Yet another HS question(s)

[gothnurse3]

I sometimes feel invisible @ MDC. I would really appreciate some advise, please. We have 3 kids. I am pulled toward HS. My DDx2 go to a very nice Christian school and I have no real complains other than the cost and I feel "left out" because we aren't allowed to go for the school parties. Sometimes I think they are too strict but my DC are thriving especially academically.

My concerns/ thoughts:
1) Am I smart enough?
2) My patience...there are days that I feel like selling them for science experiements...how do you manage 24/7 and still manage to have a clean house, food cooked, clothes done, a garden , and somewhat of a brain left to be an adult?
3) DD #1 is such a follower....she's just in kindergarten and already feeling peer pressure. I hate it.
4) DD#2( k-4) is gifted and very mischievous. I think that she is bored. She doesn't do well with tons of rules and is an analytical thinker ALREADY.
5) DS has asthma and if he were in school he would have missed a ton of school this year. Wasted money... I have the abeka preschool stuff and we do it from time to time for fun but he already knows his numbers and letters. So, we just spend our days together. He'll be 4 in July.
6) Do I have the disapline to pull this off?
7) What is I have to go back to work? I am an RN that is not working because I HATE my profession.

I love the idea of a Catholic HS...since we are Catholic. Dh would probably go for it. He is totally against public school since Louisiana is known for poor schools. If we did HS next year we would use the $$$$ already in savings for tuition to pay off Dh's truck....our ONLY bill.

I feel I am all over the map. Any words from you Mamas that have experience?

[mom2ponygirl]

1) Are you smart enough? Well those kids got it from somewhere! In fact I've read that IQ is more attributable to the mom's side - but of course I might have just remembered that fact because I wanted it that way. LOL

2) Patience - well that is a tough one for everybody, whether their kids are in school or not. You are a work in progress, but my experience has shown that increased time with my daughter has increased by patience and empathy. I've seen the same with my husband. When he was out of work and taking care of dd while I worked, I saw him grow so much more patient. I was the one who was tired and crabby after a day at work and short on patience. LOL

Somedays your house will be messy and your garden will sprout more weeds. However, you will teach those little ones to help clean up and weed identification can work into a really nice science experiment.

Still maintain an adult brain? Hmmm.....I feel like mine is finally returning but dd's 11 now. It may be a false alarm because puberty issues feel like they may overwhelm me soon.

3) In my experience, homeschooling can be a big help with kids learning to feel confident in who they are and less dependent upon peer approval.

4) Yep, hs'ing a gifted girl. School moves too slow and doesn't get to a lot of the interesting things. She's gone part-time to high school this year (at 11) and even high school math and science moves so slooowly for her.

5) Avoiding some of the sick days and making use of minor sick days is another advantage to homeschooling.

6) If you want to you will. Somedays it will feel like you aren't doing enough but when you look back over time you will see how much your children have grown in their abilities.

7) Going back to work is always a possibility. However, hs'ing has given me some space to think about what I want to do with the rest of my life and begin a plan toward meeting some new goals.

Feeling conflicted is totally normal. Just remember you don't have to make a permanent decision. You can try it for a year and see what you think!

[Momma Aimee]

Originally Posted by gothnurse3

I sometimes feel invisible @ MDC. I would really appreciate some advise, please. We have 3 kids. I am pulled toward HS. My DDx2 go to a very nice Christian school and I have no real complains other than the cost and I feel "left out" because we aren't allowed to go for the school parties. THAT is reason enough. We are parents, God gave them to us to raise and if you feel you are missing a part of their life, then cahnge it Sometimes I think they are too strict but my DC are thriving especially academically.

My concerns/ thoughts:
1) Am I smart enough?

Sure you are. You read, you write, i assume you can do simple math -- you did number your list. that is all it takes. what you don't know yu learn with your kids. my grammer rules are rusty, so i will read ahead and then do the work with the kids. I am reading a phonices book now, yes i read well but i want to brush up on all the rules.

no one is asking you to teach advanced chem -- LOL -- and when the times comes for THAT if you still feel drawn to homeschool and it is best for you -- you will work it out. DVD classes, on-line classes CC classes, coop classes ....

2) My patience...there are days that I feel like selling them for science experiements...how do you manage 24/7 and still manage to have a clean house, food cooked, clothes done, a garden , and somewhat of a brain left to be an adult?

I am praying HARD that this becomes easier as they grow up and can be independant for a few minutes.

IMO you set a routine. Maybe a quiet hour in the afternoon where the kids listen to audio books, whatever works.

Kids can garden with you -- have their own space maybe? we read the Bible as a family.

Homemaking skills -- bakeing bread, menu planning, laundry -- are skills all kids need to learn. this how much more cheerful they will do chorse with you if it not at 5 pm after a long day at school.

You CAN make it work, but what it looks like for me is not what it will look like for you.

3) DD #1 is such a follower....she's just in kindergarten and already feeling peer pressure. I hate it.

all the more reason to bring her home. if she is going to FOLLOW who should she follow, you and your family and your valuse? or the public school and peers?


4) DD#2( k-4) is gifted and very mischievous. I think that she is bored. She doesn't do well with tons of rules and is an analytical thinker ALREADY.

you can challange her at home. You know what she is capable of, you can expect more of you and not let her coast.


5) DS has asthma and if he were in school he would have missed a ton of school this year. Wasted money... I have the abeka preschool stuff and we do it from time to time for fun but he already knows his numbers and letters. So, we just spend our days together. He'll be 4 in July.

IMO Just let him follwo along with the olders -- if he asks for hhis own -- he can do simple workbooks.

6) Do I have the disapline to pull this off?

i think this is a learning process. i think it will make you a better person.


7) What is I have to go back to work? I am an RN that is not working because I HATE my profession.

Cross THAT bridge when it happens. As long as you keep them current to grade level (or mostly based on skills) then they can go back to school.

a choice to homeschool, or cathoilc school, or public school is NEVER a forever set in stone thing, you can always change it if you need to.

I love the idea of a Catholic HS...since we are Catholic. Dh would probably go for it. He is totally against public school since Louisiana is known for poor schools. If we did HS next year we would use the $$$$ already in savings for tuition to pay off Dh's truck....our ONLY bill.

GO for it. It doesn't work, they go back to school and you have less bills.

I feel I am all over the map. Any words from you Mamas that have experience?

[ocelotmom]

Originally Posted by gothnurse3

1) Am I smart enough?

Yes.

You made it through nursing school. That usually indicates a reasonable level of intelligence. And it isn't rocket science - there are a lot of resources out there. You can do anything from creating your own curriculum entirely from scratch to something totally pre-scripted where you just read word for word off the page. If the kids get into subjects you really don't feel comfortable teaching as they get older, you can look into distance ed, tutors, trading lessons with friends, and that sort of thing.

You can also take it a year at a time. If you reach a point where you really don't feel capable and your kids aren't ready to be relatively self-teaching, you don't have to keep doing it.

2) My patience...there are days that I feel like selling them for science experiements...how do you manage 24/7 and still manage to have a clean house, food cooked, clothes done, a garden , and somewhat of a brain left to be an adult?

Homeschoolers notoriously do not have clean houses I'm sure there's some, but it's very common for it to be a problem. When you have kids home doing stuff all day, it's harder to get back to a baseline level of cleanliness.

As far as sanity goes... like with any sort of stay at home parenting, it helps of you have outside interests and someone willing to support you in them. If you can get out to a book club, knitting group, mother's night out, exercise class, or whatever on a regular basis, it's easier.

Between (my) school, park days (which are good social time with other parents, not just for the kids!), and reading/internet when I have the chance, I'm basically feeling pretty good about life these days - and the parts that aren't are not the fault of homeschooling!

6) Do I have the disapline to pull this off?

Probably.

We're currently enrolled in an independent study program through the school district (so purists would say we're not really homeschooling, but whatever) that requires we turn in a weekly progress report. I've found this accountability, while a little annoying, is very helpful for keeping us on track.

7) What is I have to go back to work? I am an RN that is not working because I HATE my profession.

Some people hire nannies to watch their kids during work hours, who may or may not be involved in the schooling. Some find someone in the homeschooling group who is willing to babysit, either for pay or for trade. Personally, my husband works from home and is able to supervise while I'm not around. Some adjust their schedules so that one or the other parent is always home.

I'm in nursing school currently (so you can laugh at me if my plans are totally naive). One of the things I like about the RN/homeschooling combo is that I can, for example, volunteer to work weekends and enhance, rather than sacrificing family time in the same way a out-of-the-home-schooling parent would be. Most of the activities in our homeschooling group take place during the week, so the ability to work outside of a M-F schedule lets us do more.

And again, it isn't a permanent decision. If you start homeschooling and do have to go to work, and can't find an adequate solution, you can send them to school.

[jlpumkin]

I second the above answers so no need to repeat - but just wanted to emphasize that there are some great Catholic homeschooling resources out there. You'll find tons of help and very experienced mothers when you are ready. Good luck!

[ambersrose]

I think you have gotten great response so far. It sounds like you have been thinking this through quite a bit and you will make the right decision for your family.

[Missie]

for the smart enough question. everyone is smart, just some people are more talented in some areas than others. there are ways around that!!

for instance, you might be good at writing but not good at math, or didn't progress in that area as much as your child wants (i only got to algebra, if my kids want trig or calculus are they uh oho?) no, there is always someone somewhere willtin to tutor or trade. perhaps the kid whose parent went to MIT wants to write...trade. groups are great for that...

just my 2 cents and hope someone didn't already say it

[Momma Aimee]

Originally Posted by jlpumkin

I second the above answers so no need to repeat - but just wanted to emphasize that there are some great Catholic homeschooling resources out there. You'll find tons of help and very experienced mothers when you are ready. Good luck!

this is very true.

if you waould like some links i would be glad to post quiet a few for you.

[craft_media_hero]

Just wanted to give you some encouragement to go for it!

You will figure out what works best for you and your kids and your household. Yes, it is a challenge, and no, the dishes don't always get done, but it is worth it.

[CariOfOz]

Originally Posted by gothnurse3

I sometimes feel invisible @ MDC. I would really appreciate some advise, please. We have 3 kids. I am pulled toward HS. My DDx2 go to a very nice Christian school and I have no real complains other than the cost and I feel "left out" because we aren't allowed to go for the school parties. Sometimes I think they are too strict but my DC are thriving especially academically.
****WHY aren't you allowed to go for their school parties? And cost is a VERY valid concern these days! I'd love to know how a goth nurse could be invisible anywhere!

My concerns/ thoughts:
1) Am I smart enough?
This this through, your children are in kindergarten and age 4yrs. OF COURSE you are smart enough!?!? They've done fairly well this far with you teaching them to walk, talk, etc
2) My patience...there are days that I feel like selling them for science experiements...how do you manage 24/7 and still manage to have a clean house, food cooked, clothes done, a garden , and somewhat of a brain left to be an adult?
LOL... I joke about ebay & the gypsies all the time. The short answer? I don't! I'm one person, and dh is also a person...and so are the kids for that matter. So everyone pitches in. I make time in our days for things I enjoy like my cross stitch, blog, reading. I figure it's GOOD for the kids to see me following my 'passions'
3) DD #1 is such a follower....she's just in kindergarten and already feeling peer pressure. I hate it.
And it only gets worse
4) DD#2( k-4) is gifted and very mischievous. I think that she is bored. She doesn't do well with tons of rules and is an analytical thinker ALREADY.
I'm not a fan of the k4/jrk/srk rubbish honestly. She would very likely enjoy learning a lot more with her family and in her own way.
5) DS has asthma and if he were in school he would have missed a ton of school this year. Wasted money... I have the abeka preschool stuff and we do it from time to time for fun but he already knows his numbers and letters. So, we just spend our days together. He'll be 4 in July.
So.. he's 3 Sounds like he's quite ahead of the game to me. I have one that will be 4 in June, and he couldn't tell you what a letter is So I vote for keeping on doing what you're doing!
6) Do I have the disapline to pull this off?
There is only one way to find out! And really, the amount of sit down work time at their ages would be a lot less than you'd imagine.
7) What is I have to go back to work? I am an RN that is not working because I HATE my profession.
If you HAD to go back to work, you could always work evenings, night shift, one day a weekend..and still come out ok $$wise. Nursing is very flexible so there are a lot of directions you can take that.

I love the idea of a Catholic HS...since we are Catholic. Dh would probably go for it. He is totally against public school since Louisiana is known for poor schools. If we did HS next year we would use the $$$$ already in savings for tuition to pay off Dh's truck....our ONLY bill.

I feel I am all over the map. Any words from you Mamas that have experience?

I'm Pagan, so I can't really help with the Catholic curriculum info (I'm sure some other mamas here can though!) I think if your ONLY debt is a vehicle payment, you're doing ok enough that you probably could make it work

[*Jessica*]

Originally Posted by gothnurse3

I sometimes feel invisible @ MDC. I would really appreciate some advise, please. We have 3 kids. I am pulled toward HS. My DDx2 go to a very nice Christian school and I have no real complains other than the cost and I feel "left out" because we aren't allowed to go for the school parties. Sometimes I think they are too strict but my DC are thriving especially academically.

My concerns/ thoughts:
1) Am I smart enough?

Of course you are! And if, as they get older, you feel ill-equipped to teach them a specific subject you can always find a way to work through it. Or, you can send them back to school. Pulling them out to homeschool doesn't mean that you have to homeschool all the way through until they graduate. Putting them back in is always an option.

Originally Posted by gothnurse3

2) My patience...there are days that I feel like selling them for science experiements...how do you manage 24/7 and still manage to have a clean house, food cooked, clothes done, a garden , and somewhat of a brain left to be an adult?

Well, I still have days like that, when I would love to sell them for science experiments ( you almost made me spit water all over the computer with that one!) Most of the time things are good, though. The house isn't always as clean as I would like it to be, but it's because I'm spending my time making great memories with my kids.......a messy house is worth that!

Originally Posted by gothnurse3

3) DD #1 is such a follower....she's just in kindergarten and already feeling peer pressure. I hate it.

That won't necessarily stop with homeschooling, but you'll have much more control over it.

Originally Posted by gothnurse3

4) DD#2( k-4) is gifted and very mischievous. I think that she is bored. She doesn't do well with tons of rules and is an analytical thinker ALREADY.

It sounds like pulling her out to homeschool would be a very good idea!

Originally Posted by gothnurse3

5) DS has asthma and if he were in school he would have missed a ton of school this year. Wasted money... I have the abeka preschool stuff and we do it from time to time for fun but he already knows his numbers and letters. So, we just spend our days together. He'll be 4 in July.

Originally Posted by gothnurse3

6) Do I have the disapline to pull this off?

Only you can answer that. But all of your children are young, so pulling them out and giving it a try isn't going to put them behind if you don't have the discipline and need to put them back in school.

Originally Posted by gothnurse3

7) What is I have to go back to work? I am an RN that is not working because I HATE my profession.

If you have to go back to work, you put them back in school. Or, you find childcare while you're at work and homeschool on a different schedule. Or, you find ways to not have to go back to work.

Originally Posted by gothnurse3

I love the idea of a Catholic HS...since we are Catholic. Dh would probably go for it. He is totally against public school since Louisiana is known for poor schools. If we did HS next year we would use the $$$$ already in savings for tuition to pay off Dh's truck....our ONLY bill.

I feel I am all over the map. Any words from you Mamas that have experience?

We're secular homeschoolers, but my husband is Catholic so I investigated a few things before we started out. I loved this free curriculum. Mater Amabilis - a Free Online Catholic Charlotte Mason Curriculum

Good luck!