When do you start the school year? My children are unhappy with our start date

[Janeway]

I set July 11 as our start date a while ago. Thing is, we are in the south. It is already over 100 degrees. We already are more relaxed about our days. We never have a day longer than 4 hrs, but most days are even shorter. I want us to be done by April to leave us free to relax when the weather is actually nice out. We tend to have a lot of activities in September and December also. 

 

Ever since 12 yr old has been home, dragging feet and whining and not getting anything done has been the standard. And really, if they were in public school full-time, I would expect them to use some time during the summer to review for fall. They both seem to think summer is about sitting around and playing video games and have failed to do even a little review. 

 

Anyone else? Is anyone already doing school, as in, doing it now, not on break? Or when is everyone else starting back?

[My3Munchkins]

We start back the first Monday in August. Most of our activities (dance, scouts, etc) start late August/early September and I like to get at least a few weeks of school in before the craziness begins! We then take a break from Thanksgiving to New Years and start winding down our school year in early May. We're still pretty busy in May and the beginning of June with dance rehearsals/recital, VBS, summer camp, etc so July ends up being out real break from all activities and commitments.

[Peaceful Isle]

We finished around The second week of June. My kids were so burned out.

 

We start back the day after Labor Day. If I tried to start sooner, it would just be stressful for us. We have too many camps, vbs, and activities going on this summer, that it would just be too crazy.

 

Me personally, I would love to start sooner though.

[JenneinCA]

We will start when classes start at the community college. That means August 29. I have to live by that schedule because I have kids on it and it is simpler to keep my twelve year old on the same one.

[Junie]

Our school year begins on August 1.  It ends on July 31. :)  We school year round, taking breaks for grandparent visits, VBS, camp, Mommy migraines, and a few other things that happen throughout the year.

[Arcadia]

We start Aug 15th which is when public schools start back. My kids are in summer online classes anyway which observe typical summer term.

[Janeway]

We don't really have anything for the rest of summer. We are pretty well done. It's just too hot out to do anything.

[Caclcoca]

We are going to start our math and spelling on July 11th.  We will start everything else the first week of Aug.  We are also in the South, and it is already ridiculously hot.  We didn't stop music lessons for the summer, so we also have music practice.

[luuknam]

I've lived in Texas, north of Dallas, and I was quite annoyed that school had a long summer break June-August, right when it's 110+ outside so you have to stay inside in the A/C (can't play at playground because you'll burn yourself going down the slide, etc). I really wished they had a nice long fall and a nice long spring break instead and no break in summer.

 

Anyway, to answer the homeschooling question, I don't have a start or an end date*. Sometimes we do more, sometimes we do less, sometimes there are some days we don't do anything, but for example, my youngest did All About Spelling 1 step 1 on Saturday and step 2 on Sunday, and my oldest did AAS2 step 1 on Monday (yes, the 4th), and I'm planning on having him do steps 2&3 today, 4&5 tomorrow, 6&7 on Thursday, and 8&9 on Friday, and then nothing on the weekend (he's entering 4th grade and spelling a tiny bit above grade level, so we're speeding through AAS2 just to fill any gaps). I'll probably do some other schooly stuff this week too (probably history); I haven't quite decided yet.

 

*However, the school district says the school year ends June 30th and starts July 1st, so now that we're in July everything counts towards the 2016/2017 school year - last week the kids were in camp, and the week before that we did very little because I wanted to check boxes for next year, not for the year for which I'd already handed in the annual eval.

 

ETA: Oh, yeah, math. We'll be doing some LOF this week too.

Edited July 5, 2016 by luuknam

[Dramorellis]

It's just easier for us to school year round and take breaks when it seems like a good idea. We were super burned out so we took two weeks mid-June and now are back to a lighter summer schedule. The plan is to finish up some of our basics and then take another break for two weeks in August and start our "new school year" at the end of August before our outside activities start up again in September. I do try to balance the work in the summer with lots of opportunities for them to be bored and do what they want and also swimming, and all the typical summer activities.

[Julie Smith]

If we are home, and Daddy is at work then it is a school day - unless something strange is going on. 

 

It has always been this way, so they are use to it. One thing I do is point out that because of this we can have short school days, and really easy Wednesdays. As in just piano lessons, read something and do something somewhat educational (ie. Library class, go bowling, go swimming, watch a documentary...)

[luuknam]

FWIW, when my oldest was public schooled, we did schooly stuff in the summer too. For example, between K and 1st, we worked 20 min/day on a phonics program because he was a (very good) sight word reader, reading above grade level, but couldn't sound out even simple CVC words to save his life. He also got speech and physical therapy twice a week at a local public school that summer. I think we also did a little bit of math that summer, though probably just apps on my phone.

[regentrude]

We always started back up in Mid-August, this year August 22.

 

And really, if they were in public school full-time, I would expect them to use some time during the summer to review for fall. They both seem to think summer is about sitting around and playing video games and have failed to do even a little review.

 

When my kids were in ps, it would never have occurred to me to have my kids review for the fall over the summer. The first weeks and sometimes months in ps are spent entirely on review. Why would I want to make it even more boring for them? 

 

In our homeschool, when the kids were younger, we did enrichment activities over the summer: field trips to museums, nature centers, live performances, and lots of hikes and free reading. Only math was continued throughout, with no more than one month break.

 

Edited July 5, 2016 by regentrude

[Ethel Mertz]

Our school year ends on June 16th and begins on June 25th with a marine biology conference. We just took a long weekend and today are starting back with "summer school." DS is reading his literature assignment at the moment and then we will do a page of math, history, and Latin. Our next break is from August 11th through Labor Day. We'll have a week off in the fall and then take a Christmas break from the middle of December to January 2nd. We'll also have a week or two off in the Spring.

[Janeway]

We always started back up in Mid-August, this year August 22.

 

 

When my kids were in ps, it would never have occurred to me to have my kids review for the fall over the summer. The first weeks and sometimes months in ps are spent entirely on review. Why would I want to make it even more boring for them? 

 

In our homeschool, when the kids were younger, we did enrichment activities over the summer: field trips to museums, nature centers, live performances, and lots of hikes and free reading. Only math was continued throughout, with no more than one month break.

Oh yes. My one who is in public school, every day we either read a book or practice counting money, or maybe even do a little phonics. Something happens most days. It only takes a few minutes.

[luuknam]

In our homeschool, when the kids were younger, we did enrichment activities over the summer: field trips to museums, nature centers, live performances, and lots of hikes and free reading.

 

We do those kinds of things year round and call it school (along with the more schoolish stuff).

 

ETA: but I hate things that are too crowded, so certain field trips (e.g. the museum of play in Rochester) I prefer to do when school is in session.

Edited July 5, 2016 by luuknam

[G5052]

LOL, whenever I choose. We've had so very many years of medical and eldercare crises that up until high school when they're independent, we pretty much had to go year-round with just a few breaks. I couldn't get it done otherwise.  Just to show, even my teens have had to slide here-and-there.

 

Last summer my oldest went through his graduation ceremony in June but didn't finish his math and physics until the beginning of July. I felt bad about that, but he had a number of online and dual enrollment classes and those slid because I was teaching them. 

 

This summer my 12th grader finished her chemistry with me in late June, and is currently doing some academic reading (modern novels) and a "home arts" class that we need to fit in with health, cooking, sewing, and household management content. We were going to do a health class, but she's much more motivated on this and needs another 1/2 credit.

 

She'll continue the novels and "home arts" all summer and then begin physics with me August 1st. My goal is NOT to have her work spill over into the summer after 12th grade. She has a very busy, academic 12th grade year with a lot of volunteer work and martial arts, so it's going to be a juggling act. Her other coursework won't start until September.

 

 

[regentrude]

We do those kinds of things year round and call it school (along with the more schoolish stuff).

 

ETA: but I hate things that are too crowded, so certain field trips (e.g. the museum of play in Rochester) I prefer to do when school is in session.

 

I work during the academic year. We couold do in state field trips on weekends only. Out of state travel is possible for us only in the summer. 

Edited July 5, 2016 by regentrude

[freesia]

My high schooler just ended his year--so no, we are not starting now! EEK

 

We live where ps school ends the third week of June. We will begin again around August 29th or 30th. Some of the high schoolers online classes begin the week before.

[Susan in TX]

We would be starting today except that my girls are going to camp next week. So we will start July 18. We usually take the month of June off for summer break and start up again after the 4th of July.

 

Susan in TX

[MeaganS]

We start July 1st because that's when our state's new year starts for homeschoolers. We homeschool year round, though, so it is more of a symbolic beginning than an actual one. I vastly prefer to be really good about schooling during the really cold and really hot times so that we have more flexibility when it is nice out.

 

So we had our big 1st day of school celebration on Friday. We get brownies and ice cream for breakfast and go have fun wherever. This year it was the bounce house place and the science museum. :)

[Farrar]

I think kids do need a break. Mine are okay with working through July because they know they'll get most of September off instead. If too much screens when there's no school is the problem, think about new rules for that. If the kids feeling burnt out is the problem, think about how to give them more of a break. If them not seeing how they do more or less the same amount of school as other kids, just spread differently, think about making it more explicit when you're taking breaks. If review is the problem, think about going to a year-round schedule with more set, clear breaks, but shorter so there's less need to review.

[Loowit]

We finished the end of May/early June and will start again at the end of August.  I need a break and the kids need a break.  Summer is when we have most of our good weather, so it is good to give them a chance to be out enjoying themselves when they can.  We also somewhat follow our public school calendar, though not completely, because most of their activities like dance and scouts are planned around that calendar.  While I don't mind missing a few scouting events to do something, DD can't miss much dance because she is on a competition team with attendance commitments.  We also don't do any review on our summer break.  For us summer is a time to just relax and enjoy ourselves.  I have never really found with my children that we needed to do much, if any, review in the fall after taking a break.  We just pick up where we left off and keep going in the fall.  If it were a problem then I might add in a bit over the summer, but as it is I don't see the need for my children.

[redsquirrel]

We finished in the middle of June. My kids have July and August off. They have ballet intensives and we have a vacation in August etc. I have tried making them do work etc during the summer, but honestly, they work hard and they need a break. My older boy is in a good public school and they don't require summer work. If I tried to make my teenager to extra work in the summer that would not go over well.  Wait, he will watch Crash Course videos and fun things like that. I just remembered.

 

Schools here start after Labor Day. I usually start the Monday after Labor day. We like to have those couple days when school starts to go to parks etc and have the place to ourselves. It's really fun. We see other homeschoolers and catch up.

 

We usually start a little bit after the public schools and finish a little bit before. We don't take all the holidays that the public school takes, so we actually end up getting more instruction days in. But, it's fun to end early and start late. I figure, why bother homeschooling if you can't have a few perks?

[MerryAtHope]

I set July 11 as our start date a while ago. Thing is, we are in the south. It is already over 100 degrees. We already are more relaxed about our days. We never have a day longer than 4 hrs, but most days are even shorter. I want us to be done by April to leave us free to relax when the weather is actually nice out. We tend to have a lot of activities in September and December also. 

 

Ever since 12 yr old has been home, dragging feet and whining and not getting anything done has been the standard. And really, if they were in public school full-time, I would expect them to use some time during the summer to review for fall. They both seem to think summer is about sitting around and playing video games and have failed to do even a little review. 

 

Anyone else? Is anyone already doing school, as in, doing it now, not on break? Or when is everyone else starting back?

 

We usually start about a week after that, but because of camp, we can't start until the first week in August this year. 

 

Anytime I get grief over it though, I always say, "Well, we could start later but have not go on vacation in September like we planned." or, "We could start later but not do Friday friend day." (We do half-days on Friday so that we can go to a friend's home in the afternoon. Starting early helps us get all of our days in.)

 

In your case, I'd say, "Well, we could start later but we wouldn't be done in April when the weather is nice."

 

And in April, I'd make a big deal about how they're done but others aren't yet.

 

However, I think if you want them to review, you probably need to schedule something, just like chores. I don't know many 12 and 14 year-olds who would choose to practice math facts (unless it's a fun hobby for them) on their own, etc... My mom always gave me books to read over the summer.

[Kathryn]

In the south too and we usually start July 4th week so we can enjoy the nice weather April-June and stay inside in July and August.

[Matryoshka]

Anyone else? Is anyone already doing school, as in, doing it now, not on break? Or when is everyone else starting back?

Lol, in our state, schools start the day after Labor Day. School also just ended a couple weeks ago - end of the school year is toward the end of June.

 

Most schools here are not air-conditioned. ..

[lexi]

August 1st.

Although we moved here from south Texas and when we lived there we did quite a bit of school in the summer and took all of December off as well as other times in the winter. We went to lots of parks and played outside when the weather wasn't unbearably hot. So if I still lived there I would absolutely start now so you can take off when it's actually nice out.

[Angie in VA]

Year-rounders here.

[Heathermomster]

I just told my kids that we start school again on Aug 1.  I'm prepping them now so that there will be no squawking in 4 weeks.  I minimize any formal school during the summer because we are burnt out.  Our last month or so of school was hectic.  I want my kids to enjoy themselves without pressure from me or anyone else for that matter.

[fairfarmhand]

Usually the first week of August.

 

Have you showed them the school calendar?

 

"We'll be off this week and that week for these activitiies...Look a THREE week winter break! And then we're done in April!"

 

My kids are willing to work extra hard through their friend's fall breaks and spring breaks to be done by Mid April, but they know the why.

[hornblower]

I tried to mostly match the public school year here. For ds June 30th was the last day. School starts again Sep 6. 

Did your kids already have 2 months of vacation? Did they do fun activities, go to camps, playgrounds, parks, water slides etc? 



fwiw, we never did 'review'. My kids have always read & had projects & science kits etc that they're free to do but for us summer was pretty much child led explorations & just me making suggestions about activities. 

 

[theelfqueen]

We ended at Memorial Day and will go back the second week of August (one week after the PS ... just to remind them that they get extras :) ) but our August plans are a but lighter... easing back in.

No required Summer work except two reading assignments and some Russian practice for 10th grader. He also went to Philmont for 2 weeks. He's off to his dad's for a month today.

6th grader has been working on the Khan Pixar in a Box class and some stuff related to Forensics off and on... and he went to "Constitution Camp". Plus he went to Scout camp. Thursday he's off to Florida for 3 weeks of grandparents.

 

This is our first year with both at home, and last year was our first for Muppet Boy (rising 10th)... we're sticking fairly close to the school calendar. We're taking a big trip during the Fall term but considering it mostly as school because of what we'll be doing and the way we've planned our Fall semester -- British Lit and British History with a big field trip to Britain in the middle ;)

(I was an exchange student and we did crap for school when I was on exchange but I learned SO much more than I would have sitting in a classroom AND it counted as high school credit).

Edited July 5, 2016 by theelfqueen

[Loesje22000]

as we are just on our second day of summerbreak, I hate to think of starting again....

Belgian schools always start september 1st, even if it's a Friday.

We decided it is odd to start on thursday, so we agreed to start the first monday of september.

[Ellie]

January 1. :-)

[MamaSprout]

We do a lot of camps and 4H. Our fair is in late July, so our school schedule with academic camps, music lessons and 4H projects runs until fair, then we bring everything to a full stop for three weeks. No music, no assigned reading, nothing but hanging out and maybe some road trips. We have always limited screen time to 2 hours a day on days off for all our kids, and no longer have a game system. This year we'll go back August 15th, with a full break three weeks before.

 

If we were in the South, we would definitely take Thanksgiving to New Year's off, though!

 

ETA- We have a week break planned in September, a long weekend in October, two weeks in December, a long weekend in March and a week in May.

Edited July 5, 2016 by elladarcy

[Dmmetler]

June has been really chaotic here (ACT camp, ACT, 10 day summer program at a college, herpetology conference), so I think we'll start fading in during August, with a plan of completely starting after Labor Day. It doesn't feel like we've had a break yet. More like a series of endurance tests followed by collapsing for a few days.

[Critterfixer]

The year starts in the last week or so of August. But I have four terms of school, and one of them is summer term. We're on a two week break currently. To me it is very hard to look a year ahead and be all excited about getting off "when the weather is nice". Besides, things come up. People get sick. Stuff happens. Curriculum doesn't work out and you have to adjust. All of that can wreck an early finish.

I find it best to think about six weeks at a time. Break to break. That keeps me motivated.

[HomeAgain]

We started school yesterday. :)  So far it's been in the honeymoon period, but we're having fun and enjoying ourselves.  We do lessons outside first thing in the morning when it is nice and cool out, enjoy the late morning with outside hobbies, do sit down work inside spaced throughout the really hot afternoon, and reading selections at night before bed.  That way we still have our "lazy summer" but get to take advantage of the best times for work.

[J&JMom]

We start on Monday, August 8th.  We ended early this year (after only 33 weeks instead of our usual 34 because of travel plans), and we did finish all our planned work. I get antsy after 12 weeks off, so the that's the date.  This summer due to trips, camps, and family illness and subsequent death, we have only done read alouds this summer. I usually have them do a novel study and some math, and I am trying to squeeze that into the remaining 5 weeks of summer we have left as my son prepares for yet another campout this week.  We plan on the same trip in which will require an early May finish. However, summer 2017 will be long as my then high schooler won't start public school until after 14 weeks off!

 

ETA - My kids would mutiny if I had them working weeks during the summer while their public school friends are at the pool.  I am already starting two weeks beforehand as it is, while their best friends start the week after us. I need the long break just as much as they do and have been procrastinating my planning.

Edited July 5, 2016 by J&JMom

[frugalmamatx]

South Texas here. Normally we follow the local school which would put us starting August 22nd. But this year is sooo hot that we'll be sticking closely to home and a/c, plus I need to be home to check to make sure our chickens aren't overheating, So we're going to start back probably next week, and then take a nice long break in fall when it cools down. 

[Critterfixer]

I find that it doesn't hurt to bookend the starts and stops with special events either. We typically do something fun when we get to a break in the school, and I like to do something fun when it comes time to start back up again. Even if it is just a trip to the park or something nice for tea.

[RootAnn]

I need a break as summer is when I wrap all my paperwork up & plan the next year. However, my kids are expected to do math, typing (older kids), reading (younger ones aloud, older ones to selves), and whatever other special topic (like handwriting for youngest two) they need to work on.

 

Eldest is still finishing last year's work, so she isn't done yet. She'll probably be working right up until her next school year starts (math/physics) because of her procrastination!

 

It only takes an hour total to do their summer work most days, so it isn't that big of a deal. The kids can't go to the pool until their work & chores are done. My youngest three are off completely this week, but dd#2 has math & typing since she didn't do anything the last two weeks (due to being overwhelmed by swim lessons). She only had 30 minutes of math with me this morning & no typing, so she was done by 9 a.m. She's the kind to get up & get done with her work before breakfast. DD#1 will goof off & not start working until after lunch.

[Melissa B]

Our current school year will end August 5th and the new school year will begin August 22nd. We are currently wrapping up subjects that we couldn't finish over the school year. We are down to about 3 hours per day of school. On August 5th we just put everything away, finished or not.

[HS Mom in NC]

We start the first full week in August (the ps starts the 3rd week of July) and we end in mid May (the ps ends the 3rd week of May.) I did more schooling according to the weather when my older two were younger because it's really hot here in the summer and we like to hike and camp when it's nice, but with the youngest being practically an only child, we school very closely to the ps system's schedule to maximize time with her best friend who is in ps.

We don't review or school during breaks and my older kids started college at 15 and 17. When we're on a break that means we don't do any school unless it's phonics.  We will keep going with phonics.

 

I continue daily to read aloud, my husband continues to read aloud and we have free reading time for 1-1.5 hours before bed, but that's part of our lives, not part of our school because we do that year round.

[Seeking Squirrels]

We'll start back officially sometime mid-August. But we do some here and there over the summer. If we have other plans, we don't worry about school. If we're home and it's really hot out, we do some school during the hottest part of the day when we come in anyway. I'd like to be doing school 2-3 times a week (lighter summer plans, not full load), but we've been really busy and scheduled this year and have only done school about 3 times since the end of May. I'm hoping for more through July. My kids do better with a bit more consistency and structure and our all-over-the-place plans through June have taken a toll on their behavior. 

 

If I could arrange it the way I really want, we would take a lot more time off in the spring and fall and work pretty full time through the summer when it's *too* hot a lot of the time. But our friends and family go to PS and summer is performance and competition season for DD8's dance, plus other activities and things we want to do that run during the summer..... We've ended up with a pretty full schedule of stuff I don't want to give up and during the spring/fall, those things aren't options and our friends aren't available. 

[HS Mom in NC]

Once your kids get involved in activities with ps kids like church youth groups and sports that aren't school based, you end up following the ps schedule more than you'd like or you opt out the activities.  That's why we only did school in the summer when the kids were younger.  When they were tweens and teens the activities started revolving around the ps year.

[Ravin]

We are starting the second week of August, because that is when DD's enrichment program starts.

[Butter]

We go back the day after the local public schools do (third or fourth week of August) and finish a week before the local public schools do (Friday before Memorial Day).  We have so many activities that are based on the public school calendar that it works best to basically follow their schedule.  Plus my older two are still a bit bitter about having to do school year round when they were little.  There is something lovely (for all of us, including me) about having a nice, long, relaxing summer break.

[Hobbes]

Public school here went Sept 6-June 30 this year. We started Sept 6 and finished May 27. And we took an extra long spring break when we had a baby.

 

I find want the school-free break as much as they do, which is what my mother always said as well. As kids, we always finished at least a month earlier then PS and we considered it the great perk of HS. It just doesn't take one kid as long to get stuff done as it takes 30 at once.

 

We do a lot of interest-led learning in the summer. Current interests include nature study, so we're taking lots of nature walks and using journals, and DD8 requested an astronomy study, so we're exploring that with books and projects. It's a nice change of pace and gets some of my science boxes checked off without the busyness of the school year to rush us.