For those who homeschooled for many years...

[motherdear]

What things (schedule, curriculum choices, extracurricular, etc.) would you do exactly the same and what things do you wish you'd never done or see in retrospect could have been done differently, perhaps had more positive results?

[DawnM]

My only regret was not seeing my oldest son's LD sooner. It would have saved an awful lot of tears and yelling and frustration on both of our parts!

 

I would have played a lot more games in K-1, I would NOT have sent him to the co-op (DISASTER!), and I would have relaxed a bit, no, I would have relaxed a LOT MORE!

 

Dawn

[amy g.]

Next year, I'll have a Senior and a Sophomore who have been homeschooled for the last 11 years.

 

I am glad that I gave them so much time to play, and freedom to follow their own interests. I'm also glad that they have not ever been allowed to watch TV.

 

Their creativity and problem solving skills are some of their very strongest qualities.

 

I wish I had been more adamant about correcting my son's pencil grip and handwriting.

 

I'm also glad I've outsourced some classes as they got older. It has been nice for them to develop relationships with trusted adults, and hear other viewpoints. It also frees up my time to work with my younger children.

[Aggie]

I'm glad we:

 

spent the time and money on piano lessons

 

spent the time and money on going to many museums and concerts (esp when we lived in the north east....there's so much to do up there!)

 

didn't use a math book in grades 1-3:001_smile:

 

school year-round

 

spent time on memorization

 

limited outside activities in grades 1-6 to one activity per child

 

include Latin and Greek

 

use a strong grammar program (Rod & Staff)

 

 

 

One of my biggest regrets is not introducing a second instrument earlier.

 

I've never been sure of missing out on co-ops. There was never one that was convenient or as academically rigorous as I would have liked, so we never participated. I wondered if we missed out on something.

 

As more people post what they wished they had done, I'm sure I'll be nodding my head.:001_smile:

[2cents]

Really glad I scheduled/planned and kept to the plan. I'm also glad I kept great records. One of the things I regret is staying in a coop that was toxic. I wish I had left sooner than I did. Live and learn though. :)

[Home'scool]

I homeschooled for 10 years.

 

For curriculum:

1) I would TOG again for sure. From the beginning and all the way through.

2) I would use Classical Writing again.

3) I am really glad we did Latin. My daughters still attribute their ability to figure out vocabulary from both English and other languages to Latin.

4) I would not use Rainbow Science/Spectrum Science. The curriculum did not prepare them at all. Apologia was better.

5) We did literature study every morning while they ate breakfast. I would read aloud to them and we would discuss the books. I absolutely cherished that time with them, and we got through so much great literature that otherwise we never would have had time for.

6) I wish we had done more Logic early on

7) They did a public speaking class 2 years in a row, 3 days at a time. Those skills stayed with them and have been a huge help. I would definitely recommend that.

 

For activities

1) We would see about 8-10 plays a year and I am so glad we did that! I would definitely do that again.

2) I am glad when they were younger that we did a lot of extracurricular activities. Not all of them were great educationally, but as they girls grew older the opportunities were less and less, so it's good to take advantage of the opportunities when you can.

3) They both played piano. I think a musical instrument is very important. It helps with logic, math, discipline, and the ability to get up in front of people.

4) My older daughter was into ballet. I wish we had not pursued that course. She absolutely loved it and was up to taking classes 5 times a week, but once she turned 13 it started to get intense, with suggestions that she go to 7 days a week and attend physical therapy to help "turn her hips out". Ummm, no, not gonna manipulate how her body is growing so she can end up developing wrong! Plus she started walking with her toes turned out due to all the ballet. Because she was not willing to do all that she fell behind. She ended up stopping ballet. It was a lot of money and time for something that, if pursued to an older age, can be damaging. I wish I had encouraged her to do sports instead. My younger one has played softball since 3rd grade and is still playing now (she is a sophomore.) Barring any huge injuries, sports keep you in shape, teach you teamwork, and are good for confidence. Ballet just gets bad when they get older. So help your children pick extracurricular acitivities that they can pursue even when they get older, not something that is not transferrable to their teenage years or ends up being too demanding in a negative way.

[StephanieZ]

Would do the same, for sure:

 

+ Free, creative play for littles. Don't rush academics too soon except in very open, fun, invitational ways.

+ Lots of free time for little kids, with healthy, creative activities available (art supplies, Montessori-based learning tools, etc.)

+ Suzuki instrument study beginning at age 3.

+ Loads of reading aloud from birth - teens

+ Take advantage of flexibility by travelling, road trips, field trips, time off when Daddy's off, etc.

+ Very minimal screen exposure. Little to no TV/video/computer games.

+ Very minimal exposure to trashy people/places/media.

+ Actively seek out and foster healthy friendships and community connections. Make time for playdates, friends, etc.

 

Some favorite curricula that I'd definitely use again:

+ Miquon & Singapore for elem. math

+ Explode the Code along with whatever core phonics I'd use (great for spelling, too!)

+ Pathway Readers -- just the books, loved those

+ Spelling Work Out

+ MCT English. . . LOVE THIS

 

Do differently:

 

+ Print off a specific, customized, daily task list each day for each kid, with page numbers, exact assignments . . . and track these assignments daily (I think and plan in weekly blocks, but even seeing it a week at a time is overwhelming and undermotivating for my kids, at least so far. . . I have to break it down daily)

+ Trust but verify on all assignments, lol. Look over assignments in all subjects at least once a week no matter how long or how good the history of independent work. . .

+ Make them do a hand writing page each day through 2nd or 3rd grade, at least, even if they've insisted on finishing books super fast. . .Buy more handwriting books.

+ Make them do a typing program to learn to touch type ASAP.

[Night Elf]

1. I wish I had been more consistent in my expectations.

 

2. I wish I had not pushed my children into certain academics just because it was what everyone else expected of children at those ages.

 

3. I wish I had not let my youngest dd try elementary school so many times. It was nothing but an annual repeat of disappointment and major hurt.

 

4. I wish I had stuck to Sonlight during the elementary years instead of trying every curriculum plan and mess of materials under the sun.

 

5. I wish I had accepted my children's preferred method of schooling much earlier. They do best with traditional school. I should have started in middle school rather than waiting until high school.

[MelAR05]

:bigear:

[Mimm]

Awesome thread. :)

[Plucky]

I don't regret much. I wish I'd made my oldest work on handwriting longer, and started grammar earlier with him. I have corrected most of this with my younger kids. I also regret working my oldest so hard when he was so little. The other kids have definitely benefited from my guinea kid.