If you did not homeschool from the beginning...

[amo_mea_filiis.]

Did you have any problems getting on track? I'm currently doing less with ds than I want to, and I wonder if it's because I don't have to prove anything to anyone.

 

What's getting in our way? His cyber school computer will be shipped back today. I've let him play on it more than I normally do so I can work with dd, and because he isn't going to have it much longer.

 

I've been letting him get away with a lot this week and I almost feel like it's vacation. This whole school at home (dd) and homeschool (ds) doesn't feel real to me yet!

 

When does this vacation feeling go away? This is the first year the kids are not in a regular PS.

 

I hope that part of my problem is because I'm waiting for some things to come in the library.

 

He is reading daily, he's getting outside and playing, he's doing some fine motor work (but not always HWT), but for the most part he's just being a kid right now.

[mcconnellboys]

I didn't begin hsing until my older son was in second grade, but I had experienced some doubt from his pre-school and K teachers about his being ready for his work, so I was already hyper-paranoid about getting and keeping him "up to speed". This was compounded by detailed evaluations of him that indicated he was gifted, so I felt he *should* be able to do the work.

 

I'm afraid that made me overwork him the first year we schooled at home, poor thing! I did begin to relax some after that....

 

I was also just beginning to realize that he had auditory processing problems, which I was never able to really get good, solid help with from any professionals here in our area. I think I relaxed more and turned his work over to him when he got to be in 7th-9th grades simply because he was becoming so resistent to me that I hoped that giving him more control over his own studies would help empower him and allow him to move forward. That worked for him because of his learning issues, but I think more kids need more monitoring and closer direction at that age....

 

So I think, for me, my "vacation feeling" came later!

 

Similarly, I brought my younger son home for first grade, so I really just felt like he was actually beginning school with me, even though he'd been attending somewhere else since he was 2. I don't really tend to count pre-school as "work" as much as I do elementary. So I didn't feel like I was on vacation there, either....

 

I'm actually beginning to sort of dream now about a life after schooling....

[livingnlearning]

I started the year my kids would have been in 2nd and 4th-we pulled them out after numerous problems with the public school and other kids so some decompression time was good. I also had to get my son motivated to work, something that hadn't been happening with school, and bring my daughter up to speed, which also hadn't been happening. So we got off to a bumpy herky jerky start. The routine and pace solidified over time.

 

I've since talked to a couple other people that have pulled their kids from the same school and they did the same thing, herky jerky start and then found their pace.

[amo_mea_filiis.]

I'm glad to "hear" other experiences. I guess I shouldn't feel too bad, he's been in some sort of school or therapy since he was about 2, even during the summers. Maybe this is the break him and I both need. I'll focus (academically) on dd and plan to add in a subject each week with ds. We'll continue reading, reading, and reading. He's getting really good at Dr. Seuss books! :)

[....]

I pulled my daughter out of ps in 2nd grade and my son was 1st grade. They were so far behind the homeschool curricula that I had to shelf their schoolbooks for about 6 months. I tried pushing them through it and my son just cried and cried. :glare:

 

I also found out that my son did NOT know his letter sounds (yet, could read :confused:) and my daughter's class never did math (there wasn't time, she said).

 

Yeah, it was weird. I think my kids were probably behind grade level the first year and a half.

 

My daughter would be in 4th grade this year and my son in 3rd grade. My son is probably right on grade level with the ps system. His reading is (ironically) awesome and he's a very good speller. My 4th grader zoomed way ahead last year - especially in math.

 

I'm homeschooling Kid #3 and Kid #4 from the beginning, so I'm actually liking that a lot. I know exactly what material they've covered. I also feel like I can teach concepts without a curriculum now (which I couldn't do when we first started - I needed to see how to teach something).

 

It is a really weird feeling when they're home all day with you - instead of catching the school bus in the morning. I know exactly what you're saying. :D I had this weird "it's illegal" paranoia going on for a few months....also the "we must learn every single thing THIS WEEK or all will be lost!" feeling. :tongue_smilie:

 

I wanted to add: My kids went thru a huge adjustment from being in a class (where they could fade into the woodwork) to being the "only" kid in class. Every question, every exercise and every projects rests on them alone. They really had some freak-outs when they found out homeschooling meant I was working with them one-on-one. Nowhere to hide, Buddy!

Edited November 4, 2011 by starrbuck12

[regentrude]

We started in 6th grade (DD) and 5th grade (DS). We homeschool for academic reasons, they simply were not challenged in school. We jumped right into work, needed no transition period, and the kids were excited they could finally learn something. Math was the only subject I used a premade curriculum for at that point; all other things I put together myself.

[Rhonda in TX]

We pulled our kids out halfway through 2nd/3rd grade. I don't know if it ever didn't feel real, but it took me a couple of years to really get into a groove and feel like I knew what I was doing. A friend said it took her about the same amount of time.