Does your spouse support you in homeschooling?

[Munchkins_mama]

My husband was totally against it in the beginning. He 'let me' do it last year just to see if it would work. The improvement in family dynamic and the attitudes of the kids has convinced him that they belong at home. Now, I occasionally hear him going off on an anti-PS teach to the test rant. hahaha!

[Firefly]

Yes, fully.

[FaithManor]

100%.

 

His support now would have to be framed in terms of scientific notation. The statistics of our local school district are abysmal and so is the local private school which I attempted to help out part-time last year as a chemistry teacher and school guidance counselor.

 

Yep, homeschooling for the long haul and DH is totally behind me. He also teaches some subjects such as pre-calc/calc, advanced physics, computer programming, and practical drafting.

 

Faith

[Hoot]

My DH is completely and utterly against homeschooling. He was okay about it when we did it in kindergarten because he felt like full day K for such little kids was ridiculous. After that though, he insisted on "real" school. The only reason we're doing it now is because of a variety of issues that arose with the private Christian school DS had been going to for the last two years. DH tried in vain to find another alternative up until the last minute, but homeschooling was our only option besides public, and we BOTH agree that's not happening. I'm really hoping that he will see the good of homeschooling eventually, like some of your husbands, but I'm not holding my breath. As it is, he takes every opportunity to tell me how he wanted his child to have a "real" school experience. :( I truly envy those of you with supportive husbands.

 

The irony is that we met while both working at a homeschool warehouse store.

Edited August 20, 2012 by contessa20

[Forget-Me-Not]

My DH is completely and utterly against homeschooling. He was okay about it when we did it in kindergarten because he felt like full day K for such little kids was ridiculous. After that though, he insisted on "real" school. The only reason we're doing it now is because of a variety of issues that arose with the private Christian school DS had been going to for the last two years. DH tried in vain to find another alternative up until the last minute, but homeschooling was our only option besides public, and we BOTH agree that's not happening. I'm really hoping that he will see the good of homeschooling eventually, like some of your husbands, but I'm not holding my breath. As it is, he takes every opportunity to tell me how he wanted his child to have a "real" school experience. :( I truly envy those of you with supportive husbands.

 

:grouphug:

[In the Rain]

My DH is completely and utterly against homeschooling. He was okay about it when we did it in kindergarten because he felt like full day K for such little kids was ridiculous. After that though, he insisted on "real" school. The only reason we're doing it now is because of a variety of issues that arose with the private Christian school DS had been going to for the last two years. DH tried in vain to find another alternative up until the last minute, but homeschooling was our only option besides public, and we BOTH agree that's not happening. I'm really hoping that he will see the good of homeschooling eventually, like some of your husbands, but I'm not holding my breath. As it is, he takes every opportunity to tell me how he wanted his child to have a "real" school experience. :( I truly envy those of you with supportive husbands.

 

:grouphug: I'm sorry. It is tough to be on a different page from one's dh in any area. It is especially hard when it is something so major.

[Parker Martin]

So much so that last night he said he'd forgotten that there are stay at home moms who don't homeschool. "I understand if both parents have to work because they need the money, but if somebody is at home, why wouldn't that person homeschool?"

 

(We've come a long way from seven years ago when I brought up the idea before we had kids, and he said, "NO WAY!")

[Bearcat]

He supports me but if I decided to send the kids to PS tomorrow he'd simply ask "are you sure? If that is what you want to than that is fine with me." While he has come to the realization that homeschool really is the best option for us he understands how much time and effort goes into it and would support me if I decided to send them to PS. (Which I won't.)

 

He is supportive in many ways. We budget a large chunk of our income for homeschooling (although he does often balk at the amount I spend sometimes), he understands housework will often fall by the wayside and even steps up to the plate and helps with the housework. He is always willing to be my sounding board when I am trying to work through questions, concerns or curriculum choices. He lets me drag him around on "field trips." He is willing to let me run with pretty much any idea I have when it comes to homeschooling.

[HomeschoolingHearts&Minds]

Dh was all for it long before I was. The reality of sending our oldest to school had to win me over. At the same time, if I felt they needed to go to school, he'd be completely behind me. He appreciates the time and work I put into educating our kids, but values my sanity more. ;)

[a27mom]

I'm not sure what makes tolerates different from supportive.

 

Well supportive would be encouraging and positive. Tolerates would be not particularly negative.

 

My dh definitely only tolerates it at this point. This is our first year though, so I am hoping he will come around. It is hard for him, our little town has an excellent little ps in the same district he and his sibs and father graduated from.

 

It is his crazy schedule though that made him willing to try homeschooling this year, and see how it goes. It also helps that our K'er is just turning 5 next wk, so he figures we could send her to k next year.

 

I am very intelligent so he knows I can teach the material. But I am not as organized as he is, so he has concerns that we will accomplish anything.

 

He also has made it clear that housework and meal preparation should not suffer due to hsing and he expects my part time (5 to 10 hours a week) income to continue.

[sunnylady303]

I'm not sure what makes tolerates different from supportive.

 

Hmm...I suppose for me it means that he supports it when it's going well. When the chips are down and you are having a bad week, bad month, bad year someone who truly supports homeschooling would continue to. These things make DH question. If the house is messy(er) that makes DH question.

 

So, yes, he says he supports it, but I would call it more tolerating it. I could say he is a fair-weather homeschooling supporter. ;)

[justamouse]

He came into it against his wishes, meaning I took them out and told him if he wanted them in PS to go take them, sign them back up. He was furious.

 

Now, he won't hear of putting them back in for any reason, and even when I bring up the thought of working, even part time, his first question is what about homeschooling?

 

He aslo took over from algebra on up.

[MrsBasil]

*

[Seeking Squirrels]

He's 100% on board. He wasn't when I first brought up that I wanted to do it, but that was before we were even expecting. It took about a year of working on him but by the time we had DD he was for it. We're only to preschool and he's now just as for it as I am.

[LaxMom]

100%. I can't even imagine if we weren't on the same page. Homeschooling affects our lifestyle!

 

I agree. And he not only supports me homeschooling, he joined me in teaching.

 

(he has also started a weird trend of firehouse dinner discussions about natural childbirth, breastfeeding, cloth diapers, family bed, and homeschooling. It's a whole different era than the old wife-bashing, politics and sports! :D )

[m0mmaBuck]

Not only does he fully support it, but he does lessons with the kids 2 days/wk while I'm at work. :)

[Impish]

I mentioned a comment Wolf made to someone the other day when asked the 'what about socialization' ?

 

"We socialize our dogs. We teach our kids."

 

so, yeah, he's waaaay on board.

 

I just wish he'd get excited about curricula, instead of getting that look of fear in his eyes...the one that says, "does she actually expect me to be paying attention and have an opinion? Can I just smile, nod, and escape?"

[Scrub Jay]

Very supportive.

[hsingscrapper]

He's supportive of the idea but we have very different ideas on methodology.

 

He wants to drill baby drill in a more school at home or sometimes in the park. If the mood takes him and the weather is nice.

 

I get better results with a more relaxed approach and only using textbooks for the three R's.

[Gentlemommy]

Hmm...I suppose for me it means that he supports it when it's going well. When the chips are down and you are having a bad week, bad month, bad year someone who truly supports homeschooling would continue to. These things make DH question. If the house is messy(er) that makes DH question.

 

So, yes, he says he supports it, but I would call it more tolerating it. I could say he is a fair-weather homeschooling supporter. ;)

 

This is my dh too. If complain about anything, his first suggestion is school. :( Even after seeing how hard I am working doing this, he feels like dd would be just fine in school. She wouldn't. She would absolutely sink. He is also very hands off. I've tried asking him to teach something (like devotions, or something like that) but he won't. So, basically, he tolerates it if it doesn't affect him too much. :glare:

[momto10blessings]

He was homeschooled, and YES, he's very on board. In fact there really is no other option in his mind...

[Mommy22alyns]

110%. It was initially my idea, but he completely agrees.

[DawnM]

Oh my word. He is the one who wanted me to homeschool. I was working full time, loved my job, had the kids in full time preschool and told him NO WAY, homeschoolers are strange! :tongue_smilie:

[NanceXToo]

Wholly supportive but I did have to talk him into it at first, especially when I wanted to pull my daughter out of public school in the middle of a school year. He quickly became 100% on board (but hadn't been opposed really, just hesitant).

[AdventureMoms]

Yes! She was not positive at first, but the more she thinks on how it will affect our lifestyle and the more she learns about the local PS district, the more supportive she becomes.

[justamouse]

Yes! She was not positive at first, but the more she thinks on how it will affect our lifestyle and the more she learns about the local PS district, the more supportive she becomes.

:iagree:

This is so, so true. We would have to give up our whole lifestyle to go back to the PS route.

[Rosie_0801]

The kids' dad is ambivalent but has let me do what I like so far. When we were together, he trusted me. Now he wants an educational psychologist to evaluate them each year. I assume that begins at the end of next year, our eldest's K year, but he hasn't said. He has been made aware, however, that I will not be paying 35% of it as he originally proposed!

 

My future spouse is going to be 100% supportive, I just know it. :D

 

Rosie

[Momma_Bear]

110%. It was initially my idea, but he completely agrees.

:iagree: Here too.

[razorbackmama]

I put other.

He's between ambivalent and fully supportive.

He fully supports me, though I don't think he fully understands all that it takes.

Pretty much this, except he supports the IDEA rather than ME, if that makes sense. I get the impression that he thinks the kids' education just happens magically. He doesn't seem to grasp the concept that homeschooling 6 children is a full-time job.

 

He supports me but if I decided to send the kids to PS tomorrow he'd simply ask "are you sure? If that is what you want to than that is fine with me."

Yes. This. But he's sort of like that in every area. He doesn't seem to have very strong opinions.

 

he understands housework will often fall by the wayside and even steps up to the plate and helps with the housework.

He definitely helps around the house as many dishes as I do! I don't think he does it because of homeschooling though - he just sees that it needs to be done and does it.

 

He is always willing to be my sounding board when I am trying to work through questions, concerns or curriculum choices. He lets me drag him around on "field trips." He is willing to let me run with pretty much any idea I have when it comes to homeschooling.

He does this except the field trips. He is not good at doing things with us unless he is actually interested in it. If it's something he doesn't care for (the zoo, park, OK pretty much anything), he doesn't do it. I do all field trips either by myself or with friends.

 

BUT he's a decent sounding board when I'm really wrestling about something with school. Often just talking with him helps me figure stuff out. He asks good questions that helps me see that oh yeah that will work or oh no that won't. He is CLUELESS when it comes to curriculum, learning styles, what grades our kids are even in (LOL), what they need to know, etc. But he helps me take a step back and see a little bit of the forest and not so much the trees when I am stuck.

 

He's supportive of the idea but we have very different ideas on methodology.

Yes. He is very much "well we did it this way in school." Regardless of if it even worked for him...the way they did it is the way he thinks it should be done. Fortunately he does not expect me to do it the way he thinks it should be done.;)

 

So I guess if I were to sum up, he is supportive of the idea and is helpful, but he doesn't think I actually DO anything all day.

[IsabelC]

Yes, but it's changed over time.

 

My man tends to be cautious but once he's decided on something it takes a lot to change his mind. I'm the opposite: I tend to jump into things quite impulsively, then lose my momentum and get more and more doubts the longer I think about it.

 

So we started off with me being obsessed about homeschooling, spending hours every day researching and very enthusiastic. His approach was something like "Well, OK, we'll try it and see how it goes". Nowadays I have regular crises where I wonder whether we're doing the right thing, while it's he who is loath to consider school. He says that ultimately if I really want it, he'll agree, because I'm doing most of the home schooling, but he'd much rather do whatever it takes to keep me happily home educating.

[Terri NS]

Hmm...I suppose for me it means that he supports it when it's going well. When the chips are down and you are having a bad week, bad month, bad year someone who truly supports homeschooling would continue to. These things make DH question. If the house is messy(er) that makes DH question.

 

So, yes, he says he supports it, but I would call it more tolerating it. I could say he is a fair-weather homeschooling supporter. ;)

 

This for us too, which is fine but does make for a difficult time when you just want to let off some steam.

[Dinsfamily]

 

I just wish he'd get excited about curricula, instead of getting that look of fear in his eyes...the one that says, "does she actually expect me to be paying attention and have an opinion? Can I just smile, nod, and escape?"

 

I wish for this too. Dh is thrilled with our schooling and thinks it is hands-down best for our dc. But...he doesn't get excited about materials or want to discuss them much. It isn't his thing. He has solved some indecisive moments for me which is nice.

[AdventureMoms]

]

 

I just wish he'd get excited about curricula' date=' instead of getting that look of fear in his eyes...the one that says, "does she actually expect me to be paying attention and have an opinion? Can I just smile, nod, and escape?"

[/b']

 

Yeah, i do have that problem. DW is happy to teach DD stuff if I tell her what to do, but planning, choosing programs, etc...um, no. She politely listens and tries very hard to express as few opinions as possible. :glare:

 

Luckily I have some HS friends here and you guys, so I can make the big decisions then just tell her what to do. It's probably better this way since I'll be doing most of the teaching - I'd rather be making the decisions on what I'll be using!

[Georgiana Daniels]

My hubby is so precious and supportive. This is one area where we are in 1000% agreement! Plus he tells me to spend whatever we need to spend on curriculum. Of course he doesn't really want to know how much we do spend, but he works hard to make sure it's not an issue.

[Woodhaven]

Yes. My dh fully supports our home educating our children.

[Katy]

We talked about it at length and agreed before we even got married. He was initially unsure, but as time has gone by and he's met more and more adults that he works with (engineering) that were homeschooled, he's not only more and more on board with the idea, he's actively involved with it, he helps choose curriculum (especially math - he was a math tutor in college).