If I pull my daughter out of ps tomorrow . . .

[songsparrow]

I am planning to pull my daughters from ps in about 3 weeks at their winter break, and homeschool for the remainder of the year. This is a decision we've just reached in the last couple of days. But now, for a couple of reasons, I'm considering pulling my older daughter (6th grade) now. (She has her first quarter grades; 2 weeks of school remain until break.)

 

However, I had planned to use the remainder of the month to get together my teaching plans and materials, and begin teaching in January. I also still have lots of holiday and other stuff to do, that I had expected to do during the day while the kids are in school. If I pull her immediately, I'm not really prepared to start teaching tomorrow.

 

So, what could I do with her if I brought her home tomorrow that doesn't involve a lot of hands-on time on my part?

[NotSoObvious]

Nothing! Pull her out and just enjoy her! Have her help with the holidays- baking, wrapping, etc.

 

Really, truly, just enjoy her. The academics will make zero difference in the end, but she will remember these weeks with you forever. ;)

 

Start fresh after the new year!

[catz]

SO agree with NotSoObvious! Take her to the library and let her pick some books, try some museums, get ready for the holidays, put her in charge of some aspect. I wouldn't sweat it at all. I don't get the feeling most schooled kids are super focused on learning this month anyway (my oldest went to school for 2 years).

[ErinE]

You could use the WTM library books list for her to start with. Take her to the library and require her to pick one book from each of the following:

 

History

Science

Fiction

Poetry

Art

How-To or Craft

Biography

 

If your dd is stumped, make suggestions and let her browse the shelves. I've found some of the best books just by browsing.

 

Every day, require reading in each subject and spend time discussing. Perhaps require a short narration from one of the subjects daily. I would recommend having a math program on hand, whether it's review sheets or a textbook. If she's in sixth grade and on-level in math, you could perhaps get Math Mammoth 6 so that some math is being done every day.

[Chris in VA]

Absolutely agreeing with others. The prevailing wisdom is that kids need to decompress (some say detox--lol!) from PS before launching into homeschooling, anyway, so I'd just take the rest of the month of Dec and not do school formally. Of course, you can get some math in by having her bake cookies (maybe double the recipe--there, adding fractions all taken care of...deliciously), do history/geog by reading a book about Christmas in Other Cultures, etc. But don't make it formal.

Clean the home, bake, wrap, decorate, take something to the neighbors, enjoy a few games, declutter, etc.

 

I'm excited for you! Wish mine was coming home.

[delaney]

This would be a really tough time to start because of all the holiday madness. I would just pull her and read together and enjoy. Bake, shop, go for coffee.....just be. You could browse curriculum together as well and see what type of math she wants. She may hate textbook and love a computer based program. Let her lead it a bit so she owns it.

[PentecostalMom]

Nothing! Pull her out and just enjoy her! Have her help with the holidays- baking, wrapping, etc.

 

Really, truly, just enjoy her. The academics will make zero difference in the end, but she will remember these weeks with you forever. ;)

 

Start fresh after the new year!

 

 

:iagree:

[Dmmetler]

Honestly, most schools won't be doing much academically in the next 2 weeks either. The last couple of weeks before Christmas tend to be field trips, art/craft projects, programs, and various cute themed things. Sometimes it gets a little more serious in middle and high school, but even then, unless they've done the college-type schedule where the last thing before Christmas break is semester exams, there's usually a back off for those last couple of weeks.

[Down_the_Rabbit_Hole]

Another for do nothing structured. Have her help in the holiday preparations, read, do crafts, read, relax, read, just enjoy each other, and read.

[bobbeym]

:iagree: with everything said above. Pull her out, find something more freestyle for her to work on, and enjoy a few weeks together.

[justamouse]

Nothing! Pull her out and just enjoy her! Have her help with the holidays- baking, wrapping, etc.

 

Really, truly, just enjoy her. The academics will make zero difference in the end, but she will remember these weeks with you forever. ;)

 

Start fresh after the new year!

 

 

Not only this is the perfect answer, this is the right answer.

 

You *have* to give them decompression time. You have to. It is such a huge shift, public school to homeschool, they need time in between to just let the crap of PS go. (detox IS a great word for it!) This holiday would be perfect for that, because you are in preparation mode which she can help with and you all can bond over. This sets the stage for your homeshcool relationship--which will change now that you are taking on the role as teacher. You need those making cookie points in her emotional bank account.

 

Do something for the holiday every day, read a little something to her every day (I read to my teens, it's never too late!)

[txmommyofboys]

I agree with everyone else. Pull her out and deschool for the next month or so. Start formal work after the beginning of the year. :) Happy holidays!

[Harriet Vane]

Pull her. If you feel guilty about her not doing school for two weeks, then get some library books and let her unschool with those and some documentaries from Netflix. Throw in some cheesy math facts drill worksheets and call it a day. Also don't force her to fill the same number of hours as she would at school--a little reading/thinking/learning is fine. OR just let her decompress and enjoy. Go bananas with arts and crafts for a bit. Two weeks is not that much time at her age, and you will both appreciate the peace.

[Mandy in TN]

Yeah, allow her time to detox.

 

If you feel the need to accumulate school hours, watch shows on the history channel and science channel, allow her to read whatever interests her even if the reading level is very low, and have her do some math drill on Khan academy. Also, count anywhere you go as a field trip and any time outside as PE (unless it is a nature walk- then count it as science). I also agree to count baking in school hours. Even if you don't do math, it is still life skills.

 

Wait until January to ramp up into what you want your hs to look like.

 

HTH-

Mandy

[momofkhm]

Nothing! Pull her out and just enjoy her! Have her help with the holidays- baking, wrapping, etc.

 

Really, truly, just enjoy her. The academics will make zero difference in the end, but she will remember these weeks with you forever. ;)

 

Start fresh after the new year!

 

:iagree:

 

If you have to do something (maybe you are type A?), it's a month of intense home economics!

[Isinglore]

I would check out some fun audio books, she can listen while she does holiday coloring or making cards. Make an extra batch of goodies to give away to the neighbors. She could start decorating and organizing her notebooks/binders to be used in homeschooling, get stickers representing the different subjects and stickers to put her name on the front. Watch some holiday themed movies from netflix, slip in a few classics and try for a documentaries relating to upcoming areas of studies. Have her pick her absolute favorite animal, activitity or hobby to research and write about. - NO GRADING. Find time for a favorite read-aloud. (I must admit, I am a little jealous - all the ideas from everyone sound like so much fun, I wish we didn't have a schedule to follow.) Pick up a few craft projects from Hobby Lobby.

[TranquilMind]

I am planning to pull my daughters from ps in about 3 weeks at their winter break, and homeschool for the remainder of the year. This is a decision we've just reached in the last couple of days. But now, for a couple of reasons, I'm considering pulling my older daughter (6th grade) now. (She has her first quarter grades; 2 weeks of school remain until break.)

 

However, I had planned to use the remainder of the month to get together my teaching plans and materials, and begin teaching in January. I also still have lots of holiday and other stuff to do, that I had expected to do during the day while the kids are in school. If I pull her immediately, I'm not really prepared to start teaching tomorrow.

 

So, what could I do with her if I brought her home tomorrow that doesn't involve a lot of hands-on time on my part?

 

You will be reported to the home school police and a warrant will be put out for your arrest.

 

No...just kidding! :laugh: Take her out now, if you are ready. Start in January. She will not suffer from an extra week or two with Mom, really!

 

Have a nice holiday.

[MollyAnn]

I agree with everyone who said "nothing"!

Your are pulling her for a reason, give her time to decompress from those reasons.

Get some good mother/daughter one on one time, let her help with the holiday preparations.

Have her read some good books, lists are everywhere. http://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/books/ has free audiobooks

Let her watch some good documentaries on NetFlix in whatever interests her.

 

Don't start anything formal till Janurary.

[kareng]

Having taught public school for quite a few years, I can say that, in truth, we got very little done in the month of December prior to Christmas break.

 

And I so agree with everything said. :iagree: :iagree: :iagree: :iagree:

 

Just enjoy having her home :coolgleamA: and try one or some of the above ideas. :grouphug: to you and your daughter.

 

I'll be praying for you and she and your prep for having the others home soon.

 

God bless.

[HS Mom in NC]

Here's my brainstorm:

 

1. Read wonderful literature or listen to it on CD. Have her write the New Year's update for the family (only send it to the friends and family who really want to know.)

 

2. Have her help plan some of the homeschooling but don't actually do the schooling yet.

 

3. Let her read about something that interests her. When mine (now 7,15,and 17 and homeschooled from the beginning ) were young we didn't school between Thanksgiving and New Year's. We did all kinds of holiday stuff. A few years ago I let the older two study whatever they wanted between Thanksgiving and New Year's and the little one didn't do school at all.

 

4. Let your school year end the day you pull her out and let it resume after New Year's. If you truly need to school a certain number of days in a year, just do it in the worst part of the summer when the kids have cabin fever anyway.

 

5.Visit elderly friends and relatives and decorate their trees and houses for them. Bake cookies and take them to those who aren't getting much company this season.

[Ruby Rose]

I agree! Take her out and let her decompress! Take her to the library to get some pleasure reading and let her prepare for Christmas with you. Maybe even let her help you plan for the new schooling ahead.

[CatholicMom]

I agree with the others... pull her out and don't sweat it until after the holidays *IF* you are in a state that allows this. I would be very careful because, though it is ridiculous, in some states if you just pull her out before you notify the school district with a notice of intent (or whatever it may be in your state) the school could bring truancy charges against you and you will find yourself with a court date and potentially enormous fines. Hopefully that's not the way it is in your state & you've already checked, but I would hate to see you get into trouble right off the bat, so just thought I'd mention it.

 

You can go to HSLDA.org and click on "My State" to see what the laws are in your state. Especially when you are pulling a child out from school (not never sending them to begin with), I would make sure you are following the law to a T, so you can't be accused of any wrongdoing.

 

If it's no problem in your state, I agree with the others - pull her out and enjoy her company. Let her relax for the holidays. Maybe let her watch some educational documentaries, listen to some audio books, and read a good novel if she would enjoy that. Other than that, I would let her relax until you feel prepared and ready to start. I would bet you have enough on your plate right now, just preparing your curriculum for after the holidays. Prepping without trying to do school with her now will probably be more fruitful than if you tried to start up before you're ready.