Ann.without.an.e Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 I am tired. I've always loved Homeschooling but I honestly hate it at this moment. There....I said it. :blush: Having two middle schoolers and a High Schooler has done me in. DD has far exceeded me in intelligence and I never feel like I know what is best for her. I am not sure I am even grading her essays properly. That being said, what if I go to work very part-time (6-8 hrs a week) so that I will have the money to pay for most of the girl's classes to be either Dual Enrollment (for oldest dd) or online (for middle school dd)? Oldest dd likes to be independent with math and I can take a key and grade her tests and it won't kill me. I don't want to grade anymore of her essays. Period. I need to focus more on my boys too. They need the help (one is too young to be independent and the other needs more guidance/direction/positive reinforcement) and I am too spread thin to help them as much as they need. Both of the girls are very independent and hard working. Oldest dd could take Dual enrollment college classes in English (she wants to take AP Eng Lit but she can get over it, right?) Spanish Chemistry World History (maybe?) Would that be too much? She could teach herself... AP Stats and philosophy. Someone go ahead and say that I am a bad mom. Call me out, I can take it. I am just tired. :001_cool: I dreamed last night that I sent them to school. I was relieved. DS loved it and then halfway through my dream I got a call from the school that said he was sick and hadn't been in class for three hours (ds can't go to school, his health issues are too daunting). I will forever be known as the mom who wigged out on the WTM :banghead: ETA It is March. Someone just remind me that it is March. Summer will come and this will all be better in the fall, right? :rolleyes: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 It is March, and we are all trying on new ideas for the next school year. It's ok to need to do different things from year to year. It's ok to triage the limited time that you have to the kids who need it more. One of the beautiful things about homeschooling is that you can tailor it to your family. :) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiMi 4under3 Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 Someone go ahead and say that I am a bad mom. Call me out, I can take it. I am just tired. The fact that you recognize the need for change and are trying to figure out what is best for your family makes you an AWESOME mom! :grouphug: 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomatHWTK Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 I don't think it is a bad plan for older students to transition to someone else grading their work and being responsible for their own deadlines. They are going to need these skills. I will absolutely be using either a computer or live class for my kids' higher science and already do for math. I'd rather them get the best education I can find in those areas then get a mediocre one from me. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann.without.an.e Posted March 19, 2015 Author Share Posted March 19, 2015 I'd rather them get the best education I can find in those areas then get a mediocre one from me. This is exactly what I am feeling. I wish we had the money to enroll her in all online and DE and me not work at all. It just isn't possible at this time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildiris Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 Go for the dual enrollment. It would be a good next step. No, you are not a bad mom. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sk8ermaiden Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 It sounds like it would be a good decision for your family. I can hear it in your "voice," once you decide to do this it will be as if a huge weight lifts off you. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 :grouphug: :grouphug: Charleigh :grouphug: :grouphug: You are NOT a bad mom or a bad homeschooler at all! Homeschooling through high school IS hard and time consuming. Not only is it much harder to teach/mentor the high school level material, it's basically taking on a complete second "job" at that point as counselor / administrator and college advisor: - researching which materials are the best fit - researching outsourcing options - to test / not test / which tests / how to sign up for tests - researching / doing / driving to extracurriculars - transcripts / record keeping - college search / applications process - scholarships / financial aid It is a very GOOD option to outsource some, or all of this! Knowing your individual students' needs and abilities, knowing what *you* can do well and want to do at home, and knowing what would be best and/or most helpful to outsource makes you a very very GOOD homeschooler! Homeschooling does NOT mean that YOU must do and oversee all of the school at home. Homeschooling means being your student's personal educational overseer, and lining the student up with the best options for that individual student each year. And yes, for every "good homeschooler," outsourcing *should* be one of the possible educational options on the table to consider each year. You are already well into answering a lot of the questions that are helpful in deciding what curricula to use or whether or not to outsource. That is a GOOD thing! :) DD has far exceeded in me in intelligence and I never feel like I know what is best for her. I am not sure I am even grading her essays properly… … I don't want to grade anymore of her essays. Period. There are several well-respected online classes for writing that would provide a great challenge for DD and will do the grading for you. Even better, since DD wants to do AP English Lit -- outsource it! :) Would she like to be in a classroom? If so, can she take one AP class with a local high school? Or, there are online AP classes -- the PA Homeschoolers' are well-known on these boards, but a quick search also turned up this one: K12 ENG510: AP English Literature and Composition (per semester: $475 = teacher supported; $175 = materials) AND, I stumbled across this interesting resource that might be useful for a number of middle school and high school classes if you want to do them at home, and need some teaching support -- might be able to let your independent-working DDs loose with these instructional videos and a textbook: Study.com = self-paced, teacher option = $130/month = unlimited access to 10,000 lessons + short instructional videos in many subjects, including AP English Literature & Composition, and others. It is March. Someone just remind me that it is March. Summer will come and this will all be better in the fall, right? Take a week off for spring break!! Just totally take a break; if your family can't go away somewhere, do "stay-cation" things each day: hikes, go to early movie matinees, visit a favorite museum, take a day trip somewhere interesting a few hours away that you've always wanted to explore, get take out or do frozen meals for dinners, have some family game nights -- and get totally mentally AWAY, to allow you to come back fresh in a week to THEN start planning and reassessing. HUGS! Lori D. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather62 Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 You are trying to do what is best for your family. That doesn't make you a bad mother it makes you a great mother! I hope you find peace with whatever decision you make. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiguirre Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 This is exactly what I am feeling. I wish we had the money to enroll her in all online and DE and me not work at all. It just isn't possible at this time. Could your dd get a job and pay for the courses? That would make a great personal statement about how much she values her education and look very positive to college admissions. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefgazer Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 I would do what you feel is best for your family and not feel guilty about it. I am with you on the essays; as soon as DD is independent enough to outsource that, I will. I also work part time, and it is do-able if that is what you need to pay for the outsourced classes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3in9th Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 February is always our burn out month. So :grouphug: and it'll pass and you have plenty of time to decide what's right for everybody. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 I fought the Algebra battle for a long time, and I have never felt more relieved since I was able to hand over the reins to someone more qualified and get back a less complicated relationship with my son. I knew that day was coming but was not sure when it would be. My only regret is not doing it at the beginning of this year rather than mid-year. My best was not good enough. It just wasn't. Realizing your strengths and weaknesses is a good thing. Outsourcing what you cannot comfortably do is a great option. I would get the job or, as a pp stated, possibly have dd at least help contribute to the cost. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 Yes, it's March. I told my senior that we both have senioritis, and we just gotta be brave and push through. Seriously. We both have an attitude of late. He's ready to be done, and I'm ready to be done. It's only March though. We set up the appointment to get him registered for full-time college later this month, and I met with the recruiter for the 4-year program he plans to transfer into at lunch today (he was in class). Almost one down. I sent off the payment for #2 kid's AP English today. I feel poor again. But there it goes. I don't feel like I can handle AP English and know that self-studying isn't right for this kid, and the logistics to do dual enrollment are too daunting. But the cost is about the same if she does well and gets the college credits. It's tough to be a parent of a homeschooled teen! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbollin Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 :grouphug: :grouphug:Charleigh :grouphug: :grouphug: AND, I stumbled across this interesting resource that might be useful for a number of middle school and high school classes if you want to do them at home, and need some teaching support -- might be able to let your independent-working DDs loose with these instructional videos and a textbook: Study.com = self-paced, teacher option = $130/month = unlimited access to 10,000 lessons + short instructional videos in many subjects, including AP English Literature & Composition, and others. just info here, study.com used to be called Education Portal. Homeschool Buyer's co-op has a deal. I don't know how that compares in prices or services on the 130 a month, but at least check out the buyer co-op price too :) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann.without.an.e Posted March 20, 2015 Author Share Posted March 20, 2015 Thanks ya'll. You make me feel less insane ;) I need to see the college schedule in order to decide for sure, but I definitely lean toward outsourcing more things for dd next year. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Thanks ya'll. You make me feel less insane ;) I need to see the college schedule in order to decide for sure, but I definitely lean toward outsourcing more things for dd next year. Thank you, thank you, thank you. If it makes you feel better, for 9th grade next year, my older son will have the following classes: Math - online Science - co op taught by someone besides me Spanish - online I feel relieved about that. :) Little dd will get more of my attention, my son will have the experience of being more independent, and I can relax knowing these subjects are well-covered. In two years, he will be doing some DE CC classes. I am so grateful that it is an option. ETA: Those are not his only 9th grade courses, just the ones we are outsourcing. lol But it is half of the total courseload! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 I am tired. I've always loved Homeschooling but I honestly hate it at this moment. There....I said it. :blush: Having two middle schoolers and a High Schooler has done me in. DD has far exceeded me in intelligence and I never feel like I know what is best for her. I am not sure I am even grading her essays properly. That being said, what if I go to work very part-time (6-8 hrs a week) so that I will have the money to pay for most of the girl's classes to be either Dual Enrollment (for oldest dd) or online (for middle school dd)? Oldest dd likes to be independent with math and I can take a key and grade her tests and it won't kill me. I don't want to grade anymore of her essays. Period. I need to focus more on my boys too. They need the help (one is too young to be independent and the other needs more guidance/direction/positive reinforcement) and I am too spread thin to help them as much as they need. Both of the girls are very independent and hard working. Oldest dd could take Dual enrollment college classes in English (she wants to take AP Eng Lit but she can get over it, right?) Spanish Chemistry World History (maybe?) Would that be too much? She could teach herself... AP Stats and philosophy. Someone go ahead and say that I am a bad mom. Call me out, I can take it. I am just tired. :001_cool: I dreamed last night that I sent them to school. I was relieved. DS loved it and then halfway through my dream I got a call from the school that said he was sick and hadn't been in class for three hours (ds can't go to school, his health issues are too daunting). I will forever be known as the mom who wigged out on the WTM :banghead: ETA It is March. Someone just remind me that it is March. Summer will come and this will all be better in the fall, right? :rolleyes: It is definitely March a month I find myself usually tired and thinking that my goals and reality didn't match up well. I don't think you're bad for looking for the best situation for your kids. The DE schedule you listed might be a big intro to college. Here Chem is a 3 credit class that goes with a 3 hour 1 credit lab. I don't think the English class would be too hard. The world history may have a heavy reading load. Does she already have any Spanish? Some have said that cc languages goes faster than high school and may presume the beginning is a review. Not to argue you out of outsourcing or de. We are using online classes and de here. But I'm having to weigh carefully which courses where and when. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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