Adult children who were homeschooled?

[AngieB]

Is there anyone one this board who has homeschooled their child who is now an adult (18 or older)? I guess I'm looking for some success stories. Not so much she'll be the youngest president or he got a full scholarship (those would be nice also). I'm just looking for... are they happy adults, did they go on to college or get a job and become stable adults able to care for themselves and live in society? I'm not implying that homeschool can't do these things. It's just that most everyone I read about are in the middle of homeschooling and parenting (myself included) and it feels like such a big experiment and your never sure what the outcome will be.

[AJP]

My guess is that most parents of now-adult homeschooled kids don't stay active in terms of communicating with other parents, encouraging homeschoolers and relating their experiences. The kids are grown, the parents get involved in other stuff, aren't in the thick of it anymore so are no longer visiting forums or blogging about HSing. I know there are some here on this board, though, hopefully they'll chime in. There are some books out there written by homeschooling parents whose kids are now grown, but I'm blanking on the names right now. Also, homeschooling has grown so much in the past decade or so, that the number of currently-homeschooled kids vastly outweighs the number of homeschool graduates, so naturally most of the chatter will be about those currently HSing.

I think there are some parents of grown HS kids on the email lists for the two larger CA HS support groups, HSC http://www.hsc.org and CHN http://www.californiahomeschool.net .

[AJP]

Originally Posted by AngieB

it feels like such a big experiment and your never sure what the outcome will be.

Just wanted to add, this seems like a description of parenting in general to me, not just homeschooling! But I know what you mean, going against the norm can make something feel more uncertain.

[LionTigerBear]

My sibs and I were homeschooled. Two brothers are in college and doing well enough, one joined the army first and struggles in college now. One of the brothers who is currently in college wanted to join the FBI some day and his education did not prepare him in the way he needed for that career path. He is going for criminal justice instead. I personally disagree with how my mom homeschooled us, though I DO plan to homeschool my own children. My mom's style was very controlling and we didn't have much room to follow our own interests. She also kept us home too much and discouraged socialization of most sorts. I started college when I was 15 but felt unprepared for the experience. My mom pushed me to take classes that were as advanced as she could get me into, and some of them were too hard for me and I didn't do well overall. I left my mom's house against her wishes when I was 16 and started going to public high school (which wasn't better than homeschooling, just different, but at least I didn't have to deal with my parents anymore.)

Sorry my personal experience isn't thoroughly glowing, however I think there as many different ways of homeschooling as there are different kinds of schools and will have differing results.

[True Blue]

I have a friend who was homeschooled, joined the military, is doing very well with 4 children...he is no different than everyone else.

[Lillian J]

Originally Posted by AngieB

Is there anyone one this board who has homeschooled their child who is now an adult (18 or older)? I guess I'm looking for some success stories.

Me: Homeschooling - It's a Wonderful Life!

I'd say more but I've been procrastinating and need to get busy here. Will be back. - Lillian

[rubyinthedust]

This isn't exactly what you asked for, but I think I qualify here to a certain extent.

I attended Catholic schools from kindergarten through sophomore year and I dropped out about two months into my junior year. High school was just a horrific time for me all around. I'm a perfectionstic by nature and school brought that to an excessive level in my want for perfect grades. I also had serious depression and anxiety.

After getting out of that hell hole, I homeschooled myself for a little bit, took some courses at the local community college through their Young Scholars program or something like that at 16, received my GED, and enrolled at the aforementioned college as a full-time student just after turning 17. I wanted more so I transferred to a four year university in Canada and moved 500 miles from home just as I was turning 18. I spent a year there, but I felt like I wanted still something more and transferred to what is ranked as one of the best and most presitigious universities in Canada.

I'm the happiest I've been in a long time, but I attribute that more to my own personal growth since moving out on my own and the friendships that I've fostered here. I also think the part-time job I have really helps my self-esteem. School itself is still a bit of a drag. I enjoy what I'm studying and it's certainly better than grade school and high school, but I'm very independent and I'd prefer not to have to fit into this structured way of learning. I wish there was a way to homeschool college, or if I could just not do it at all, but I feel like with the way society is I need a degree to accomplish what I want to in my career. Maybe I didn't necessarily choose the best university for myself either.

So, where was I going with this? I'm happy, nearly done my studies in university (a little over a year left!), have a part-time job and am doing well after taking a semi-untraditional route to get here, one which I imagine some homeschool students might follow somewhat should they choose to attend college (but hopefully without my horrible start).

I really wish I had discovered homeschooling earlier and then followed the route to college that I did, so I say don't worry. I think I'm proof that you don't have to do the whole high school thing to get into a good college (should that be your choice), be happy, transition into adult life, etc. and your children are likely getting, in my perspective, a much better start than I did!

[greenthumb3]

My DH was homeschooled by a year or two before he attended elementary school. A few of my siblings were homeschooled for different periods of time. I was fully public schooled.

I know just what you mean about the "experiment" feeling. I have read the books, the websites, talked to people who are homeschooling, but know very few adults who were homeschooled for part or all of their education. It feels a little like taking steps into the darkness, not really know how things will turn out, sometimes. But mostly, I have faith in what I read, and most importantly in how I feel about what I know about homeschooling in our family, and trust that my children will succeed as I see them succeeding right now and if we are succeeding now, the future will follow that pattern, even if other events or day-to-day happenings can be chaotic!


If you are into this at all, here are some books I have on my Amazon wishlist related to homeschoolers as adults.

Kind of like adults, teens:

Real Lives: Eleven Teenagers who Don't Go To School Tell Their Stories

After Homeschool: 15 Homeschoolers Out in the Real World by Tamra Orr

and one I own, that I found somewhat helpful. It's written from a mother's perspective who has finished homeschooling her two daughters:

Viral Learning:Reflections On The Homeschooling Life by Mary Griffith


HTH.

[Lillian J]

Originally Posted by greenthumb3

...and one I own, that I found somewhat helpful. It's written from a mother's perspective who has finished homeschooling her two daughters:

Viral Learning:Reflections On The Homeschooling Life by Mary Griffith

I certainly recommend that one too - very thought provoking. And it also has a little of my own ranting in the back

I think the "Eleven Teenagers..." one is great too, because it has updates after the original stores had been printed around 10 years earlier. I'm not familiar with the other one greenthumb3 mentioned, but it certainly fits the bill. Another one is Linda Dobson's Homeschoolers' Success Stories: 15 Adults and 12 Young People Share the Impact That Homeschooling Has Made on Their Lives.

Oh, hey! I just remembered my page on teens - Teen Years, Homeschooling High School, College & Career Information - it has links to some pretty inspiring articles.

- Lillian

[Lillian J]

Originally Posted by True Blue

I have a friend who was homeschooled, joined the military, is doing very well with 4 children...he is no different than everyone else.

Aw, but surely he's a lot better at being no different than everyone else... Kidding... - Lillian

[greenthumb3]

Originally Posted by Lillian J

Another one is Linda Dobson's Homeschoolers' Success Stories: 15 Adults and 12 Young People Share the Impact That Homeschooling Has Made on Their Lives.

Oh, nice! Adding that title to my wishlist

[SpiderMum]

I was homeschooled K through 12. The only time I've set foot in a school was to vote.

I think I've had a very normal happy life. I don't feel like I missed out on anything...I even had a prom! I personally didn't go to college because I didn't want to run up all that debt for an art degree, particularly when I wanted to be a stay-at-home-mom anyway. My older brother was also homeschooled from 5th grade onward. He's a successful marine mechanic (also married). A number of my friends were also homeschooled and the majority of them are still in college (they're a few years younger than I am) or going back to school for their Masters (the ones that are my age). They're all happy and doing well.

I plan on HSing my daughter. She's only 6-months-old, but I've always intended to HS. My husband went to PS, but he's seen that HS can be a success and is very supportive of it.

[Sijae]

I was unschooled and am a fairly decent person :-)

[Mama_Leah]

I was homeschooled from 3rd grade through high school, my brothers were homeschooled exclusively. I think I'm pretty well adjusted and the ways I'm not have nothing to do with being homeschooled, lol.
My sister and I both chose to be SAHM's (because we both homeschool our kids), my older brother is in the Army, very outgoing, a real leader. My younger brother has been slow to leave the nest but has a good job, an artistic nature and a quirkiness all his own.

I think all families are going to have things that they need to watch for but luckily it's not like we are going to wake up tomorrow and find our 5 yr old is now a very maladjusted 20 who slumps around drooling and avoiding eye contact. It (parenthood in general) all trial and error really, fixing problems as the arise. Even among public schooled kids there is a wide variance on how they turn out, some based on the school some on their family life. I think homeschooling is a risk worth taking as long as you are responsible about it.