGGING him to help me pick an Algebra program. He's an engineer and I hope he will take over smoothing out the "bumps in the road" I'm sure we'll hit with math. I guess I'll go find somewhere to introduce myself. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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