Why Homeschool?

[PatienceAndLove]

Hello everyone!

I am interested in homeschooling my DD for her 1st grade year and (hopefully) beyond.
I am currently reading "Home Schooling: A Family's Journey" by Gregory and Martine Millman. I am finding it an interesting read, and has made me wonder about other people's homeschool experiences.

So, I have a few questions! Please feel free to answer any, or all, of the questions!

1) What made you decide to homeschool?
2) How many children do you have? How many are homeschooling? What age and grades?
3) Do you live in an area with a lot of homeschools?
4) Do you belong to a homeschool group?
5) If so, what benefits do you and your children receive?
6) Have you had contact with the local district? What are your observations of that encounter?
7) Are your children in any extracurricular activities?
8) What do you enjoy about homeschooling?
9) Do you feel there are any drawbacks?

Thank you!

[moominmamma]

1) What made you decide to homeschool?

My eldest was academically extremely advanced at the age of school entry but emotionally less than ready for separation from home. That's the main reason we started homeschooling. We keep homeschooling for the myriad other great reasons we've since discovered.

2) How many children do you have? How many are homeschooling? What age and grades?

Four kids. All are homeschooling, though the eldest now does two courses a semester through the local high school. They are 16, 13, 11 and 7 though they're mostly a year or more ahead of their age-grade in academics.

3) Do you live in an area with a lot of homeschools?

No. We live in a rural village of less than a thousand. There's one family half an hour north and two little girls 20 minutes south and us.

4) Do you belong to a homeschool group?

No.

5) If so, what benefits do you and your children receive?

We've tried some homeschool group activities over the years. We've found that the activities are generally intended as an introductory experience and social time. My kids tend to want to use group activities to get a more in-depth experience than we're able to create at home. They've been underwhelmed by the challenge and extent of enrichment offered by homeschool group activities. My eldest's comment: "If I wanted to mostly hang out, I'd hang out with my friends. If I want to do an activity it's because I want to get something specific out of it. But the other kids don't seem to feel the same way. They couldn't really care less about the activity."

6) Have you had contact with the local district? What are your observations of that encounter?

Our local district is incredibly flexible and accommodating. The kids have participated in extra-curriculars, have made use of the school facilities for their own activities, have been part of school assemblies, are welcome on field trips and at special festivals and workshops any time they want.

7) Are your children in any extracurricular activities?

Yes. Within the past year ... youth choir, adult choir, children's choir, community orchestra, aikido, chamber music, string quartet, dance and drumming workshops, soccer, indoor climbing. My eldest spent two months in SE Asia backpacking with friends and spends 10 days a month in the big city getting high level musical training.

8) What do you enjoy about homeschooling?

The flexibility, the strength of family relationships, the freedom to take advantage of resources out in the community and in the world at large, the lack of age/grade/level constraints.

9) Do you feel there are any drawbacks?

For us not really.

Miranda

[SagMom]

1) What made you decide to homeschool?

My oldest started out in school because we didn't know there was an option to not send him. I didn't like what the introduction of school did to the family dynamics, or to him as a person, and he hated school. Once we realized the option to hs, we did and have never regretted it.

2) How many children do you have? How many are homeschooling? What age and grades?

My kids are now 19, 15 and 10. My 15 y/o would be a high school freshman if she was in school, but she's taking community college classes and my 19 y/o's life didn't change dramatically although he would have graduated high school last year if he attended. So, the grade thing isn't really relevant to us.

3) Do you live in an area with a lot of homeschools?

When we began, we knew no other homeschoolers. Over the years, we've developed a nice circle of hsing friends all within about an hour of us.


4) Do you belong to a homeschool group?

We joined one when we first started. It was a bit of a distance for us though, and ds decided that he wasn't really into groups so we were only a part of that for a year or two.

5) If so, what benefits do you and your children receive?

The group thing wasn't really for our family, however, as I said, we have a circle of hsing friends who we see regularly. I'm also on an email list--not a cohesive group, but more like an announcement list, which has been great for getting info about events and classes and other community happenings. We can pick and choose what we get involved in without the politics of a group.

6) Have you had contact with the local district? What are your observations of that encounter?

Our local district turned out to be ill-informed of the laws. They were not friendly when I announced we were removing ds from school to hs and they informed me of a number of hoops I would need to jump through. Once I sent them a copy of the actual laws regarding hsing in our state, I never heard another word from them.

7) Are your children in any extracurricular activities?

Not through the school, but within the community, they've been very active.

8) What do you enjoy about homeschooling?

The freedom. We like being able to design our own lives and activities without being tied to a school schedule. We like the closeness that hsing has brought to our relationships (my kids are spread out in age and if they were in school they certainly wouldn't travel in the same circles.) We like that we can travel during "off" seasons when things are cheaper and less crowded. We like being able to spend lots of time at museums and see the things we're interested in. We like being able to see grandparents often and being available when family or friends need us.

9) Do you feel there are any drawbacks?

I left work in order to hs. I was happy to do it, but the loss of my income has certainly been felt. While there are single-parent families who hs and hsing families with two working parents, we didn't do it that way. Other than finances though we didn't find any negatives.

[Callimom]

1) What made you decide to homeschool?
Like Miranda I have a child whose academic needs would not be met in school so we began homeschooling him early in grade 1. We continue for long list of reasons.

2) How many children do you have? How many are homeschooling? What age and grades?
4 kids ages 11 (12 in a few days) 8 year old twins and a 6 year old. We don't do grades - lol. I have to stop and calculate what grades they are in when we are asked.

3) Do you live in an area with a lot of homeschools?
a fair number. Our homeschool group has about 100 families but that isn't representative of all the homeschoolers in our area.

4) Do you belong to a homeschool group?
yes a large city wide one and a smaller 10 family co-op type group

5) If so, what benefits do you and your children receive?

6) Have you had contact with the local district? What are your observations of that encounter?
Not since my son was in school.

7) Are your children in any extracurricular activities?
Um-lol the list is long. Among the 4 kids, since September, some and/or all of them have been involved in hockey, soccer, fencing, curling, badminton, lego clubs (JFLL), robotics/technology clubs, junior naturalists, rocket club, various lessons (art, chess, dance, swimming) volunteering and we belong to our weekly co-op plus a few other shorter term co-ops.

8) What do you enjoy about homeschooling?
Freedom, community, learning with my kids, - all of it really.
9) Do you feel there are any drawbacks?
Loss of income, and the occasional feeling like we are never going to get to it "all".

[Savoir Faire]

1) What made you decide to homeschool?
***First, I don't believe with "No Child Left Behind." I'm not that excited about the culture out there for children, especially young girls. But, as we've gone on, I realize that I can give my children a GREAT and individualized education and they get to have more time to play and enjoy childhood.

2) How many children do you have? How many are homeschooling? What age and grades?
***Two. 18 months apart....girl/boy. My daughter will start her first grade work in May and my son would be in his final year of preschool (the 4-year-old class)...but we're keeping him home as well.

3) Do you live in an area with a lot of homeschools?
***I honestly don't know if we have more than usual.

4) Do you belong to a homeschool group?
***Yes, and boy am I glad we do.

5) If so, what benefits do you and your children receive?
***First, it gives us the opportunity to FIND other homeschoolers without me having to walk up to anyone at the library or park and trying to feel if they're "one of us." Second, we have tons of activities-- game day/PE, a co-op, access to a science fair...it goes on and on. It has helped me find other homeschool families, which is a MUST. It helps me feel not alone.

6) Have you had contact with the local district? What are your observations of that encounter?
***Nope, we don't have to notify until my daughter turns six. So we will have to notify in the Fall...but that's it.

7) Are your children in any extracurricular activities?
***YES! Currently, both do gymnastics. My daughter is in a homeschool co-op and both attend very homeschool-friendly church groups on Wednesday nights. (Honestly we don't attend church, like most of our group does, but we have no problem with the religious instruction.) My daughter will probably join the local swim team in the summer (we're taking time off from gymnastics) and then after a few months, decide if she wants to try out synchronized swimming.

8) What do you enjoy about homeschooling?
***I love the days when everything is just GOING GREAT! I love to see my kids faces when they "get" something. I love that I'm able to teach them life skills during the day (toilet cleaning, cutting vegetables) and still have so much time left for play, play, play. I also love that we can go at our own pace. We're still working hard at learning to read and I feel good to know that my daughter can't get placed in the "slow group" at school at reading time. I love that my son has learned so much (he is in preschool for the rest of the school year) from the time he has been at home when we're doing work.

9) Do you feel there are any drawbacks?
***I really get tired of people questioning me or quizzing me on homeschool. I don't like to be questioned, so that's more of a personal thing. You can suffer burnout. I have to be SURE that I'm getting some form of downtime or it can all be very overwhelming.

[ChristaN]

1) What made you decide to homeschool?

We hsed dd#1 when she was in early elementary b/c her emotional and academic needs were not being met in her current school setting. We took her out part of the way through 1st grade. She later returned and is now attending public middle school.

My youngest is being partially hsed right now and I hope to have her home full time for 5th grade next year. For her, she is not performing as well as she could be in school b/c she is more tied up in the social aspect of fitting in and being "normal" than being true to herself. I am concerned with her losing herself and with her withdrawing from family b/c she sees me and her older sister and the epitome of being atypical. Both dds are very bright and both my older dd and I are comfortable being different due in part to being brighter than avg. Dd#2 is not comfortable being different and is having a hard time reconciling being part of our "different" family, being her different self, and wanting to be a "normal" kid. She's having a hard time navigating it all and I feel that she would do better to have some time at home.

2) How many children do you have? How many are homeschooling? What age and grades?

I have two. Dd#1 is 11 y/o and in 7th grade in ps. Dd#2 is 9 and a 4th grader.

3) Do you live in an area with a lot of homeschools?

Yes and no. We have a pretty good sized religious hsing community and somewhat less for secular hsers. There are some unschoolers who are secular although they are less formally organized as a group. I have a few friends who are secular hsers as well.

4) Do you belong to a homeschool group?

Not yet and probably won't be joining in that my closest friend who has tried to connect with the one main secular hs group has found them to be kind of falling apart and not doing much anymore.

5) If so, what benefits do you and your children receive?

n/a

6) Have you had contact with the local district? What are your observations of that encounter?

Yes. Someone in our local district admin office advised me to hs dd#1 in elementary. She told me that she wasn't going to last long in the ps system and that they were philosophically opposed to meeting her needs. Our interactions since then have been a mixed bag. Dd#1 is doing well in the local district now primarily by virtue of an awesome coordinator at her middle school who has really advocated for her needs.

7) Are your children in any extracurricular activities?

Acting, summer academic enrichment programs, and a few other minor things. I intend to get dd#2 involved in more extracurriculars next year b/c she has high social needs & I know that I will have a hard time meeting them all.

8) What do you enjoy about homeschooling?

When we have fully hsed, I enjoyed the flexibility of time and choosing what I felt my kids were ready to learn. I am also looking forward to having more time to reconnect w/ dd#2 emotionally next year.

9) Do you feel there are any drawbacks?

I'll let you know!

[PatienceAndLove]

Thank you all for your replies!
Thus far, many of you are hitting on issues that I have pondered over.

I was discussing HSing with my mother this evening, and talking about how I hoped to HS next fall, and how I could do that while working and going to school. I am not sure if it is going to be able to happen next year, as I will still have evening classes to attend, as well as an externship. But I am still deciding whether or not I want to take my fall classes.

I hope people keep posting responses, as I am very curious over the various answers!

[2xy]

55 Reasons to Homeschool

[sbgrace]

I'm replying within your post.

Originally Posted by PatienceAndLove

Hello everyone!

I am interested in homeschooling my DD for her 1st grade year and (hopefully) beyond.
I am currently reading "Home Schooling: A Family's Journey" by Gregory and Martine Millman. I am finding it an interesting read, and has made me wonder about other people's homeschool experiences.

So, I have a few questions! Please feel free to answer any, or all, of the questions!

1) What made you decide to homeschool?
Originally I felt I could better meet the academic and social needs of one of my kids particularly who I felt (knew) would struggle in our local school system. That's evolved in time and I've got tons of reasons now for feeling it's better for both kids and our family as a whole. But originally it was that particular child's needs.
2) How many children do you have? How many are homeschooling? What age and grades? Two in K.
3) Do you live in an area with a lot of homeschools? Eh, I don't know what a lot is but we're in a rural area. I think there are about 25 families listed on our homeschool group but I've never met most of them at any events. There is a smaller more active core group I guess of about 10 families give or take.
4) Do you belong to a homeschool group? Yes.
5) If so, what benefits do you and your children receive? It's been a way to meet other homeschoolers and my husband and I made wonderful friends through those connections.
6) Have you had contact with the local district? What are your observations of that encounter? I taught in our school district for 10 years prior to having my kids. But from a parent perspective I felt that my child's special needs wouldn't be met adequately in the local school system.
7) Are your children in any extracurricular activities? No, not right now.
8) What do you enjoy about homeschooling? I know what I'm doing is best for my kids. I know I'm meeting their academic needs better than school could and they have plenty of time to play and just be kids which was important to me. It gives us more family time and a slower pace of life than we would have were we enrolled in school. I feel I can better transmit our values and selves really to our kids since we are around them so much more than we would otherwise be. For us it's got major health benefits (both kids have some pretty significant health issues).
9) Do you feel there are any drawbacks? I don't. Not that every day is roses or that I'm the perfect parent or teacher. But I really feel this is best for us so I can't think of any drawbacks. I guess sometimes it would be nice to have an extra pair of eyes on one child to, I suppose, reassure me he's progressing ok. I can only compare him to his brother after all.

Thank you!

[phathui5]

1) What made you decide to homeschool?

I had wanted to be homeschooled myself as a teen, but my parents didn't allow it. When I was in 9th grade, I read The Teenage Liberation Handbook and it really hit home. I wanted to the freedom to learn at my own pace.

2) How many children do you have? How many are homeschooling? What age and grades?

4 children, aged 9, 6, 4 and 2. They're all home with me.

3) Do you live in an area with a lot of homeschools?

I wouldn't say there are a lot in this area, but there are some decent sized homeschool groups here.

4) Do you belong to a homeschool group?

No, but we do things within the local homeschooling community.

6) Have you had contact with the local district? What are your observations of that encounter?

I submit our paperwork to the school district and haven't had to deal with them aside from that.

7) Are your children in any extracurricular activities?

Yes, but not through the schools. My oldest does tawkwondo, swimming, gymnastics and Lego Robotics. My dd does taekwondo and gymnastics.

8) What do you enjoy about homeschooling?

I love being able to make our own schedule. I love lots of other things too, but I don't have all day to post.

9) Do you feel there are any drawbacks?

Arranging childcare when I need it can be a challenge.

[MrsJewelsRae]

1. It had always been a big possibility for us as my younger sister was pulled from public and homeschooled from grade 3 on. We made the decision as our ds got older, I was a SAHM and enjoyed so much being with him, I just could not imagine dropping him off with stangers for a whole day and being separated at such a tender age. We also felt the need to protect him from what we feel is a negative socialization that public schools provide. There are a lot of other reasons such as religious, etc

2. We have 3 children. DS is almost 8 in grade 2 (some gr 3), dd is in SK and will be 6 in a couple weeks, our youngest is 16 months.

3. We have a LOT of homeschoolers in our area, there are over 40 just in our Christian homeschoolers group, 40,000 people in our city.

4. Yes we do, though we are not very active in it, we go in spurts. We have several close friends that are homeschoolers that we hang out with though.

5. Connect with other moms and get ideas, gives the kids a sense of 'normalcy' as in 'look at all these homeschoolers'! Other families have connections that we can benefit from such as setting up field trips to certain places and group discounts to events or museums, etc.

6. We have not registered with the county and do not wish to have government involvement with our homeschool.

7. No, not yet. Our older kids will be starting piano lessons this year.

8. Being with my kids, seeing them learn, being there for all the lightbulb moments (!), family togetherness, children bonding, freedom to learn at their pace indoors or outdoors, dancing around the kitchen to ABBA when we need a happy moment , flexibility, the list goes on and on!

9. It can be challenging but I wouldnt change it for anything

[4Blessings]

1) What made you decide to homeschool? Many reasons. The lifestyle was a big selling point. No need to rush off in the morning. Academically I knew that my oldest would be bored in public school. Socially I didn't like the idea of my kids spending all day with the neighborhood kids we had at the time One of my children also have a medical condition which I feel is better managed at home.
2) How many children do you have? How many are homeschooling? What age and grades?3rd grader, 1st grader, a two-yr-old and a new baby
3) Do you live in an area with a lot of homeschools?We live in a small town with a fair number of hs'ers
4) Do you belong to a homeschool group?No, we used to but we just didn't fit in. Too much focus on religion.
5) If so, what benefits do you and your children receive?
6) Have you had contact with the local district? What are your observations of that encounter?No contact
7) Are your children in any extracurricular activities?Yes. Three different sports teams
8) What do you enjoy about homeschooling?The lifestyle. We live and learn at our own pace.
9) Do you feel there are any drawbacks?I haven't found any yet!

[ambersrose]

1) What made you decide to homeschool?
My daughter was feeling frustrated and overwhelmed in school. She was at grade level academically but has sensory issues that the school was not being sensitive to.
2) How many children do you have? How many are homeschooling? What age and grades?
I have two children, a two year old and a six year old. Only the six year old is being "schooled" and she is working at an early 1st grade level currently.
3) Do you live in an area with a lot of homeschools?
We are in a small town with a small amount of homeschoolers.
4) Do you belong to a homeschool group?
not currently
5) If so, what benefits do you and your children receive?
6) Have you had contact with the local district? What are your observations of that encounter?
My local (public school) district is welcoming to homeschoolers and allows them to participate in public school activites to whatever degree they choose. I could bring my child to school for one class or just for extra curricular activites if I wanted.
7) Are your children in any extracurricular activities?
We do gymnastics, swimming and choir currently but they will vary depending on interest.
8) What do you enjoy about homeschooling?
I love having the flexability, the continuity, the way I get to learn and explore alongside my child.
9) Do you feel there are any drawbacks?
not really.

[caefi]

1) What made you decide to homeschool?
Someone I admired and respected suggested I look deeper into it. This was after I asked all of the "dumb" questions that a young woman studying to be a teacher would ask.

2) How many children do you have? How many are homeschooling? What age and grades?
I have 9 children. 6 are officially doing school, two doing pre-school. I have children in the following grades: 9th, 7th, 6th, 4th, 2nd, 1st, 4yo preschool and 2yo preschool.

3) Do you live in an area with a lot of homeschools?
We do now. We did not for the first 3 years and it's taken several years to really get plugged in here. Actually, I don't think it was the "years" that made the difference, but that my older children started doing different activities that really pulled us into the world where the homeschoolers were.

4) Do you belong to a homeschool group?
Our local group is an email loop. Within that loop there are families that are a part of different co-op classes and activities. We are part of a start-up highschool co-op this year.

5) If so, what benefits do you and your children receive?
my 9th graders takes biology and a world history-geography course through the co-op. She also has study hall and lunch there.

6) Have you had contact with the local district? What are your observations of that encounter?
Contact? Sure. My girls are part of Teen Council. It's through our library, but it's a program through the middle school. They volunteer at the library as well. (Our library is IN our middle school.) Many of their Sunday School teachers are also public school teachers. We've never had any problems.

7) Are your children in any extracurricular activities?
Yes, a few too many, imo. I don't know that I will even remember them all, but I'll try to tell you what they are in.
9th grader - civil air patrol, teen council, volleyball, english country dancing, drama, piano, violin, roboitics
7th grader - civil air patrol, teen council, ecd, drama, choir, piano, robotics
6th grader - teen council, ecd, drama, choir, ballet, art, choir
4th grader - drama, choir
2nd grader - drama, choir
1st grader - drama, choir
preK 4yo - choir

8) What do you enjoy about homeschooling?
Being in charge of my own schedule (hrmph, now that they take some classes outside of home I've lost some of that. But, at least I still choose what classes and the time of class I choose, right??? lol). That's the biggest thing for me.

Knowing, firsthand, what my kids are studying - where they struggle, excel, etc.

Seeing the "aha!" moments when something clicks.

9) Do you feel there are any drawbacks?
No one else to blame when something goes wrong! All failures are my own (with some help from DH).

My current 4th grader would probably do better being held accountable by someone other than me. We're exploring options for that. That accountable to others happens for us later than that and I think its important for them to learn. It would be easy to insulate ourselves and miss out on that.

It gets noisy and too busy sometimes.

[briansmama]

1) What made you decide to homeschool?

I read Einstein Never Used Flash Cards: How Our Children Really Learn and Why They Should Play More and Memorize Less while nursing my ds when he was a newborn. The vast amount of research cited in the book described my entire traditional schooling experience and why I felt I learned more outside of (or in spite of) school than because of it. I didn't want my child spending 30+ hours a week away from his family in school after discovering that he would actually learn more outside of it. Plus, Dh and I had committed to making sure I was available to our children, so the thought of sending them away all day didn't make sense to us. And in our area, to prepare for K it is understood that you attend Jr K, and preschool starts at 2.

2) How many children do you have? How many are homeschooling? What age and grades?

We have 2 kids, ages 6 and 3. The 6yr old will tell you he's in 2nd grade because he's reading at a 2nd grade level, but if he were in a traditional school he'd be in K and totally bored with phonics due to his late birthday.

3) Do you live in an area with a lot of homeschools?
Yes

4) Do you belong to a homeschool group?
A very informal one for playtime every week at the park. It's been a great support for both my kids and DH and me. We see the same kids throughout the week at science programs and art classes as well.

5) If so, what benefits do you and your children receive? Support.

6) Have you had contact with the local district? What are your observations of that encounter? No.

7) Are your children in any extracurricular activities?
Yes, there are so many available that we try to limit them or we're in the car and on the go way too often. Ds1 does jiu jitsu 2xs per week, a science program for homeschoolers 1day per week, and just finished an engineering with Legos class with other homeschoolers that met every week as well.

8) What do you enjoy about homeschooling?
Freedom to use quality resources such as classic literature for learning instead of limiting education to committee-written textbooks and worksheets, time together spent playing games, asking questions that are answered using resources we have on hand, like maps, the internet, experts in their field, etc. Plenty of time for exercise and fresh air (my boys are very active but can focus for long periods of time if they are interested in something), access to whole foods throughout the day, visiting zoos, aquariums, museums, and science centers when they are not crowded and the kids are not made to line up every 10 min on a class schedule, my boys get to choose friends based on common interests, not limited to those born the same year and subjected to constant peer pressure, the list really goes on and on...

9) Do you feel there are any drawbacks?
Not if you remember to take breaks for yourself too. I've learned not to feel guilty for making sure I get to yoga several times a week on my own and to ask DH for help making sure I get the rest I need to stay patient and available to my children and their many questions. if you don't have that kind of support, I think homeschooling (and parenting in general) could be very draining. I know that many homeschool on 1 income so resources can be tight, but it is important to join a gym if that's your thing, or find a way to have a break for yourself to avoid burnout. We definitely consider it a homeschooling expense.

HTH!