Do you, could you, or would you ever home educate someone else's children?

[MiniBlondes]

Poll is multiple choice.

 

I recently had a close friend ask me to home educate her DD11 and I just kind of laughed it off. I see a lot of people mention this on the boards and it made me curious to hear your stories and reasoning.

 

I'm curious to hear your thoughts on this. Why or why not?

 

EDIT: To those of you who've said no, would you do it for a price? If so, what would that price be?

[regentrude]

I have no idea whether I *legally* can (so could not vote in the poll), but I would not do it, ever.

I work a job and home educate my children only because they are gifted and were not challenged in school - if we had a good school, they'd attend. It only works out because they are very independent, motivated students.

I have no desire or time to homeschool somebody else's child.

[Runningmom80]

I wouldn't. I feel enough pressure trying to educate my own kid, and it's honestly not my first choice.

[*Lulu*]

I voted I might consider it for a close family member or friend especially if there were extenuating circumstances. (I.e. illness, bullying at the school, etc.) I do not know that I would undertake it as along term commitment or if the parent wanted to use a curriculum/style that I am uncomfortable with.

[NotSoObvious]

There needs to be a "hell no" option. ;)

[MeaganS]

Nope, I wouldn't even if I could. The only way I'd consider it was if it was one of my younger siblings or nieces or nephews. But that is unlikely to happen.

[Heatherwith4]

I have to vote other because I don't know about the legal aspects. I don't think I would ever do it, though. Maybe family, but probably not even then.

[8circles]

No. Legally I can but have no interest. Part of why I love HSing so much is because it is so customized to our family. Having non-family as part of the equation would make it more of a job & I'd be accountable to another family. I don't have the energy for that.

[MiniBlondes]

There needs to be a "hell no" option. ;)

 

 

I just snorted. :laugh:

[MiniBlondes]

To those of you who've said no, would you do it for a price? If so, what would that price be?

[fairfarmhand]

not legal to do so in my state and I wouldn't want to do it anyway. I do it for my kids because I love them. I don't love anyone else's kids like that.

[NotSoObvious]

To those of you who've said no, would you do it for a price? If so, what would that price be?

 

No. And I've been offered a lot of money to do this.

 

Maybe when my kids are grown, I could do it a few hours a day with a very strict schedule. I'd charge hourly based on what I'd make on the local district's pay scale as a teacher with a masters. Not a penny less.

[magnificent_baby]

Not full time. I would tutor though in the evenings.

[Heatherwith4]

I don't think I would do it for money. I teach Sunday School/VBS and that sort of thing at church. That's enough for me! :D (of course I don't get money for that, but you know what I mean...)

[regentrude]

To those of you who've said no, would you do it for a price? If so, what would that price be?

 

 

Still no.

 

I have a job that I love. They'd have to pay me considerably more than I make as a physics instructor with a PhD at a four year university before I'd even consider quitting my job. Not happening.

[Chelli]

I am currently "homeschooling' two of my best friend's daughters. Her girls are the exact same age as my two girls (3rd and K). Everyone gets along wonderfully and their family has the same religious and moral compass as ours so it works very well. They come over to our house twice a week and study world geography, art, and science with us, so I guess I'm doing homeschool lite with them.

 

Their mom started a new business and was barely able to get the basics done with her kids. We were at the park one day letting the girls play and she was telling me how bored her oldest was and how their homeschool wasn't the way she wanted it to be because she was so busy. I'd been chatting with her about our world geography plans for this year for a few weeks, so I offered to let her girls come join in with my girls. We've been going strong since January and it's been wonderful!

 

However, I tried homeschooling a lady's three jr. high and high school children back when my oldest was only in Kindy. We needed the money and I thought it would be no big deal. It was AWFUL! She was a friend of a friend. Her kids were wild and would lie to me about doing their work, then their mom would get upset at me. I only lasted two months homeschooling them. She "fired" me because I said something to her kids that went against their religious beliefs. Her oldest son and I were discussing faith and what we believed in a very non-confrontational way. He had told me his view; I shared mine. Apparently it really upset him that my beliefs were so different than his on this one issue, so he went home and told his mom that I'd said he was wrong (which I didn't). She showed up at my door the next day with my last paycheck and said that my services were no longer needed. I was never more happy to get fired in my life!

 

So if I'd answered your poll before this January my answer would have been I've done it and will NEVER do it again, but this time around it's wonderful! I learned that you need to know the family and their children really, really well before ever even considering it.

[edelweiss]

I have no idea if it is legal or not in my state, but I would never do it anyway. Being paid (any amount) would not make me change my mind. I absolutely wouldn't do it.

[PuddleJumper1]

In my state it's illegal but I wouldn't want to home school other children. The only exception is for my brother or brother in law. Both families currently homeschool. If they had a family crisis which caused a problem for them to continue hsing I would step in for a time if it was legal but only short term in an emergency. ETA - came back to say money would make no difference.

[Hwin]

I am pretty sure it's not legal in my state, but if it was and if I was a SAHM, and if we were talking about a well behaved child that got along well with my son and was at the same place academically.... I'd *consider* it. Because what are the chances of THAT happening :p

[Jennifer3141]

I wouldn't. For us, homeschooling is not just the schooling. We might be in the middle of Latin American history and break out into a tickle war or suddenly decide we need to go out for ice cream. Educating someone else's kid would make it feel more schoolish to us. Yuck.

[elegantlion]

I have no clue if it's legal, but still wouldn't. No price would do it either. I educate my child, I like my child. As it is I'm going to have to work out working and homeschooling. Even before this situation, I still wouldn't. Plus ds and I have a groove.

[Guest inoubliable]

I voted "Other" because I'm not sure if I legally can. My ex-SIL has joked off and on about sending my niece to me to homeschool. I've always said that I would, if I could. My niece would love it. My sister has...um, threatened...her two children with sending them to me to homeschool. It sort of backfired, though, when her youngest was ecstatic and now begs for it. My oldest nephew is having a lot of trouble in school. Not getting assignments done and failing some classes. I'd take them both and homeschool them if I could.

That's for my niece and nephews, though. They get on well with my kids and DH and me. We miss my niece terrible since she lives on the other side of the country.

I wouldn't take on a neighbor's kid or even a good friend's kid, I think. Homeschooling, for us, is more a family thing. A way of life. Not a school. Unless it were my niece and/or nephews, it wouldn't feel like a family thing. If that makes any sense.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

I am legally doing it now. This is a very special student and a very special situation. I have no regrets, but I will never agree to do it again. My student is not a problem in any way. Any teacher would love to teach this child. The problem is the attention diverted away from my own family. It's too high a price unless there is necessity.

[Garga]

I wouldn't. My homeschool is heavy on academics and heavy on hugs. If we're having a problem, (bad attitude, failed a test, etc) we will have a cuddle session until it gets better. Well, the test wouldn't get better from cuddles, but the bad feelings would get better and then we'd restudy.

 

I wouldn't be able to cuddle another person's kid in the same way. And if I cuddled my own and not the other kid, that other kid would feel sad and unloved.

 

Maybe when the boys are older and don't want to cuddle as much and it's not such an integral part of our homeschool day, maybe then my answer would be different.

[Joanne]

I homeschooled, for pay, other children for several years. I would not do it again because my life has gone a different direction.

 

I had a total of 8 or so clients come and go. 3 of them were "keepers" for 2 plus years.

 

It is legal here.

[FaithManor]

I homeschooled my niece whom we had a legal guardianship of for one year. I do not regret doing this. However, her parents retained too much influence over her, per the courts, and it was a very stressful situation.

 

I would not do it again. I have found that when parents ask me about it, they are seeking to abdicate all responsibility for their kids and they aren't actually caring whether or not their child learns...just looking for babysitting that satisfies the truancy officer's inquiries until the suspension expires or the expulsion is appealed. I will tutor in math or science for a reasonable wage...the student is here for an hour and then goes home. I'm good with that!

 

I let my license expire here in Michigan so legally, without a guardianship, tutoring is all I can do now anyway...full out homeschooling someone else's child without having custody of said student would be a violation of the statute. This is now the point I bring up when people ask.

 

Faith

[Elinor Everywhere]

School for us was always about more than academics. The freedom of the lifestyle was a huge draw. We would school year-round so we could take a month in Europe during the off-season, or if there was snow in the mountains we'd cancel school and make a mad dash to play in it.

 

Taking on a student would have completely killed the flexibility. Ick!

[Dandelion]

I would not. Homeschooling my own kids is not my first choice, but I gladly do it because it's the best option for them right now. No amount of pay would make me want to homeschool someone else's kids.

[Donna]

I would homeschool my grandkids if I ever have some and if my kids asked but not anyone else's child. We are just too busy as a family and tend to get things done when able rather than having a set schedule that would accommodate anyone else's child. So I voted other.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

I would homeschool any of my nieces or nephews gladly. I'd homeschool other people's kids if they let me take the kids on field trips and outdoors and stuff like that.

[happyhomemaker]

There needs to be a "hell no" option. ;)

LOL! Yep! I could legally hs one other family besides mine, but I would never consider it. Too many things could go wrong.

[TechWife]

I am legally allowed to homeschool students from one family other than my own. I would not do it because it would take too much time away from my own family.

[amy g.]

I have and it was a good experience for everyone involved.

[amy g.]

Double post

[KarenNC]

I chose "other" because I will do a limited amount of teaching other's children, but only in a time specific and well defined co-op situation, not the whole she-bang. It is legal here to homeschool full time the children of one other family.

[Harriet Vane]

A friend tried homeschooling other peoples' kids. She wanted to have a little cottage school with Socratic discussions and cool field trips and dissection and everything. Unfortunately, the only people who wanted to pay her to educate their kids were people with "problem" or "broken" kids that they wanted my friend to "fix." Kids who had been expelled from school or were dabbling with dangerous behaviors. She took one kid and found that the one (not so bad but struggling) kid had a tremendous negative impact on her family and on the tone of the day. It just wasn't worth it.

 

I have another friend who had never planned to homeschool other than her own, but did end up taking on a friend's child due to a terrible (abusive, dangerous, inner-city) school situation. This teen, like the one I mentioned above, was struggling with the lure of negative behaviors, but was on the whole, okay. However, her struggle with negative behaviors grew increasingly worse over the three years they had her until finally she erupted into full-blown alcoholism. After a few years in and out of rehab programs, that teen ended up with a baby and refuses to do any more programs. It's a sad, sad situation. My friend does not regret trying to save her, but my friend does struggle with the drain on herself and on her children for those years. She says it took them roughly a year to really "recover" and hit a new normal after ceasing to educate this teen. (To my friend's credit, the teen is still considered a loved friend, though there is a great deal of sadness over her lifestyle and the way she is raising the baby.)

 

Bottom line--I would not do it unless I felt specifically called by God.

[trudence1]

I am legally doing it now. This is a very special student and a very special situation. I have no regrets, but I will never agree to do it again. My student is not a problem in any way. Any teacher would love to teach this child. The problem is the attention diverted away from my own family. It's too high a price unless there is necessity.

 

This sounds alot like my experience last year. I can't tell you how much I MISSED just having me and my kids. It changed so many ways the whole school day felt. I had the parents total support, but it still wasn't worth it.

 

I have a friend who homeschools and lives across the street from me. I would consider homeschooling her children if it were a family emergency...so it is not totally off limits in the future but pretty close.

[Lisa R.]

I would have to charge a gazillion dollars to make it worth it to me. Home schooling my own children was done out of a labor of love. It was the hardest work I've even done.

[DawnM]

I just say, "You can't afford me!" :lol:

 

Seriously, we homeschool for the flexibility it provides us as a family. If I had to HS someone else's kids and have THEIR expectations in MY homeschool, it would no longer be my homeschool but my own little private school. And for that, I would require PAYMENT!

 

If I wanted to school, I would go back to work and send the kids to school.

[Night Elf]

Well, I said I couldn't legally, but I may be mistaken. The wording is this: "Parents or guardians may also employ a tutor who holds at least a high school diploma or a GED to teach such children." So I guess the question would be to define a tutor, is it full-time teaching or part-time guidance?

 

I wouldn't do it anyway. It's a huge responsibility and I cannot fathom having to work with a child that may not take direction from me, nor the parents who might blame me for any shortcomings of their child.

 

My hands have always been full with my own children.

 

Money does not change my attitude.

[Mrs Mungo]

There is *no way* I would do this.

 

1. I have enough to deal with just schooling my own kids.

 

2. I don't know how the other child would relate to me.

 

3. I don't know what the other parent's expectations would be-what about homework, testing, etc? What if testing went badly?

 

4. There is no second adult in my home to protect me with regard to liability issues. What protection would I have against a child (potentially one who already is not doing well in school) who might have problems with authority?

 

5. It would disrupt our day, no matter what.

 

6. What about those times we chose to travel, etc during a normal school day?

 

No, a thousand times no.

 

I might be willing to help out a close relative who with a subject or two, but that is different than fully homeschooling someone else's child.

[MissKNG]

I don't know if I can legally or not but there's no way I would homeschool another child. My children wear me out and homeschooling them is more than enough.

[Mommy22alyns]

It's not legal here, but I would never do it.

[Janie Grace]

I would not, could not, in a box.

I could not, would not, with a fox.

I will not school them with a mouse

I will not school them in a house.

I will not school them here or there.

I will not school them anywhere.

 

ETC!!!!

For all the reasons already stated. Honestly, I don't intrinsically like homeschooling. But I love my children. So I homeschool them. I don't love any other children that way!

[Orthodox6]

After my dd has been graduated, I may consider this as a "for pay" option. I have nineteen years experience already, and shall have more by then! If I do take on a student (or more than one) at that time, I would be considered a private tutor who holds a masters degree. There are states in which this is legal, although I have not yet looked up the laws for my state. (Too late to check now; however, we did pay an outside tutor for our eldest in high school, for three of his classes.)

 

I would not, however, take on a non-family student while still teaching my own children. If a parent were to ask me, I would refer him or her to one of the area co-ops and/or university-model schools.

[beck]

It's legal here and I've done it in the past. However, I was homeschooling a cousin who was the same age as my oldest, they got along really well, and were close enough academically that they could do most things together. I was also paid (slightly more than full-time babysitting rates at that time) and given total control over her education. I just treated her like my own. I would only do it again if similar conditions were in place. I have no interest in answering to anyone else about where we go and when and what we learn and how.

[nukeswife]

I don't believe I legally could in my current state, but the only time I'd consider it would be for my grandkids which are still a long ways off.

 

Now I do plan to become a tutor at some point, but it would be only for a specific problem using a specific program.

[Guest submarines]

Nope. Homeschooling for us is "not school at home." It is an extension of parenting, living, being a family. I'd gladly tutor, but that's a very different type of relationship.

[Live2Ride]

It's legal, I do, but I may not again for this student She's not very motivated and the parents frustrate me to no end.

[EKS]

I'd consider homeschooling a kid not my own. But I'd call it tutoring and charge an arm and a leg. And I wouldn't do it if I were still homeschooling my own children.