Homeschooling one child

[momtokea]

Talk to me about homeschooling one child, if you have an only child OR other children who go to school.

 

This will be my reality in September when both my girls (15 & 14) will be in school, I will only have ds (12) at home. I know I can meet his academic needs, but I am concerned about his social needs. He has a very small circle of friends, and attends an all day co-op on Thursdays. Next year he will start air cadets in the evening.

 

Even with a few out of the house activities he spends A LOT of time at home, alone. I'm not sure this is healthy.

[PollyOR]

I'm interested to hear about this too as we'll also be in the same boat.

[unfrumpable.]

I homeschool only one child. We have no plans on having another. We do spend a good amount of time at home, but I do not consider this a bad thing. We attend a group activity once a week and occasionally have other outings. Some weeks we do nothing, like this week. I have some sort of stomach bug, so had to cancel our coop for today,which sucked because I was leading it. So, no meetings this week at all. No biggie. For us, too much outside stuff ='s not enough school getting done at home.

 

I'm curious as to why you think spending time alone at home is unhealthy?

[AimeeM]

Can I be honest?

I have three children. There is such an age gap between my oldest and my youngers that my eldest is very much "alone" during the day. She hates it; so much that I am working my rear off to find more social opportunities for her (outside of structured activities like her ballet class - which she loves, but is too structured for her to make any real friends doing). I started a homeschool support group recently and we belong to a co-op (that only meets every other week). Between those things, ballet, and the parish youth group, I'm hoping she will be a bit less "socially needy"... and happier. Otherwise, we're looking at school after next year. A miserable child isn't fun.

That isn't to say it can't be done, but I think that you do have to actively seek out social opportunities for an "extrovert" only child homeschooling.

[Mandy in TN]

My older two are now in college, so I am homeschooling an only. It has been a rough year, but a attribute that as much to prepubescent hormones as to being alone. Really, because the big boys are so much older, he has always been alone.

 

As far as healthy, all kids are different. If he has no problem being alone and entertaining himself I wouldn't be concerned. If he were begging for more social time, then I would look into the situation.

 

HTH-

Mandy

[momtokea]

I homeschool only one child. We have no plans on having another. We do spend a good amount of time at home, but I do not consider this a bad thing. We attend a group activity once a week and occasionally have other outings. Some weeks we do nothing, like this week. I have some sort of stomach bug, so had to cancel our coop for today,which sucked because I was leading it. So, no meetings this week at all. No biggie. For us, too much outside stuff ='s not enough school getting done at home.

 

I'm curious as to why you think spending time alone at home is unhealthy?

 

 

I think spending some time alone is a good thing (it is for me, and it's something I really need). My concern is too much time alone. He's a happy kid, but he does like to have friends and he does get bored sometimes. Some weeks he stays home for several days in a row. It's Thursday and he hasn't left the house since Sunday. We've kept busy, decorated for Easter, made Easter cookie pops, and decorated eggs. He watches movies, goes on the computer, and built with Lego. He does often say he wishes he had someone to play with. Sometimes I feel sorry for him.

[PollyOR]

I'm curious as to why you think spending time alone at home is unhealthy?

 

Yes, I also think it is individual. My 11yo is the "baby" and since we've always homeschooled she has never been alone. Next year it may be just the two of us and I'm not sure how she'll handle it.

[AK_Mom4]

We have a big age gap here too. DD11 is the only one homeschooling right now. The oldest two are off at college and DS17 goes to public high school.

 

Our days are nicely quiet with just the two of us home. We listen to good music while she works and have pretty interesting discussions. DD11 has quite a few activities - two sets of music lessons, skiing in winter, softball in summer, youth group and Sunday school on the weekends. DD11 has a couple of friends that she sees (one homeschooled, the other ones public schooled), but she is mostly home during the day.

 

It feels just right to us.

[unfrumpable.]

 

 

I think spending some time alone is a good thing (it is for me, and it's something I really need). My concern is too much time alone. He's a happy kid, but he does like to have friends and he does get bored sometimes. Some weeks he stays home for several days in a row. It's Thursday and he hasn't left the house since Sunday. We've kept busy, decorated for Easter, made Easter cookie pops, and decorated eggs. He watches movies, goes on the computer, and built with Lego. He does often say he wishes he had someone to play with. Sometimes I feel sorry for him.

 

 

I have to admit that I do sometimes wish Ethan had someone to play with too. :)

 

I am an introvert and alone usually ='s good (and rarely happens around here!). :) However, I do have the need to get out of the house even if not for social reasons. We've been home all this week too, with me in bed a lot, so we are both ready to get out, hopefully tomorrow.

 

Are there other kids his age in the neighborhood? My son is younger than yours, but I do remember spending a lot of time outside with neighborhood kids at that age.

[momtokea]

Here's another one my issues, that I should have mentioned in my earlier post. He would like to get outside more, go skiing, go skating, sledding, biking, long boarding, etc. But there is no one to go with. sigh.

[unfrumpable.]

Here's another one my issues, that I should have mentioned in my earlier post. He would like to get outside more, go skiing, go skating, sledding, biking, long boarding, etc. But there is no one to go with. sigh.

 

 

Are there any physical activity type clubs in your area? Homeschool or not. Maybe check with the YMCA? I don't partake in any, but I know there's a good amount around my area (Houston).

[Donna]

I only have my youngest at home. Her brothers are quite a bit older and in high school.

 

She has a friend who lives locally and we have her over at least once a month. She has a couple friends who live in other states but have very similar interests so they Skype or we visit when going to NY for fiddle lessons. She attends Irish music sessions and events with her "adult friends" and a few other kids a bit older than her (3+ years older) and she participates in an orchestra in the nearest city to us so has friends there, some of whom she does Facetime with or emails during the week.

 

This semester she is taking a couple classes for homeschooled students. There are two other girls who are also a bit older and she really loves the lady teaching.

 

We are rarely home and when we are she and I spend the day doing things together or she does her crafts while I cook or clean up.

[SunnyDays]

I have an only. He and I both tend to be homebodies, especially in winter. Now that spring is finally arriving, we will get out more, going to the park with friends and such.

 

We don't have many homeschool friends... Just a couple other families. So we try to make regular arrangements with them, and also try to keep in touch with non homeschooling friends as well. We are both pretty comfortable staying home a few days per week, but in addition to getting together with friends, we do library programs, outside classes and sports, and just getting out to shop and run errands.

 

[raceNzanesmom]

Mine are almost 11 years apart, so they're a lot like onlies. School time is school time, so I've never worried about them not having kids around. They have and still have church activities, we attend group activities a couple times a month with some other hs'ers and the youngest has 4H and hand chimes (once a week, opposite weeks). Oldest likes to get together for lunch or coffee with friends, younger likes to go to the skate park or similar. However, it's not a lot, twice a month or so.

 

Honestly, the biggest problem is not allowing our kids to do what many other kids are doing. That would happen no matter where they went to school.