We blew off Kindergarten registration today!

[LemonPie]

And when they called to ask where we were I told them we'd decided to HS.

I'm going to jump in feet first (head first? LOL) with a 'kindergartner' and a 'second grader' this fall!

Phew.

I can do this right? Please say yes! At least the conversation with my mother is OVER and went remarkably well.

[SundayCrepes]

Congratulations. Of course you can do it.

I was responding to another thread and was amazed at all we've done. I've been sick the last 2 weeks and feel like my kids have been on auto pilot. But when you answer a forum, you're amazed at what all has happened. Not all these things were in 2 weeks, but I was amazed at all my 4 year old is learning. Here's what I said:

Originally Posted by SundayCrepes

My kids are 4 and 1.5. We are on the unschooling spectrum. We already belong to an unschooling group. We've gone on a tour of the fire department, PBS TV and NPR radio station combo, yesterday we went on the tour of a print shop where the kids got to make pin on buttons and watch t-shirts be silk-screened. Tomorrow we are going to play legos at someone's house.

This past week my son wanted to build a dam like he'd seen other kids do in this documentary: http://www.amazon.com/Building-David...9577136&sr=1-1 So we built it in his sandbox.

Another day he wanted to do an experiment he saw in his National Geographics Little Kids magazine--we put balloons on 2 water bottles and stuck them in containers of hot or cold water and saw what happened.

Recently he's helped me plant a garden. He knows how to care for chickens.

We read several books a day. His favorites are from this series: http://www.amazon.com/Say-Can-You-Se...9576804&sr=8-1

When I put the baby down for naps, he's allowed to watch documentaries. Recently my husband was quizzing him: What type hoses do they carry on a fire truck, what colors are firetrucks painted, how many welds in an average fire truck, etc. etc. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ef=oss_product

He also knows a lot about building houses-- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ef=oss_product

and cars http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ef=oss_product

He won't be old enough for kindergarten until August 2011 so I'm not worried about introducing academics, we just do what is fun for us. Since we'll be unschooling that's how we'll do academics as well--what is fun.

Sometimes I worry that we won't cover the right subjects just through normal life or he'll somehow get left behind so I bought these learning guildes: http://www.fun-books.com/books/livin...ing_guides.htm

According to the guides, a kindergärtner's math skills should include the ability to sort and count to 18 (along with other skills.) He's long been able to sort and only misses a couple numbers on the path to 18. I've looked at other subjects and just by living our life he's already accomplished many of the Kindy skills. Probably some of 1st grade as well.

So, I don't know what type of homeschooling you want to do, but it really doesn't seem that hard to introduce your kids to the world. It really is fun.

[TEAK's Mom]

I remember the first time I blew of kindergarten registration.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

Not only can you do this, it is going to be fun.

[elizawill]

awesome. have FUN!!

[4Blessings]

I remember that day well too. My neighbor called during registration to ask where I was. What a feeling!

Enjoy!

[kittie313]

Congrats! We blew off K registration twice now, and I'm debating if I want to blow off pre-k registration for my 3rd child (she would benefit from the services for her speech delays since its a pre-k through our local ps) She'll be the first of mine to actually GO to pre-k so we really aren't sure at all yet how we feel about it.

She does screening and registration next month............ Still debating, although I've got all her documents together (haven't gotten the application packet yet in the mail though, the SAID I would this week hmmmmm)

[BeanyMama]

WOO!! You can do it!!

[mary3mama]

As a mama who has 'blown off' 2 kindy/school registration days I look forward to the 3rd...in a few years.

Not meaning to offend others at all....but I am usually sickened by the concept that everyone has to show up and hand over their children at a pre-appointed time because 'society' says so. Seems rather like enlisting them in an army.

To which we are conscientious objectors!

[Savoir Faire]

Start testing the waters this summer to get into the routine you'd like to have. Do a little bit each day...even if it is just having your Kindy doing connect the dots or whatever. It will get you used to your new flow and will hopefully help you by the time fall starts.

We "unschooled" kindergarten (mostly) and are definitely picking up the pace now in the spring. We're going to start 1st grade work in May (with a 4-year-old in tow) so that by the time Fall (and all the activities) comes along, we should know what will and what won't work.

[laohaire]

Wow, I guess that's an event I will be experiencing within the next month? I haven't decided if I will "register" my kid as homeschooled for this coming year or next. Some people argue I should wait since it's none of the government's biz anyway.

[phathui5]

Originally Posted by kittie313

Congrats! We blew off K registration twice now, and I'm debating if I want to blow off pre-k registration for my 3rd child (she would benefit from the services for her speech delays since its a pre-k through our local ps) She'll be the first of mine to actually GO to pre-k so we really aren't sure at all yet how we feel about it.

She does screening and registration next month............ Still debating, although I've got all her documents together (haven't gotten the application packet yet in the mail though, the SAID I would this week hmmmmm)

Won't they come to you for her speech? We homeschool, but my 4yo ds gets speech services through the local school district.

[tsfairy]

Originally Posted by kittie313

Congrats! We blew off K registration twice now, and I'm debating if I want to blow off pre-k registration for my 3rd child (she would benefit from the services for her speech delays since its a pre-k through our local ps) She'll be the first of mine to actually GO to pre-k so we really aren't sure at all yet how we feel about it.

She does screening and registration next month............ Still debating, although I've got all her documents together (haven't gotten the application packet yet in the mail though, the SAID I would this week hmmmmm)

Check with the school. They might offer services even if she's not a student. DS has been approved for speech therapy at the local elementary school. We have to "enroll" him so he can attend the speech "classes", but he doesn't have to attend the school otherwise. Next year when he'd be in K, we would just have to bring him after school, where other K's would be pulled out of class for speech. (And in a nod to NCLB, they don't want to pull the kids out of academics, so they pull them out of the whopping 40 min a day that's set aside for art, music and PE combined!)

[MommaCrystal]

I don't even know when K Registration is! It used to be my job to know when I worked with public schools. I'd say my town hasn't done a very good job of informing me. Oh well! I don't need the info any how!

[rere]

Happy Learning to you and your kids!


I have a question to those who have had phone calls.Were your kids already registered somewhere?My daughter will be of kindergarten age in the fall but I can't imagine the school even knows we exist.

[Stacey B]

We've got a year to go 'til we get to do this, but I was happy when I missed the deadline for the public school preschool lottery, can't wait to hear about your journey.

[LemonPie]

Thanks for the well-wishes all! I will probably be here a lot soaking up all your collective knowledge. This is definitely going to be a learning process for me too. I also feel blessed to have some IRL friends who have HSed kids from K-HS and beyond and they can 'mentor' me too.

Originally Posted by rere

Happy Learning to you and your kids!


I have a question to those who have had phone calls.Were your kids already registered somewhere?My daughter will be of kindergarten age in the fall but I can't imagine the school even knows we exist.

My son is currently enrolled in 1st grade, so we got a reminder call about kindy reg. a few weeks ago, and at that point I wasn't sure which way we were going to go, so I went ahead and made an appt. I only got a phone call because we missed the appt.

[hipumpkins]

You can totally do this. Here in Nj we have a ton of yahoo groups that have so much going on all the time. Maybe search yahoo for a group by you.
Oh an no one ever called me for K registration but then again my kids never went to any school so I don't think they are missed.

[A Mom's Love]

Congrats!!

[craft_media_hero]

You can do it!