Is this normal?

[MrsBanjoClown]

Public school starts here Monday. Homeschooling is such a major life change for my family, and I am excited about it, but I know that I am going to feel very odd on Monday knowing that school has started and my kids are not there. For background, I have taught in public schools for the last 10 years and my dh worked for 5 years in the IT department at our school district. We are homeschooling this year for a few reasons, but they all focus on our family and have nothing to do with the schools. We are planning a move for sometime this year and homeschooling prevents us from having to worry about a change in school districts in the middle of the year. There have been some behavioral issues with my kids that I want to address, and I'm hoping being with them all day will make that easier. I also just want to spend more time with my kids while they are young. I live in Texas, and I withdrew my kids from our school district, but I guess I'm feeling like that was too easy and there's something else I need to do or I'm going to "get in trouble". FWIW, everyone at my school district was supportive of homeschooling, and both of our families have been also.

[fraidycat]

It probably is normal.

 

After having worked in the schools and having had to jump through hoops to meet certain criteria (NCLB, lessons meeting Common Core Standards, etc.), homeschooling probably will seem easy in that respect.

 

I'm not completely familiar with Texas homeschool laws, but from what I've read on here, it is pretty simple without a lot of hoop jumping, so I can totally understand how you might feel like it's "too easy" and you'll "get in trouble".

 

After a few weeks, you'll relax and get into your groove. Then you'll look back have a good laugh at your own anxiety.

 

:grouphug: Good luck and enjoy this newest chapter in your life!

[NanceXToo]

Indulge yourself in feeling "odd." For a minute or two. Then go on a fun field trip on Monday to celebrate your freedom to do things the way YOU want to do them (and enjoy the fact that wherever you choose will be significantly less crowded without all the summer crowds now that kids are going back to school)! :D

[sagira]

What others already have said :) However, I wanted to say a word or two about behavioral issues. If you need to address these issues, at first hsing will seem a bit hard, but then it will get better. Good luck :)

[BibleBeltCatholicMom]

Yeah, I was going to mention that, too. It is considerably easier to let other people take care or not take care of your problems for you. Keeping your littles ones near and doing yourself what needs to be done isn't necessarily going to be easy. Worthy, yes. Easy, well . . . that would be nice.

 

I hope you love homeschooling. I, too, used to be a teacher and sometimes I still get a little twinge of . . . I don't know . . . that feeling that I'm denying her some fun. That's it, though: fun. It's not about the spiritual development, education, the moral well-being of my daughter. It's really just about fun for me.

 

Well, I can be fun, too, and so can you, especially with an 8 and 5 year old.

Party on and have a great year!

[placeofgrace]

Public school starts here Monday. Homeschooling is such a major life change for my family, and I am excited about it, but I know that I am going to feel very odd on Monday knowing that school has started and my kids are not there. For background, I have taught in public schools for the last 10 years and my dh worked for 5 years in the IT department at our school district. We are homeschooling this year for a few reasons, but they all focus on our family and have nothing to do with the schools. We are planning a move for sometime this year and homeschooling prevents us from having to worry about a change in school districts in the middle of the year. There have been some behavioral issues with my kids that I want to address, and I'm hoping being with them all day will make that easier. I also just want to spend more time with my kids while they are young. I live in Texas, and I withdrew my kids from our school district, but I guess I'm feeling like that was too easy and there's something else I need to do or I'm going to "get in trouble". FWIW, everyone at my school district was supportive of homeschooling, and both of our families have been also.

 

 

I could have written this exact post about 4 years ago! I was in the same situation. I had been teaching in PS for 12 years and pulled my son out at the end of 2nd grade. My district and fellow teachers were also very supportive. BUT, when it was time for school to start in the fall, I couldn't help but think that something was wrong. It felt so strange not to be "going" to school. I felt so guilty if I was at Wal-mart during "school time"! LOL Trust me, once you get in your "new groove" these feeling will go away. (Funny little story...When we first started homeschooling, we were at the grocery store and the cashier asked ds where he went to school...ds replies..."I don't go to school." :tongue_smilie: I had to teach him to say..."I homeschool." :D) Basically, all this to say...I think your feelings are perfectly normal and will go away soon! Enjoy the time with your children.

[pitterpatter]

DD would have started PS kindergarten this year. The night before and the day of was mentally tough for me. The next day, I felt such a relief. So happy!

 

If you have the ability, I would take your kids out to do something special on Monday. Go to the zoo, science center, something like that.