Ruth in CA Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 I need some advice from parents who made a later transition to homeschooling. So, we've homeschooled, we've private schooled and we've public schooled (if those last two can be verbs), and now we're at middle school and high school. My ds who is in 6th grade is begging for us to homeschool him because he is bored and basically reads through most of the school day (not that reading is bad). My dd who is going to be in 9th grade next year wants to go to the local high school with her friends--even though she finds school extremely easy and has been told that high school is even easier. I think that homeschool would be the best thing for both of my kids. The academic and moral training would be far superior to the local public school. But I am concerned about my ds. The last time we homeschooled she got scarely depressed (she was a 7th grader then). How do i help her make the transition? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamela H in Texas Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Well, we're "forever" homeschoolers so I can't help a bunch other than to bump your post, but.... I wonder if you can figure out what the problem was before when you tried and address those issues. For example, do your kids need more time out of the house? working with other people? hanging out with other kids? taking different classes from other adults? etc.... So it might be as easy as finding good volunteer jobs, joining a co-op, using a class that meetings twice a week online, letting them have more computer time to discuss books with friends, having them work with a congregation member, etc... I tell you, this really can be an awesome thing at a WONDERFUL time in their lives. Homeschooling will allow them to have a better education, but to have more of whatever life they want also. Though you, like most, will pick a curriculum, you might pick up Real Lives by Grace Llewellyn. Your kids and you can each read it but it's about kids making the most out of not being in school. Generally, it's about unschooling, but I think the lessons can be important even if you use a curriculum to guide your children's education at this time in their lives. One book I've heard a lot about on here is Do Hard Things. I can't give a review, but it sounds like it could be a great thing for some young teens to consider. You may need to consider carefully the Christian content if you aren't a mainstream Christian (I'm hoping that some non-mainstream CHristians and non-Christians will soon post their thoughts about it). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruth in CA Posted February 2, 2009 Author Share Posted February 2, 2009 Thanks Pamela, I appreciate the response. In thinking about it, I do think it was not having enough time to interact with friends outside the house. My ds doesn't care about that (but he needs it). My dd needs social time with her friends. I need to think about this more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 To my older daughter, the best advantage to homeschooling is that it allows her to devote lots and lots of times to her extracurricular passions, competitive gymnastics and ballet. She also has Chinese lessons with a tutor, with the hope that she'll one day be able to study in China for a semester or so, perhaps as a high schooler or during a gap year. Perhaps your daughter could come up with a goal of that sort, one that would be unattainable without homeschooling (or unattainable without significant sacrifice of her social time). My daughter works very hard during our school hours, which mirror those of a regular school's, but she knows it's the trade-off for mostly homework-free evenings. So that might be another selling point. For what it's worth, my daughter cried when we told her she was going to be homeschooled but now loves it and, socially, is busier than ever. Terri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 I think you have to be committed and no going back if it doesn't work out. I've seen young ladies act out until they were able to go to high school. If you feel it is best then make the plans with her. Let her know that she isn't going back and try to find ways to connect her with other home schooled children. While you might not want to get rid of her current friends they will be all excited about dances and school activities. I do notice by the time they are in high school for a couple of years they all want out. So, go figure. Have a lot of family activities and weekend trips planned. It will also be a change for her to have to work to get her school work done. It will make it easier for college though. :) I find these years with a dd fraught with emotion. Good luck with your decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 I need some advice from parents who made a later transition to homeschooling. So, we've homeschooled, we've private schooled and we've public schooled (if those last two can be verbs), and now we're at middle school and high school. My ds who is in 6th grade is begging for us to homeschool him because he is bored and basically reads through most of the school day (not that reading is bad). My dd who is going to be in 9th grade next year wants to go to the local high school with her friends--even though she finds school extremely easy and has been told that high school is even easier. I think that homeschool would be the best thing for both of my kids. The academic and moral training would be far superior to the local public school. But I am concerned about my ds. The last time we homeschooled she got scarely depressed (she was a 7th grader then). How do i help her make the transition? You could check into the community colleges in your area. California has very easy admission requirements--no SAT/ACT, no high school diploma needed, nothin' other than *maybe* a placement test for math and English--and *many* homeschoolers do c.c. instead of high school (both of my dds did that). Your dd might think that's exciting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 I think that homeschool would be the best thing for both of my kids. The academic and moral training would be far superior to the local public school. But I am concerned about my ds. The last time we homeschooled she got scarely depressed (she was a 7th grader then). How do i help her make the transition? I don't know the details of her depression, but 7th grade is quite a depressive year for some kids. At any rate, even the sunniest kids are more subdued, inwardly focused and foggy at 13. There is a good chance it could work out fine this time around. Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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