kalphs Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 This week's question is, "Why do you home educate?" :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 Academics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plucky Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 I never planned on homeschooling. We lived in a horrible district - not just academically, but also gangs. Dh didn't want to pay for private school, so we tried it and liked it. We homeschool because it's the most efficient way to teach my kids academics and our values. There is a side benefit of really getting to know each other and having good relationsips, too. Sometimes I get tired or burnt out, but I still think it is the best route for my kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluemongoose Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 1. Very poor country school is our only brick and mortar school option. 2. DD is advanced and the PS doesnt have a pull out/advanced classes. The High School doesnt have Calculus, lab Sciences, or AP level classes. 3. DD has a December birthday (cutoff is Sep 1), the school doesnt allow testing in early or grade skipping. 4. DD is working at at least a 2-3rd grade level in all subjects except handwriting (reading is at middle school level). She would have been placed in Kindergarten this year. We would have had many calls from the office because she acts up when bored! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 The number one reason is because we move so often. There are lots of other good reasons, but homeschooling will be the only option till we stay in one place for more than a year or two. And we like it. None of us have ever wished for public school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 For academic reasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tammyw Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 It just feels right. Sending them off to school never would have felt right. I enjoy being the one to share their life experiences with them. I hate the idea of a "one size fits all" education, when I can give one-on-one, tailored specifically to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elizabeth Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 Academic excellence Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susankenny Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 It went well with our existing parenting philosophy. It's still working well, so why not. Susan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK_Mom4 Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 My kiddos needed something different from what the local public school could provide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 Same here. I never planned on homeschooling. We lived in a horrible district - not just academically, but also gangs. Dh didn't want to pay for private school, so we tried it and liked it. We homeschool because it's the most efficient way to teach my kids academics and our values. There is a side benefit of really getting to know each other and having good relationsips, too. Sometimes I get tired or burnt out, but I still think it is the best route for my kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celia Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 My eldest hated kindergarten, so I pulled him out after a month and a half. He was recently diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum (very mild), but it explains a lot about why he didn't enjoy school. I will homeschool my daughter next year because she'd otherwise be in full day K, which I completely disagree with. We've really enjoyed hs'ing, and academically, things are going well. So I'm not going to fix what isn't broken! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frontier Mom Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 Flexibility and relationship!! I actually ENJOY my dcs and wish to share life together with them. Plus, I feel academically we can do at least as well at home as in a traditional school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AvasMom Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 Academic. I saw a distinct decline in my daughter's work when she went to PS for 2 years. DS started out there and was barely literate at the end of 2nd grade. We started homeschooling this fall and he's just about at grade level now. I'm picky about how/what they are taught and it bugged me having someone else in charge of them. So I guess you could add control freak issues to academic reasons. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanier.1765 Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 Our motivation began when we learned our youngest had Tourette's but continued and added our other children for academic reasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen+4dc Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 My kiddos needed something different from what the local public school could provide. :iagree: The bus driver got off the bus one morning and pulled me aside to say he couldn't get dd off the bus in the mornings at school, she would run to the back and hide under the benches. Yeah, that was the final straw. No 9 year old should be so traumatized by school (bullies + her teacher didn't like her) that they hide under the seats on the bus rather than get off at school! I enjoy being the one to share their life experiences with them. I hate the idea of a "one size fits all" education, when I can give one-on-one, tailored specifically to them. :iagree: The first time ds looked up at dad and said, "Dad, reading is easy!" I almost cried. Yup, that was me! I did that!!:D Of course, now that I've got 4 to school the tailoring is getting harder and harder.:tongue_smilie: But, we are closer as a family and my kids enjoy each other's company. Everytime my folks come to visit (about 1x/year) they always comment on how well my kids get along (don't worry, they're normal!). We enjoy the time together and the flexibility it offers us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PIE! Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 FREEDOM! We don't like being told what to do :001_smile:. We like to be able to pack up and go on vacation whenever we choose for however long we want. We like our kids to study at their own level, not that of the average kid in class. We like including things that our kids are actually interested in. We like not having any taboo topics like they have to have in public school (eg. religion). Basically, we like to be our own bosses. The fact that our kids are getting a superior education and don't have to deal with nearly so much peer pressure doesn't hurt either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 We didn't want our kids growing up thinking social norms are always right. That's harder to teach when your kids are in ps surrounded by other kids and adults for the majority of the day. Also, we love the flexibility. Also, we love being around our kids! And, it fits nicely with our faith. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 Ir is just best for us. I don't want my kids to be a part of a one-size-fits-all institution. I had different reasons when I took my ds out of school, but these are the reasons I continue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunD Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 1. Academics. The school is terrible and the nearest private school is nearly an hour away, but still not what I would accept academically. 2. Family schedule. Juggling DH's work schedule plus a PS schedule would mean that DH and school-age kids would rarely, if ever, see one another or have any sort of quality time. 3. Religion. Strangely enough, lack of religion. I attended the school they would and was harassed on a daily basis for not going to church, by students and teachers alike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty ethel rackham Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 So that I can provide and individualized education that takes into account the academic, emotional and spiritual needs of my children. I can have high standards without the "Race to Nowhere" pressure. So that we can foster positive family relationships. So that we are not beholden to the high pressure schedule of the school system and all their "expected" activities. Not to say that we don't have a crazy schedule at times, but these are of our making, not someone else. For socialization ... minimize the bullying, meanness, pop-culture ... maximize the respect for the individual, the family and for others. Star Wars, dinosaurs, LOTR and dolls can be cool for much longer;). Because we like it and I'd miss them all day and accost them with 20 questions the second they walked in the door if they were gone all day;). Because I could never handle the "queen bee and wanna bee" attitude among the PTO members. Because I don't like other people telling me what to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiguirre Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 I started hsing because the school couldn't come up with a good plan for ds2's special needs. He didn't fit in the autism pull-out (where he'd be the only kid who communicated verbally) and he didn't fit in a regular classroom without an aide. So, it was a choice between due process and homeschooling. Hsing won! Dd joined ds2 when she started PK. It was a hassle to have 2 kids to drop off in the morning and interfered with hsing ds2, so I brought her home. Dh wasn't thrilled, but he's never wanted to sign her up at the local ps and now he's very enthusiastic because of her math abilities and history/science/literature knowledge. I like the flexibility we have with hsing. The kids can go at their own pace and they have lots of time for outside activities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alphabetika Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 1. So I can know my children better than I was known, and so they can know each other. 2. I'm an educational rebel. 3. I want my children steeped in certain things that a traditional classroom (p.s. or private) cannot accomodate, mostly arts/literature/faith/nature-based. 4. Because I'm poor at compartmentalizing and prefer a life in which the components (i.e. home, school, relationship, outside activity, work, etc) flow together naturally 5. I like having freedom in time and materials I suspect I'll think of more, but that's the beginning. ;) Interesting thread! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanaryMelody Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 1. Academic excellence 2. Tailored academics - Our oldest was going to fail Kindergarten because she was not developmenatlly ready to read. With HSing, our kids can be at different grade levels for different subjects and can have it tailored to their learning style (i.e. hands-on versus auditory). 2. Religious reasons - Our beliefs do not mesh with public school. 3. Safety (of body and mind) - We live in a very dangerous school district with metal detectors and violence. 4. Social reasons - Sitting in a teacher-controlled age-related classroom is not socialization. Learning how to relate to others of all age groups and different situations is socialization. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elizabeth in WA Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 Academics. Gymnastics. The ability to fit in both at a high level along with sufficient sleep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionfamily1999 Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 (edited) We started when ds ended up with an incredibly bad teacher. We continued when it became apparent that we could provide a superior education. Edited April 16, 2011 by lionfamily1999 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTJo1996 Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 1. Academics. 2. Being able to customize the subjects to the child's ability and likes. 3. Sanity - as in I was about to go insane trying to coordinate my life with the ps schedule since my 2 kids are 5 yrs apart.:tongue_smilie: And #3 was something I only realized several months into this HS experiment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 Academics Emotional/Mental/Developmental Health; I think the classroom is not the best place for children, developmentally speaking. (You could call these "socialization" reasons.) Selfishness; *I* want to teach my own. I want to pass on the things in life I think most important. I want to have a place of honor and influence in my children's lives...and that is earned, not granted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mytwomonkeys Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 i honestly never considered any other option, so i'm not sure "why" - other than i can't imagine another path. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissiK Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 Academics, religious reasons, social reasons and whenever I hear about the idiotic decisions made by admin. in our local school district (and our State, which is now working on passing a very controversial "history" bill) I say, "And yet another reason why I homeschool!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 Many, many reasons. I'm not even sure I know them all! It began as academics. DH and I both went to the same (allegedly good) high school and college, and despite having a pretty decent education, we felt like our academic needs weren't really met (in different ways for both of us at times). We were appalled that we could both get excellent grades and SAT scores and acceptance to our first-choice colleges and still have huge holes in our educations. We just felt that a typical public school setting could not meet the needs of any kid outside the norm for any reason, and we wanted better for our children. Social and religious aspects matter to us too. Even though our area is politically and religiously a lot like we are, the hidden agenda still bothers us. Even aside from everything else, we're big DIYers, LOL. Really, though, we believe that our children are given (er, loaned from God) to us, and that we should play a major role in raising them. Sending them off to school, even an academically excellent one that agreed with our social/religious beliefs, just doesn't fit for us. We are grateful that we've been able to keep them with us, and with each other as well. We tend to lean toward an attachment parenting/natural living philosophy in general, and home educating is an extension of that. (Okay, and I'm slightly possessive of my babies -- I love watching them learn to roll and walk and talk and everything, so I wasn't too thrilled about the idea of someone else getting to see them sound out their first words or figure out math facts.) That was all prior to actually having kids. Now that we have them, we can see why sending our one super active, super curious, super easily distracted, very bright and creative child off to school would be a disaster waiting to happen. And our young-for-his age shy little guy? He'd never give a teacher any trouble, but he'd also not stand up for what he needed. He is not ready to be separated from mom and siblings all day, definitely not ready to be thrust into a bunch of rough kids on the playground. So here at home with me, and their baby brother, they stay. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 (edited) Short answer: Academic standards. Longer answer: The school here does not meet MY academic standards. The fact that they make all the kids attend catechism class is another reason, albeit a far, far distant second to the first reason (academics). (And, yes, it is a public school.) Snottier answer: There's no way in H. E. double toothpicks I would have turned my son over to the incompentent, pea-brained cow that was (and still is) the grade K-2 teacher at the school in the town near me. Now, there's no way in H. E. double toothpicks I would turn him over to that school after seeing what it produces on a regular basis. Edited April 16, 2011 by Audrey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanceXToo Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 I wanted my kids to have more time to be a kid. I didn't like how little time they got for that thanks to the whole No Child Left Behind Act/standardized testing. That had them doing nothing but academic deskwork from K on, bringing home homework from K on, stressing over tests, and so on. When my daughter was in third grade, I decided to take her childhood back. For herself- and for me. I pulled her out toward the end of that year, never looked back, and kept my son home right from the beginning. I wanted more family time- and not just at the end of a day when my husband was working since his job has him working later hours and when all I could do was play homework and bedtime routine enforcer. I wanted us to have more time together- more FUN time together. It really wasn't so much about academics for me. I had told myself I probably couldn't do a worse job than the school was (seeing those standardized test results coming out in the paper each year) and it was only subsequently that I decided she probably IS getting a better, more well-rounded education with me. Another benefit (but not a main reason) is that I will worry less about how awful "middle school" is when it comes to peer pressure and so on. But yeah my biggest reason was definitely just plain old "childhood." :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delaney Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 In VA we have SOLs which for the state mean Standards of Learning tests, but for real they mean...well sol. Add that to social bullying, the fact that our Elem principal "resigned" last year after allegations of shaking a kid on the bus(the tape from the bus mysteriously disappeared:glare:) and forging the nurses name when she gave some kid the wrong meds, the fact that I taught in VA and know how pathetic our district is, and I am sick to death of AR tests that teach kids to read from a preset list of books for the purpose of answering 10 lousy questions as part of their grade or they get a D in reading. Recently I have seen amazing changes in the way my girls interact together, with me, and how the younger 4 really seem to be much closer than if they all went in their own direction all day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MischiefManaged Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 So that we can foster positive family relationships. For socialization ... minimize the bullying, meanness, pop-culture ... maximize the respect for the individual, the family and for others. Star Wars, dinosaurs, LOTR and dolls can be cool for much longer;). Because I could never handle the "queen bee and wanna bee" attitude among the PTO members. :iagree: mostly the socialization. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delaney Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 I wanted my kids to have more time to be a kid. I didn't like how little time they got for that thanks to the whole No Child Left Behind Act/standardized testing. That had them doing nothing but academic deskwork from K on, bringing home homework from K on, stressing over tests, and so on. When my daughter was in third grade, I decided to take her childhood back. For herself- and for me. I pulled her out toward the end of that year, never looked back, and kept my son home right from the beginning. I wanted more family time- and not just at the end of a day when my husband was working since his job has him working later hours and when all I could do was play homework and bedtime routine enforcer. I wanted us to have more time together- more FUN time together. It really wasn't so much about academics for me. I had told myself I probably couldn't do a worse job than the school was (seeing those standardized test results coming out in the paper each year) and it was only subsequently that I decided she probably IS getting a better, more well-rounded education with me. Another benefit (but not a main reason) is that I will worry less about how awful "middle school" is when it comes to peer pressure and so on. But yeah my biggest reason was definitely just plain old "childhood." :) Amen, I don't even want to discuss the ugliness of middle school. DS just came home yesterday to tell me about the fight 2 girls had in the stairwell. Middle School is just short of a glorified nuthouse in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 The list is long! 8 moves in the last 9 years Sight words in schools Fuzzy math in schools Faith Flexibility I enjoy teaching I enjoy my kids Efficiency compared to schools at this age allows my kids to just be kids while young Excuse to accumulate books I am sure there is more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalphs Posted April 16, 2011 Author Share Posted April 16, 2011 1. Academic excellence 2. Tailoring the academic experience for our child. 3. The public and private schools in our geographical area do not match our (Dh and myself) academic standards. 4. Social The geographical area is permiated with a combination of "affluenza vs inner city" mentality. 5. Values It is the responsibility of Dh and I to teach Dd our values/religious beliefs. What we believe, why we believe what we do and how it makes a difference in our lives. 6. Because my grandmother was home educated, so I know it works. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakia Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 I am a control freak. I like to sleep late. It makes my extended family nuts. I like having little people to fold my laundry (my least favorite chore!). And, of course, because it gives me the ability to fly my freak flag higher! :D My more serious, and most important, reason is because my dh and I feel that it is what God wants for our family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckymama Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 Academic reasons only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GypsieFamily Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 I am a control freak. I like to sleep late. It makes my extended family nuts. I like having little people to fold my laundry (my least favorite chore!). And, of course, because it gives me the ability to fly my freak flag higher! :D Everything she said, and: academic reasons, and to allow the kids be kids... Most importantly to TRAVEL; how could we travel if we were tied to a school? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquinas Academy Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 We started for academic reasons; DD would not have been challenged at school. Now I have about a million reasons why I keep homeschooling. Thay include: 1. We move a lot. 2. Freedom from peer pressure. 3. Tailoring curriculum to my children's needs. 4. Being able to live our faith. 5. Learning Latin, Greek, logic, and other subjects unlikely to be taught in school. 6. Ability to follow our passions. 7. Spending time with DH who has to travel a lot for his work. 8. Developing good relationships within our family. 9. Sharing in the joy of learning. 10. I'm too attached to my kids to send them off to school for six hours a day. What would I do without them? :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denise in Florida Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 Close family relationship. Freedom to travel. Nonconformist attitudes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 Because I had one lone brain cell and I just HAD to get rid of it somehow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahbobeara Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 We didn't want our kids growing up thinking social norms are always right. That's harder to teach when your kids are in ps surrounded by other kids and adults for the majority of the day. :iagree: This was our main reason. In addition, our oldest daughter was bringing home drama concerning a few girls in her class, and that was only as a 2nd grader. I was bullied in elementary school and it has affected me every day of my life. (No, I'm not bitter much! :lol:) Homeschooling also lets me relax a little regarding my youngest. She turns 5 at the end of August and all day K would be so hard on her, she still naps a few afternoons a week. She's an observer by nature and it would be cruel to ship her off to get lost in a busy classroom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mama Anna Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 Oh, so many reasons! (When someone IRL asks me, I can easily tailor my answer to something I think they'll accept. :)) Academics. (My way. :D) Educational Philosophy. Worldview. Children's needs. A Way To Be Weird. ;) We tend to be pretty mobile and it will stay constant. I hope, anyway! Socialization. I love to teach. I feel God wants me to do it. And probably more, depending on what I've read lately, etc. Mama Anna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Random Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 My primary reason for home educating is to teach my children about the Bible. That is our primary focus at home. There are many secondary reasons: Family relationships Academics Flexibility Socialization More opportunities to pursue passions and interests More time to serve in the community This list goes on and on... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 To shelter my kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iquilt Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 Freedom to choose what is best for our family is the main reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ciyates Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 On days like this I have no idea! :banghead: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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