WHICH IS BETTER: homeschool early years & public later...or

[Alaska Mom]

public school early years and homeschool later?

 

I'd always heard the early (foundational) years were better to homeschool, but recently someone offered the reverse opinion.

 

We have an excellent elementary school here with exceptional K & 1st grade teachers. So I'm seconding guessing myself a bit. Maybe dd would do better getting her foundation in an excellent public school versus my bumbling along with her :confused:. Help!

[st_claire]

How about homeschool early and homeschool later?

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

public school early years and homeschool later?

 

I'd always heard the early (foundational) years were better to homeschool, but recently someone offered the reverse opinion.

 

We have an excellent elementary school here with exceptional K & 1st grade teachers. So I'm seconding guessing myself a bit. Maybe dd would do better getting her foundation in an excellent public school versus my bumbling along with her :confused:. Help!

 

If I had to choose, I'd choose the middle years, 5-8, assuming no social trauma was occurring in years 1-4. Our choice so far has been rigorous private high school, though, not public.

[Jen500]

I guess it would depend on your reasons for hs'ing and the other available school options.

[Happy]

Homeschool young, then, if you must, public or private school.

 

Why?

 

Because homeschooling a young child means you have all the flexibility to explore interests...to lay on the ground watching a catapillar crawl all afternoon or do art projects all day long.

 

To read wholesome, wonderful books together as a family.

 

To spend time together.

 

To delay some academics until your child is old enough to grasp them.

 

Once that foundation is built, your child can go anywhere. In fact, I feel it is good for a high school child to go to a community college part time while homeschooling.

 

If you put your kiddo in an institution early, they grow addicted to the social aspects. Very, very hard to break that addiction later on.

[dangermom]

Yeah, I think it would depend. For me, I would pick homeschool until 9th grade, then a good high school--and it's possible we'll do that, though I'd love to go all the way through. (And if only we had a good private high school here--the only one is 45 minutes away! Luckily the PSs are much better than the one I went to.)

 

So, consider your circumstances. I bet you're not that bumbling. Could you do a better job instilling a love of reading, for example? From my POV it's like schools actively try to squish that. Or, are your high school choices pretty sad? Could you do better? And is there a particular reason to be in the PS system at all?

[Retired]

start home schooling my oldest until 6th grade. I would say the cons of waiting to home school was he had decided he hated school by this point. He had been programmed to read boring books, study for 30 word spelling test, etc. He was straight A student and scored top % on yearly SAT. This child was educationally dieing in traditional school.

My youngest started homeschooling in 3rd grade. He has not had the same problems. He didn't loose his love of learning. I have offered to let them attend a traditional school again. Both boys say no way. They are both thriving in home school.

 

I would say that the foundational years homeschooling would give the child a love for learning. But does the child carry this love of learning in the latter years if put in the traditional school system There is the debate. I have seen home school children go to ps for high school and do well but have also saw others totally fail or get into trouble.

 

I would guess it depends on the individual child.

[Alaska Mom]

How about homeschool early and homeschool later?

 

Yeah, I didn't mean to exclude that one (which is my ultimate goal!).

[Alenee]

I'm in the camp of , "Why bother with the public schools?" I cannot see any good reason to send a kid there. A rigorous private school, maybe, and for me that's a BIG maybe, but public school is just not an option for my family. The book that really got me to this platform is A Different Kind of Teacher by John Taylor Gatto. I'm just not a fan of people who don't share my beliefs sending down their idea to unsuspecting teachers of what should or shouldn't be taught to my children.

[Alaska Mom]

If you put your kiddo in an institution early, they grow addicted to the social aspects. Very, very hard to break that addiction later on.

 

THIS is something I'm really fearing would happen to my dd in public. She is very social and showed signs of "addiction" to playgroups (sounds crazy doesn't it!) at age 3!

[swellmomma]

my oldest kids went to ps young ds for K-2 and dd for K-1. It laid a foundation of a hate of learning, arguing with authority, and my thn 7 yr old talking about suicide. So imo the first years are better to be home and my other 2 children will not be going to ps in the early years. I also think the teen years are better served homeschooling, at a time when teens typically pull away from family and focus on peers, I don't want my kids having that influence and feel homeschooling where family is still the main priority and I can continue teaching them our family values etc. That said my ds really wants to go to a private boys academy for junior and senior high. It is very pricey ($10K a year as a day student), but if I can afford it I may consider it. DD is interested in the private girls school, but because it is run out of a ps (they have a separate wing) and am not as open to the idea for her.

 

SO I think hsing right through is the very best option, but if you HAD to chose one way or the other, I was say hs young and ps older.

[Ferdie]

I think it really depends on your child and the school.

 

One of the big advantages of homeschooling in the elem. years is that you can teach to child's need. My youngest needed extra time in certain parts of math and I am so glad he was homeschooled because I know he would have been left behind in a public program. My oldest was strong in reading and math I sometimes I wonder if he would have been bored in ps.

 

Another advantage of hs girls in the elem years is that you minimize some of the unhealthy social aspects. I have several friends that have pulled their girls out of ps due to queen bee and peer pressure issues. The thing that shocked me was that this was happening in 2nd grade - so young!

 

I personally plan to avoid ps middle school at all costs.

 

I know many hs children that have done great in ps high school, but it really depends on the child and the school.

 

HTH - such big decisions.

[gardenschooler]

Homeschool early, school later (or better yet, not at all) is my personal opinion.

 

I wouldn't let my oldest go until she was 15. :D The others aren't going at all. I would consider a good private or boarding school, if we had that option. Which we don't, so we'll just keep on homeschooling. It works.

[gardenschooler]

Meant to say, we do have that option - we actually have an excellent classical school here - but it's not in our budget. I'd prefer to homeschool, anyway.

[Stacy in NJ]

public school early years and homeschool later?

 

I'd always heard the early (foundational) years were better to homeschool, but recently someone offered the reverse opinion.

 

We have an excellent elementary school here with exceptional K & 1st grade teachers. So I'm seconding guessing myself a bit. Maybe dd would do better getting her foundation in an excellent public school versus my bumbling along with her :confused:. Help!

 

 

I think a good ps is a great option at either end of the educational spectrum. Attending ps for K and first sounds like a blast. Good ps high schools provide wonderful resources. I think the middle years, 2nd through 8th, are a wasteland of peer pressure and an academic muddle.

[TracyR]

Techinally the best is to homeschool totally. Of course life sometimes happens and you have to go with the flow. But if you have that choice to homeschool all the way that really is the best.

 

Hun, you live in Alaska , one of the most lienient homeschooling states in the U.S. ( I wished we had the same laws). If you feel that you need more direction I know Alaska has cyberschooling which where you can have all your apples in the basket so to speak. Its like public school yet your schooling your children at home. That would help alleviate some insecurites. Actually after you start cyberschooling you'll find that your doing just fine in the first place.

 

Anyways , if you must with public school I would homeschool in the early years and then high school. Just because young children need that early foundation to succeed and they learn to love to learn in the younger years.

 

By the way I have 4 girls and they are social bugs , we fill that void with doing sports , or any other activity. I'm not sure what is available in Alaska because I know things can be far away. But going to the library , the YMCA , joining a soccer team , swimming classes , taking part in any community events helps fills that void. Plus my girls play more with each other anyways and they are happy . We live in the country and are pretty much in the middle of no where. But I look in the paper and see what our community has to offer and we take it from there. They aren't any less social, or are at all suffering in anyways from not being in public school. Actually living in our area my girls are MUCH better off being homeschooled.

[Gretchen in NJ]

Homeschool early, school later (or better yet, not at all) is my personal opinion.

 

I wouldn't let my oldest go until she was 15. :D The others aren't going at all. I would consider a good private or boarding school, if we had that option. Which we don't, so we'll just keep on homeschooling. It works.

 

Meant to say, we do have that option - we actually have an excellent classical school here - but it's not in our budget. I'd prefer to homeschool, anyway.

:iagree: with gardenschooler. We don't homeschool because we are in a bad school district, but for many other reasons.

[Lolly]

Homeschool early. That way, you can change your mind and homeschool later too.

[Diana in OR]

As others have said, it depends on the individual. I am in the "homeschool early, send them to school later" camp. I see the biggest benefits to homeschooling happening in the early years. My dc, both of whom will be at ps this year (first time for my youngest), are not peer-dependent. My oldest, who started 9th grade last year, didn't bring with him to school a lot of social baggage that tends to run rampant in our youth culture. Also, he has been able to take classes at a level I could not teach them. At the same time, he tells me he is doing so well in ps because we spent so much time on history, ala WTM, and that has carried over into almost all his subject areas.

 

I know that I can always change my mind depending on what's best for my dc. If need be, I'll bring them back home in a heartbeat.

[JFSinIL]

Homeschool early. That way, you can change your mind and homeschool later too.

 

Excellent!

[WTMindy]

I'll go with the very decisive answer that it totally depends on the child. I think middle school is the hardest socially, so I wouldn't choose that option, but I think homeschooling can be a wonderful thing....or a bad thing depending totally on the kid, the parent, and so many other factors.

 

How's that for a cop-out answer?

[kim in ks]

I started out to homeschool early and a Christian private school for later! My kiddos loved the flexibility of learning at home! So that's where we stayed, and it was a good decision for all. I plan on going to whole way again w/ my younger ones!

kim

 

Highly recommend the whole journey!!!

[Mississippi Missy]

Hi,

I kinda think that homeschooling the whole time is good. Try not to second guess yourself, I'm sure you are doing a great job. Think of it this way. No matter how good the school, you are offering something they can't. One on one. You just can't beat one on one in my opinion. :) My DS is in 5th grade and DD is in 2nd this year. They have homeschooled their whole lives. During the beginning years with my son (Kind. and 1st) we lived next to, or across the street from, a really good "excellerated" school. But my son reads very well. So does my daughter who has since she was 4. So just keep on keeping on. Your doing great. :)

[Vida Winter]

In our family we homeschooled our oldest dd early (K-5) and my then she started PS at 6th grade. But there were other factors that went into our decision; we moved to a small town (pop. ~1000), her class size was seven students, and she is our social kid who is not happy unless surrounded by friends.

 

It has worked out well so far, she's made straight A's and loves school, is very responsible about getting her work done, getting up in the morning, etc. For this particular child, it was a good decision, for both of us. I am able to focus on the younger children now in a way that was difficult before.

 

As for our second child, I am homeschooling her as long as it makes sense (she's going into 3rd). Same for our preschooler.

 

A big factor to consider is how difficult it will be to homeschool. That is, how many kids you have, what grades, are you expecting a baby or will you have toddler(s)? Are there special health concerns to be considered? Do you have family or work obligations that will cut into your schedule? Each family will have their own challenges, and they often change from year to year.

 

I think you need to be realistic about your limitations. If I felt I were beyond my tipping point I would not hesitate to put one or more children in school. Each of us is different, and I think we need to be honest about how good a job we can do versus the alternatives that are available to us.

[SkateLeft]

I vote for homeschool early and homeschool later. :D

 

My kids have never been in traditional schools, and each and every stage has offered something really cool. I'd hate to have missed out on sharing any of it!

[Academy of Jedi Arts]

I think homeschooling in the early years is more do-able for most parents. Around here, I see a large number start in preschool, then put the kids in school around 3rd grade or so when the expectations on output go up.

 

I personally think that teaching older/more advanced kids is more fun. I hated, hated, hated scripted lessons and doing stuff like "this is a noun." I would rather analyze and discuss. I also rather like assigning all the books that were one assigned to me so I can watch my dd complain like I did then thank me for it later. :tongue_smilie:

[percytruffle]

As others have said, there is no one right answer. The right choice for your family is the one that works best for you. Our hs journey has been a bit backwards compared to most people around me irl because we did ps first and hs second.

 

My ds was in ps until the end of third grade. Dd was in ps until the end of 6th grade.

 

Upon reflection, I would have to say that neither had difficulty transitioning to homeschooling. I did feel a bit cheated near the end with dd because I felt as though I had missed so much of the fun exploration years and had slogged through the tough high school years. This is really not true though because I was always doing extra things with them both, even when they were in ps. We've enjoyed a learning lifestyle though both types of schooling. We have had a wonderful homeschooling experience.

 

I will say that it was not easy transitioning to a classical type of education after ps because they had already missed so many opportunities to begin things like Latin and logic at a young age (especially dd). I never became a fully classical convert because of this. That said, my dc are doing very well academically, are creative thinkers, are responsible, and are young adults who enjoy learning and doing their best. What more could I have asked for?

[Brindee]

Homeschool early, school later (or better yet, not at all) is my personal opinion.

 

I wouldn't let my oldest go until she was 15. :D The others aren't going at all. I would consider a good private or boarding school, if we had that option. Which we don't, so we'll just keep on homeschooling. It works.

I totally agree! We have said we will consider sending them to a private boarding school when they are in their junior and senior year of highschool. DS17 thrived with that. He's always been a negative, glass half empty kind of person, which is NOT me! He and I clashed some, and each wanted to get the last word! :tongue_smilie: Though we had no MAJOR problems, he plateaued here at home, and I couldn't seem to get him motivated. He has a lot of talents and abilities that I didn't want to see slip away from neglect. So we looked into schools, and found one that fit. He thrived there. He roomed with a boy from Russia, and now can speak and understand a good amount of Russian. He made many friends, many from Central and South America, so he learned a good amount of Spanish. He studied hard there and did well! He smiles almost all the time now. He says he loves his family, but he also loves his school, so he's thankful for both! Can't really beat that!

 

But, we'll take it one child at a time. I'm not going to automatically send ds14 to that school when he's a junior. Maybe he'll do better at home!

 

So maybe you could have ideas on what you can do, but be open to working with whatever works best for each child, which may be totally different than what you had thought to do, or than a sibling did! Each child is special and unique, so you want to encourage them and do what interests them and what is best for them!

[Peela]

People homeschool for so many different reasons. Academic, social, religious.

 

My son was damaged by the school system by age 7- he would have been much better never going to school.

But dd enjoyed it- however she was negatively affected by peer pressure and we didn't like the friends she chose.

Ds was a demanding child- I wanted to homeschool, but with no support from DH till a few years later, I was actually relieved to have some time alone each day while they were at school while still small people.

 

The reasons ended up being being social. Once the kids came home, their personalities changed so much, for the better.

So for that reason, we want to homeschool through highschool- they have really rich lives, with so many opportunities, part time work, social opportunities- school would probably be exciting for a week, with novelty value, then they would miss their freedom.

Academically, I will just do my best, knowing many have blazed the trail before me and their children have done well.

 

So, I dont think there is a black and white answer to whether early or later is better.

[Parrothead]

Right now we plan to homeschool all the way through. If something happens and we can't I'd first look into private school. Only when all else fails will dd go to public school. Dh was pretty adamant about no public school when she was born. That was his idea of an ideal education.