Poll... for how long are you committed to homeschooling?

[Amy loves Bud]

We've always been of the attitude that we homeschool one year at a time. As long as we are all happy and learning and all that jazz, we'll sign up for another year. If it's not working, we'll look at other options.

 

Until now. This year was a big commitment for me, as Luke is a 5th grader (or would be in PS). Around here, middle school is 6-8th grade. I would never want my child's first experience in a "real" school to be in middle school. So this year, instead of a one year commitment, we made a four year commitment.

 

Nothing has changed, we are still all happy and learning and all that jazz, but boy, four years seems big. It had me a bit stressed over the summer, but I'm mostly over it now, though it has me wondering what your commitment to length of homeschooling is. Hence the poll.

 

And don't forget to comment about your poll response!

[Annie Laurie]

I voted until highschool graduation for all of them.

[Valerie in Chicago]

Ideally, through high school. But we're also realistic. The kids are small, and circumstances change. Essentially, as long as it's serving them well, we'll keep at it.

[LaMere Academy]

We're going all the way, baby!! :D

[Lolly]

We started off one year at a time. Now, we are fully committed until graduation from high school. The schools here don't accept any credits for high school from homeschoolers, so dc would have to start over completely if we changed after that point.

[newbie]

They're coming to take me away, ha, ha , hee, .... I voted commited or high school grad.,. whichever comes first.

[Plucky]

As long as it meets my kids' needs we'll continue. I wasn't sure we'd homeschool high school but here we are and it's great. It makes me realize how short this time is as my ds plans on running start at 16.

[lauriep]

We may even homeschool college.

[Alenee]

We've been committed for the long haul to graduation since we began. As we pondered it, there was not one year we could see being a "best" year for ps, nor was there a year that we would've *wanted* them there. Our choice had always been private school but we live in an area where private schools are few and far between so when the call from God came to homeschool, we couldn't deny that God had other plans for our school years. If we could afford a classical private school (and if it were close) I *might* consider it for the last two years of high school, but even that would be a big stretch in my heart.

[Plucky]

We may even homeschool college.

 

Wow. I voted other, too, because I do it as long as it works.

[Amy loves Bud]

Wow. I voted other, too, because I do it as long as it works.

 

That would fall under the "one school day" option! ;)

[Plucky]

That would fall under the "one school day" option! ;)

 

Well, I do make weekly lesson plans. So you need a new option. I am committed a week at a time. :D

[Retired]

I voted till high school graduation but my oldest is planning college from home.

[beansprouts]

I voted "until they have me committed". Up until this year I was "taking it one year at a time" and had thoughts of maybe putting the kids in private school later. As a result of this attitude, I found I was homeschooling with one foot out the door, and didn't have my whole heart in it. I reevaluated my goals over the summer, and reread the WTM. I decided that I have been presented with a 12 year vision, a larger picture that can not be broken up into "one year at a time". I need to finish the job. So I am a homeschooler, and I plan to continue until all three graduate unless I am divinely led to make a different choice.

 

...or until they have me committed :lol:

[Trivium Academy]

I want to think we'll homeschool through high school, I know that I will fight tooth and nail to keep my kids out of public school. I'm sure I'd try just about anything to keep them home including co-ops, distance learning, etc.

 

I mean, c'mon- I bought TOG for all three cycles! :lol: That's a commitment right?

 

I voted until I'm committed.

[hsmamainva]

I voted "until they have me committed" :lol:

 

I've been homeschooling for 13 years. My oldest is a senior and my youngest is a 1st grader ... so I have many years left ahead on this wonderful journey! :)

[JFSinIL]

I voted for one year, since I take it year by year - depends what each kid need each year. Now I have two successful in high school (and one special needs kid in vocational training) and one still at home this year. next year she will msot likely be in public school. We shall see.

[Mama Lynx]

I am committed to homeschooling them through high school graduation.

 

Now, that doesn't mean that we'd never put them in school ... circumstances change, and our kids may have minds of their own :lol: However, I intend, and have committed, to go the long haul.

[Kanga]

This is my 14th year homeschooling (my oldest is in college) and I have 16 more until my last graduates from high school. So although I voted that I was committed to hsing through high school, there is a very good chance I will be committed long before that!

[sagira]

I would be really proud to see them off to college having been homeschooled by us :)

 

That's my goal.

[laughing lioness]

We've already graduated one with another graduating in the spring. It's been a sweet ride and we are looking forward to the rest of it :001_smile: (18 years down, 12 to go!)

[Pretty in Pink]

we are committed through high school. we plan to re-evaluate at that time, on an individual basis. we are 99% sure we'll go all the way (well, i'm totally on board, hubby says 99% though:tongue_smilie:).

[Pamela H in Texas]

I had always planned to homeschool through high school with each kid. However, as they got older, I was also willing to look at our options and weigh what was best for each child. Things changed and we changed with them and will continue doing so.

[Renthead Mommy]

I voted till graduation. Now that doesn't mean I won't need to be committed at some point!

 

When my husband hits his 20 years my son will be almost 21 yo. His ENTIRE school career will be spent military. Currently we are overseas, so tours are only 3 years. In a few years my husband's promotion level will start getting us moved ever 2 years.

 

Between all that moving, the fact that we want to go from Japan, then to Germany, and then we'd love to go to Italy (but that's a hard one) it just makes homeschooling easier. So there is no reason not to do it through highschool for us.

[Allearia]

I voted for one school day. If we suddenly got enough money to consider a great private school, we would check into it without a qualm. If I suddenly needed to work full time and I needed to put ds in public school, I would certainly be very very sad but we would do that and afterschool like mad. If we won the lottery and neither of us had to work, we would homeschool in style while traveling the globe. My current most likely thinking is private middle school if that is financially possible at that time, but we have a ways to go and I wouldn't say that we have committed to that.

[Murphy101]

I plan on hs-ing through high school graduation.

I was figuring in my head while trying to get my pregnant self comfortable enough to fall asleep last night...

 

by the time baby #9 graduates high school...

 

I'll have spent 6 years and 9 months pregnant, not including m/cs.

I'll have taught every grade NINE times.

I'll have spent at least 24 CONSECUTIVE YEARS homeschooling.

 

then I fell asleep...

[Melanie]

"Until they have me commited," because that struck me as being particularly fitting today. :lol:

 

We'll homeschool through high school, and probably into college!

[fsunolefan]

I voted other. I am fully commited to following God's plan for our homeschooling journey. I am amazed at how many people ask when we plan to send the kids back to school. I always say that when and if the time comes I will know. I am embracing this time at home with my children fully. My youngest daughter's current nightmare is having to leave home to go to college (idea supplied by high school age cousin). I told her she can stay at home as long as she likes (no guarantee that I won't start charging rent at some point though).

[jejily]

I voted until high school begins. We just started last spring, with DS10 (who is a fifth grader this year). I have a four-year plan for him, so I'm committed to it through 8th grade.

 

I so wish I'd been courageous enough to start homeschooling 15 years ago, when my oldest was entering school. I have a son in college (never homeschooled) and a daughter in public high school (never homeschooled). Both wished they had been, both asked to be homeschooled, and both are now extremely jealous of their little brother (but DD is no longer interested in homeschooling -- I offered!).

 

So, at this point, we're in it for four more years. Then we'll reassess.

[Tracey in TX]

We'll homeschool while it's beneficial to our family, and each individual child. My goal is to get them ahead academically and that has certainly been achieved. We'll continue this year and the two oldest *may* begin middle school next year. Or not? DD really wants to return so she can have a social life.:lol: DS digs the lifestyle and is in no hurry to return to peer pressure. The triplets will homeschool at least through elementary.

I am not likely to homeschool through high school years. I enjoyed high school, so would like my children to at least be granted the option to attend.

[C_l_e_0..Q_c]

We also started one year at a time. But high school here is considered 7th grade. So DS would have to do the entrance exam within a month. Nope, no way.. So we're now committed till the end of high school.

[sheryl]

until high school graduation. I'd like to learn more about college homeschooling. I've heard of a few who have done this and one who homeschooled to college graduation!!

[xxxxxxxx]

take it one year at a time, but in my heart we are in for the long haul. All the way through high school.

[8filltheheart]

I voted until they have me committed.:D

 

Honestly, there isn't a response that fits my current state of mind better than that one. Over the yrs, my philosophy has changed, so have my children.

 

I think I'll be homeschooling the rest through graduation just like we did our oldest. HOwever, I have also learned that sometimes there are circumstances where that isn't the best decision. So, for me it isn't a yr by yr commitment b/c my commitment is actually until graduation. However, that doesn't mean that it is the best decision for an individual child/or our family.

 

Of course.... that all depends on my staying sane (which is entirely unpredictable!!!)

[keptwoman]

It's a year by year commitment for us.

While I'd like to say until graduation I'm just not prepared to commit that far ahead not knowing what the future holds.

[Carrie12345]

Other.

I'm committed to doing whatever the circumstances call for.

I'm *hoping that means through high school.

 

That will be 18 consecutive years of hsing, assuming no surprises.

We're on year 2. :blink:

[Sandy in Indy]

We'll homeschool through high school graduation. I've graduated one, will graduate the second this spring...then have a LONG 10 yr wait till the next graduation. :D I wouldn't send my dog to the public schools in the area, and we can't afford private school...but even if we could, I'd still homeschool. I cherish the time with my kids too much.

[cathmom]

The whole enchilada!

 

This is our 12th year homeschooling, and I have 18 more until the baby is ready to graduate!

 

We have never been "one year at a time" homeschoolers. We decided to do it and kept doing it. When my oldest made noises about going back to school, I sat him down and told him frankly, "There is absolutely no way I would send you back to school."

 

A year or two ago I started thinking a nearby charter school might be good for my older dd, then I taught there last year and that will NOT be happening!!!!

[nmoira]

I voted other because I'm hoping that the girls can have at least a year of college credits (ideally more) before officially starting college.

[melopher]

I'd love to hs all my dc through highschool, but we will be reevaluating as each child reaches the end of middle school years.

 

When asked, however, I say that we are taking it year by year. In some ways, I am...I want my dc to have the best education, childhood, and relationships possible and if for some unimaginable reason that meant not having them at home then I'd reconsider our options.

[Susan in TN]

I'm committed to homeschooling for as long as necessary. That MAY mean "until I have to be committed", but really means that I'd like to homeschool through high school, but am (almost) completely willing to change plans if our situation changes or circumstances warrent different schooling options.

[Rosy]

As long as they're thriving, and ps would be a *last* resort after multiple curriculum changes, online schooling, etc. My plan is through high school.

[jail warden]

While I truly would love to go all.the.way. I know that realisitically I don't know what the future holds. I want to do what's best for our family and I pray that is homeschooling because I love the time I get with my kids and the relationships we have because of it.

 

I school as if I will always homeschool, i.e. I do Latin that would never matter in public school and I teach my daughter at her pace which is much farther ahead than she would be in ps, but I realisically check every year to make sure that I'm still as committed and on fire and ready to go, because after 5 years I know the stereotype of being done by noon and it's such a picnic is NOT true!!! It's HARD, HARD work, but it's SOOOOOO rewarding also!

 

Anyway, there's my OTHER answer!

[Plaid Dad]

Count me in the "as long as it's working" camp. Right now dd is thriving in a cottage school environment, which is the best of both school and homeschool for us. I am willing to homeschool her through 12th grade, but we will take it as it comes.

[sleepy]

We're going all the way, baby!! :D

:iagree:

[KrissiK]

Before I started I was committed till high school, but now... 4 weeks into Kindergarten, I don't know. I have pretty strong convictions about why we are homeschooling, but there are other issues that are arising that make me wonder if this is the right thing. The actual time we spend homeschooling is wonderful. The boys are doing great. However, it's the after school time that is really getting to me. I have three young children and they are active, outgoing and wonderful children. But, they want my attention and want me to talk to them, engage them all day long. I am an introvert and struggle with allergies, and Epstein Barr, so exhaustion tends to play a big factor in my day. I want to do it, I see the benefits, I don't want to put my kids in public school and we can't afford Christian school. I'm not quite sure what to do.

[RenayofRohan]

Lord willing, through high school. But I know circumstances in life may change. ;)

[Mom to Aly]

I love that you listed the choice I chose--until they have me committed! sounds perfect!

[HappyatHome]

This is our 16th year of homeschooling. I have two high school graduates and one who is a senior this year. My baby is in 8th grade. At this point, I can't imagine not homeschooling all the way. We love homeschooling. But I've learned never to say never.

[Paintedlady]

To homeschool them or not was a decision I personally struggled with since they were born. I was too scared to do what I felt was best, so dd ended up in school for 2 years and ds for one year. When I finally got over my fear, I knew I'd never put them back.

 

And now that I've done so much research in the hows and whys of ps beginnings, it would be a cold day in :D before I'd put them back in.

 

P.S. I almost chose "Until they have me committed." :lol: