Homeschooling some kids but not others?

[lavender's green]

I know plenty of people here do that. Just curious about your experiences with it. My oldest child was homeschooled for two years and now he's in an ASD program at a private school. He's exactly where he needs to be. My middle child is entering kindy next year, and he'd like to be homeschooled. I loved homeschooling and still have a lot in common with philosophical homeschoolers. We'd probably actually use a University Model school, because that would alleviate some of the things I found stressful about homeschooling. If you'd care to share your experience, I'd appreciate it!

[DesertBlossom]

I am homeschooling all but my oldest. I homeschooled him for a couple years, but he is one to constantly argue with me or try to negotiate his work down to nothing each day. He has been at a school for G&T kids for the last 3 1/2 years, and academically it's been fantastic fit for him. Sometimes he complains about how much more school work he has than his siblings-- and it's true, he does do a lot more than we do. But that's just the way it is. 

This next year I plan on putting DC2 and maybe DC3 back in school because I will have a newborn and I am worried I just won't be able to keep up with their school and they are getting to ages where doing the bare minimum won't cut it. I still plan on homeschooling the next three.

[Zinnias]

I homeschool 2 of my 4.  My oldest went to school for K-1, then came home for 2-3.  He was in a school where he wasn't challenged, and his boredom=behavior problems, and yet, they let him get away with it "because he's so smart."  Bad fit.  He was difficult to school.  His major complaint about homeschooling is long stretches of time that he didn't have anything to do.  His only two ways of entertaining himself seem to be video games and pestering others into fights.  We are all happier with him in school, and he has said that he prefers it, too.  He has been at a high achiever magnet since 4th (currently in 6th), and that's a good fit for him.  He does sometimes complain that he has more volume of work than his homeschooled siblings do.  And it's true...he does.  But that's public versus homeschool, so what you gonna do.  He is very motivated by competition, so a group schooling setting works well for him.  I do sometimes feel bad that I couldn't meet his needs at home, but I just couldn't.
 

I homeschool two kids in the middle who are both dyslexic.  They both like homeschooling, and academically, I feel like it's best for them.  Last year almost killed me with a nasty anxiety loop about school and fighting/yelling/tears.  I sent my 4th to school to give us time to break that cycle and get in a better place.  She asks a lot to be homeschooled, and I will definitely bring her home for first.  

[Storygirl]

DD16 attended a university model school for third and fourth grades, so that while she was in class, I could focus on the needs of my younger three, who were K-2 during those years. There were definite pros and cons. It was helpful to be able to work with them while knowing she was occupied at her own level. And she enjoyed it. But she had a ton of homework for the days that she had off, and it was challenging, so she needed my help. So during three days a week, I still felt that I was not giving my younger kids the attention they needed.

I also felt torn about doing fun or field trip activities with them while she was in school, because I didn't want her to miss them. And I disliked having her schoolwork dictated by others, because choosing what we learned was a fun part of homeschooling for me, and I would have chosen some things that I though would have been better suited to her. DD loved it, but I felt conflicted the whole time, like I was only half in charge. I began homeschooling full time again when she was in fifth grade.

Then when DD16 was in 8th grade, she homeschooled, and the other three went to a private school. By that age, she was difficult to homeschool, not because she had any attitude problems (plenty of those with the younger three, but not her), but because she was lonely at home with just me. She was hard to engage in discussions, because she would not contribute much, and I did most of the talking. She needed the interaction of peers, and we could both see it. She asked to go to school for ninth grade, and we found a private Christian school for her to attend (her sibling's school only went through 8th grade).

Generally, I think it can work well to have some in school and some at home, but it can take some adjustments to the family dynamics. You lose some autonomy, because you have to work with the school schedule and manage homework, as well as homeschooling. And if you have to provide transportation for the children in school, it definitely can interrupt your homeschooling schedule.

But it works really well for some families.

[Gobblygook]

I have two in public school, one who does part-time private and part-time homeschool and one who is entirely homeschooled except for a weekly enrichment co-op. 

I’d previously homeschooled 3/4 (youngest is in public special ed) and between the sibling squabbles and puberty drama, it was pretty stressful. Oldest chose to go to public after first quarter this year and while I initially was upset, it has made homeschooling the middle two so much easier! #2 is happy as a lark being homeschooled but #3 is a social butterfly and needs more social interaction. Thus, she attends a lovely private school a few days a week. It’s a perfect fit for her. 

I’ve regained much of the joy I used to have in homeschooling. Now, I’m not impressed by the lack of rigor at oldest’s school, but he is learning how to work with different teachers and manage deadlines and group work. We’d planned on him going to high school anyway, so having him in school for 8th grade will hopefully help with some of the adjustment before grades matter so much.

[BooksandBoys]

I homeschool my older two (10 and 7) who are both 2E. My youngest is in K at the neighborhood public school. Idealogically, I would like to homeschool all three, but I can’t do it practically. Youngest also went to preschool the last two years so I’d have time to work with the older two. I struggle a bit about feeling guilty doing fun things with the older two that youngest misses out on, and, as a year-round schooler (by necessity as our spectrum kiddos need the consistency of school), I’m having a hard time handling the school breaks, but I’ll figure it out. 🙂 

[kiwik]

I have one of each.  It is a pain because with working 30 + hours and dancing to the school's tune I struggle to do enough with ds9.  Ds11 would be hard to homeschool though as he is more extravert and ds9 is homeschooled because he can"t cope with the social demands of school.

[prairiewindmomma]

I homeschooled everyone until last year. Last year I sent older dd to school. She needed a break from her brothers who are both 2E and quirky, iykwim.  Her sister started kindy this year at the same school. At the end of last year (like May!) we enrolled ds to start the IEP process. He is in school half days now. So, I have my mornings with Oldest (which lets us get chemistry labs done and some serious discussion on history, pre-calc, etc.). Younger ds comes home at lunchtime and we all have lunch. I switch gears at that point and I work with younger ds until the girls get off of the bus.  We have snack then, and then I do a bit of afterschooling with the girls until I start dinner. I take my homeschooling hat off at that point (no more evening sessions! or grading! or much in the way of prepping!) and am just mom.  

This all works really well for us. I don't think it will last forever, for a variety of reasons, but I have to do what's right for the kids in front of me.

[Bootsie]

We homeschooled DS in middle school and high school, but DD attended a Catholic, all-girls high school.  We attempted to keep our homeschool schedule in sync with the schedule at the school where DD was attending.