MichelleMorrison Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 My sister in law is a single mom who works full time during the day. She started her first day of homeschooling her daughter in kindergarten and says that her daughter is upset and wants to go to "regular" school. Any advice? I don't know what to say and don't want to say the wrong thing. Thank you for any thoughts or suggestions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linguistmama Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 Do you know why she wants to go to school? I've had friends with children who wanted to have a lunchbox, ride the school bus etc. It might be a bigger issue or it might be something that could be helped by buying a lunchbox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganClassicalPrep Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 Do you know why she wants to go to school? I've had friends with children who wanted to have a lunchbox, ride the school bus etc. It might be a bigger issue or it might be something that could be helped by buying a lunchbox. :iagree:My daughter went through a period of really wanting to go to "real" school. After some conversations, I realized that she just wanted to ride a bus and thought school was playing with her friends all day. I reminded her that we ride buses when we go to DC, and let her know that she would be going to a completely different school than her friends. I also told her that if she went to school she'd have to take naps and couldn't learn French and couldn't go to dance as often. That was pretty much the end of the school idea for her. Is there anything in particular that the little girl is interested in that could be presented as a special thing since she homeschools? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 To improve the child's outlook, highlight the fun. To improve the parent's outlook, point out that many kids don't want to brush their teeth or eat their vegetables, either. That's why they have parents to make sure important things get done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samiam Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 Hmmmmmm.....seems like something is under the bridge waiting for goats to cross. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JessieC Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 What does the child do while mom is working during the day? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommee & Baba Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 To improve the child's outlook, highlight the fun.To improve the parent's outlook, point out that many kids don't want to brush their teeth or eat their vegetables, either. That's why they have parents to make sure important things get done! :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elizabeth in MN Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 Speaking as a single Mom I would have to say that you kinda have to sell littles on the idea of home schooling. Going to outside school is sold through TV and friends, so we have to counter-act those influences." I use to take my daughter to the park in the middle of the day and say things like "Wow, I feel so happy that we have the playground all to ourselves since the kids are in school!". I would also do dastardly things like drive by schools when they were all inside and say "Oh those poor children, only allowed to play once a day!". Evil, I know, but she had a bad case of wanting to go to school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halfdozen Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 My kids have all wanted to attend school at some point. They thought it was going to be just like Arthur. Fortunately my oldest, ds14, went to elementary school for three years (3rd-5th, a good neighborhood school, safe, but she learned almost nothing), and she tells them all how it really is. Ds 9 decided after a few months of first grade that the kids were too mean and those buses aren't so fun after all. Now they love the fact that when the other kids are stuck in school is when we are out on nature trails and going on field trips. (Summers here are too hot to do much.) Plus their school work is usually finished by lunch time and there is no homework. If I had it to do over again, I'm not so sure I would let my daughter go to school. She picked up some bad habits, like coasting along because the expectations were low. Being involved in the public school system eats up a lot of family time with homework, fundraising, after-school events, fundraising, never-ending requests of things that need to be sent in, special projects, fundraising... I think I am getting a better return on my time investment with homeschooling. And I don't have to sell cookie dough or wrapping paper.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halfdozen Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 Speaking as a single Mom I would have to say that you kinda have to sell littles on the idea of home schooling. Going to outside school is sold through TV and friends, so we have to counter-act those influences." I use to take my daughter to the park in the middle of the day and say things like "Wow, I feel so happy that we have the playground all to ourselves since the kids are in school!". I would also do dastardly things like drive by schools when they were all inside and say "Oh those poor children, only allowed to play once a day!". Evil, I know, but she had a bad case of wanting to go to school. I do the same things!!! It works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapbookbuzz Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 My son thought he wanted that, too. I would encourage your sister in two ways: 1) Reminder her that SHE is the parent and not to let herself be ruled by her dd's demands; 2) Have her ask her daughter what she thinks it means to go to "regular school". The answer may surprise both of you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homemama2 Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 Speaking as a single Mom I would have to say that you kinda have to sell littles on the idea of home schooling. Going to outside school is sold through TV and friends, so we have to counter-act those influences." I use to take my daughter to the park in the middle of the day and say things like "Wow, I feel so happy that we have the playground all to ourselves since the kids are in school!". I would also do dastardly things like drive by schools when they were all inside and say "Oh those poor children, only allowed to play once a day!". Evil, I know, but she had a bad case of wanting to go to school. :iagree: Mine wanted to ride the bus (we live 2 blocks from our ps and pretty much EVERY bus in town drives past our house). For mine, I would point out the time the ps kids had to leave for school then point out when they would be getting home (after of course my k-er had been done for hours.) That helped alot. They didn't want to be gone for that long. Also, mine said he wanted a 'school lunch', so I made him a lunch in his lunch box and left it in his backpack all day till lunch. :D Once was enough of that. The only other things they wanted were backpacks and lunchboxes, which were easy enough. Now they love homeschool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichelleMorrison Posted August 24, 2011 Author Share Posted August 24, 2011 Thank you all for your kind advice and encouragement! I don't have a strong relationship with my sister in law and wanted to give her sound advice. I took a little bit of things here and there. :) BTW, during the day my mother in law provides child care and supports her homeschooling. I am not sure to what extent she is involved but I know my mother in law helps in homeschooling. Thanks again for your gracious help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusicMama Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 Of course she wants to go to school! She's only had one day of homeschooling, and it's not much different than any other day with mom. Her friends get to ride the amazing school bus, go to big kid school, and get new clothes, supplies, and play with each other all day while she is stuck at home with mom! ;) I think some understanding on the part of the child is needed. A huge life change, expected or otherwise, will naturally be met with resistance. I hope your sis-in-law expected that, and didn't take her daughters words to heart. Because I can't think of any other natural response from a normal 5 yo. My own daughter gets teary-eyed when I tell her that no, she will not get to ride the school bus next when when x, y, and z all go. I calmly state she gets to do school with mommy, and leave it there. Let her go until the end of the year before taking her judgments seriously. Right now she is just focusing on what she is missing, not what she is getting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celticmom Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 I started my daughter in Kumon and when she wanted to go to "regular school" I asked her if she wanted to have to sit still and be quiet and do her work like at the Kumon center only all day every weekday. She decided that she did not want that. I also pointed out that she could not take her dog to school with her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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