Jump to content

Menu

Why Do You Homeschool?


Recommended Posts

Why oh why....

 

My stepson has attended public school K-12 (and is now in his 13th year but that's another story). Up until the 2nd grade he was happy, motivated, loved learning, etc..... Second grade was the year he spent in the "reading bathtub" (a tub filled with pillows where the kids who were ahead were sent to read independently while the teachers worked with the kids who were struggling). That was the year he figured out how to do the bare minimum and get by without putting in much effort. Slide under the radar.

 

We sent our son to PS K-1st and pulled him midway through 2nd grade when we noticed his experience was mimicking that of his older brother. By October of his 2nd grade year, he had met the end-of-year goals and was spending the majority of his time doing extra worksheets (just more of the same, nothing challenging) or sitting in the reading corner. We were given 3 options: 1) Put him in the 3rd grade (and he was not emotionally ready for that); 1) Leave him stagnate in the 2nd grade; or 3) I could come in for 2 hrs/day to do "enrichment" with him but I would have to put DD in daycare as she was not covered on school insurance. I proposed the option of HS'ing, his teacher backed it (she was limited by school policy and a new principal), and we have HS'ed since then.

 

So DS has been HS'ed since 2nd grade, DD since preschool (unschooling). We will homeschool both of them for as long as we can afford to live on one income and provide them with a quality education. I anticipate utilizing dual enrollment at the local community college for high school.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was a single mom when I decided to homeschool. I just didn't want to give my dear daughter to strangers for 8 hours a day.I found jobs where she could be with me at work and we made it work for us. I am so glad I made that choice.We have homeschooled since 1997 and in 2000 I was married and we have added 3 more. My husband had never heard of homeschooling before he met me but totally supported me in it and we continue to homeschool our younger children. We go through highschool. I remember being really intimidated by the thought of homeschooling high school. My first convention was right before my daughters freshman year. I found that there were many curriculum choices available for subject that were not in my ability to teach well. We have done it and it was really good.My daughter will graduate this June and she has been accepted into a good four year college and she LOVES to learn which is so cool and exhausting for me at times. I let her have a lot of say in her high school academics and she always chose to much but she loved it.My younger ones are enjoying homeschooling even more because of the experience I have gained. They still complain about certain subjects and would rather be playing instead of doing school but when we get to it they are invested. One thing that I have changed is less workbooks more interaction and it is making a great difference. More work for me but it is worth it because these times go so fast.

My daughter also looks forward to homeschooling her own future dear children. She tells me she's already picking out the curriculum that she'll use.

Edited by 4Hisglory
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We homeschool because we're disappointed with the lack of academics at the local public schools in the town we moved to. We tried... really! But there was no history, no foreign languages, no grammar, no science, no handwriting, no spelling, questionable math program, no textbooks, no grades or other form of accountability...

 

My kids just take electives at PS and we do the rest at home.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Our children attended public school until our oldest dd was in 2nd grade. Oldest DD is dyslexic and at that time suffered from terrible, terrible seperation anxiety. It was so bad that she would cry every single night that she didn't want to go back to school. The school kept pushing us to get her on medication because of her issues. I really didn't feel like it was the right thing to do to medicate her when all she wanted to do was to be with me. After much discussion and convincing my dh, I was able to bring them home to homeschool for the second semester of my oldest dd's second grade year. Our oldest is now in 6th and it was amazing to watch our kind, sweet, happy, and confident daughter return; the clingy, crying, despondant child is gone.

 

So, initially, our homeschool journey began because of a dismal situation in the public school. However, it conitues because it is a true joy and priviledge to be able to see the learning and growth in our dd's. I absolutely enjoy every single day with them and find the friendships that have developed between my girls to be a blessing beyond words. I am so thankful that I am able to be with them and guide them gently through the world.

 

We will continue to educate at home. I have no plans, at this point, of putting the girls back in school. My dh feels that sending them to high school is an option. We will decide at that point what is best for our family.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So many reasons! It started because when my ds turned

5 we didn't have a permanent place to live. When we did have a permanent place the local school didn't have any kind of program that would work for my K who wouldn't read at grade level for several years more, but was almost ready for algebra. He was also so little and young I just couldn't image sending him away from our family all day.

 

Homeschooling became part of our lifestyle through the years. It's part of who we are as a family. My oldest ds is graduating this year. My oldest dd is in her second year of attending a physical school. We miss having her at home. My 2nd son is heading to school to join her next year. I feel the end coming in a few years. Things will be much different. :001_huh:

 

I'm actually starting a feature on my blog this Wednesday about why we homeschool---just a short blurb each week. I always find it hard to fully explain why we homeschool--there are so many reasons and not all of them even have anything to do with each other. So I thought I'd try to answer this very ? a little bit at a time.

 

Feel free to stop by and check it out. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm curious. Please share the reasons why you came to homeschool, when you first considered it, which grades you homeschooled or plan to homeschool etc.

 

As much as you can share! I'm itching too know....

 

There are many threads that have touched on this with some great responses. You might like them. :)

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=246974&highlight=homeschool

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=105466

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=54988

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=198510

Edited by Kate CA
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We began when our dd was in 3rd grade. She had been in ps for k-2, and we were not satisfied with a number of things -- especially the unbalanced focus between social issues and education at that particular school. We had raised older children and saw what seemed to be a real decline in the ps system in our area, so as we began to learn about hs'ing we became very interested. We saw that hs'ing provides the strong emphasis on education that we desired and that there is a proven track record of success.

 

Along with this, we have been concerned about the decline of morality in our culture and how it seeps into public education. Like SweetBean, we are committed to providing a distinctly Christian education that will provide a strong foundation for dd's life.

 

Dd is actually my biological grandchild, but dh and I legally adopted her when she was a toddler. (She knows us as her mommy and daddy.) Having made a commitment of this magnitude as older adults makes us even more committed than ever. We consider raising this child to be a special assignment, and hs'ing as a definite calling from the Lord.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

Edited by HSMom2One
Link to comment
Share on other sites

At first I homeschooled becqause I had a 5 year old son with a May birthday that was as large as 1st graders but all wiggly boy in a normal, good way. He would be the youngest and the biggest child in the class. As a former teacher, I know that is a bad combination for kindergarten. I felt I would start being pressured to put him on meds and that there would be a slew of problems. Dh always wanted to homeschool so he was all for me keeping him home. I agreed to it for one year. Now ds is almost 11 and we homeschool for many different reasons - learning disabilities, religious education... But mostly beacuse we have come to love the lifestyle and the day to day interaction we have as a family. I want my kids around because I love having them around. I love the fact that my son can be educated, feel good about himself, and be involved in many outside activities at the same time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...