Pre-Homeschool Spring Chat - Page 11

[Millie Ivy]

subbing so I can find this thread later, no time for reading now.

I unschool with my kids ages 9, 7.5 and 3. Oldest is choosing to hit the PS this fall for 4th grade, middle is 1st-2nd grade ish currently, and youngest is why I'm looking at this thread. His biggest thing now is roleplaying and having me read him books, and he loves watching Caillou all of a sudden (hm, coincided with getting the netfllix streaming through our wii.... lol)

[waiting2bemommy]

don't have much time at the moment, but can someone explain workboxes to me?

Also, does anyone have a good suggestion on a very very simple math/numbers/counting type workbook that I could use with ds? Possibly a write-on/wipe off type? I can't find anything simple enough for him and he wants a "real schoolwork" book and not my homemade stuff He is very much into workbooks, but I am running out of them....I mostly buy them from dollar tree, but he has gone through all their preschool ones and even some K ones (not that he "gets" everything, but we have them all already)

finally, (sorry for so many questions!) does anyone keep a portfolio of your LO's preschool work? I have started saving some of ds's work with the date written on the back and a note about it if it isn't entirely obvious what it's supposed to be.

Is this useful when deciding what to focus on in K and 1st grade, or just another obssessive type-A habit that I've developed?

[Momma Aimee]

Originally Posted by waiting2bemommy

don't have much time at the moment, but can someone explain workboxes to me?

finally, (sorry for so many questions!) does anyone keep a portfolio of your LO's preschool work? I have started saving some of ds's work with the date written on the back and a note about it if it isn't entirely obvious what it's supposed to be.

I have a big binder. I put dates on them and also his age at that time (3 year 7 months -- for example). and if something is importnat ... the first person he dre that had 2 arms, 2 legs and a head -- i note the "special fact" about it.

every 6 months i print out the preschool "goals"

http://www.worldbook.com/typical_cou...lum_guide.html

and check stuff -- can do, kinda, and needs to put time in on ....

that is our portifiloilo ....

Aimee

[Mom2Camryn397]

So I have recently been inundated with questionsn and comments about camryn going to school. It's the usual "you'll be able to ride the school bus too in a few years" and "are you going to go back to work when the kids are in school" stuff but it's making me realize that I may need to actually tell my family I plan to homeschool. While my family will think I'm nutty, I don't think the conversation will be too difficult. My in laws, however, will be a different story. My mother in law is a retired kindergarten teacher who, as a result of her career, has a lot of opinions and expertise regarding schooling. Add to that the fact that I'm taking a waldorf approach, assuming that fits but we are flexible, and I am certain to get a whole slew of "feedback" from her. And she spends one day a week with camryn and she already talks to her all the time about "school" and how exciting it is...conversations that i would like to put a stop to. Anyway, I'm curious if/when others tell their family about their homeschooling plans. It's starting to stress me out and i think I really need to let everyone in on my little "secret".

[Smidge]

I told my mom about 6 months ago (when dd was 2). She cried for a little bit and said "What about fun parties at school?". My jaw dropped a little and was shocked that 'parties' was the first thing out of her mouth. I calmed her down and explained to her the benefits and WHY we're doing it. We're not out to buck the system, but to do what is right for our children.

My MIL on the other hand was so excited. She wishes she could have HSed her boys, but she left their father b/c he was abusive and had to work. She buys me books, workbooks, anything I happen to mention I want in the future...she's there

Other people kinda look at me funny if I happen to mention it, but they certainly don't challenge me on it.

My hubbs has his Ed degree and is so supportive. He loves to teach, but he knows the benefits of HSing.

My motto is:
"If you want to be treated like an adult, than you need to act like one"

This isn't meant as harsh, but just as a reminder.

[Mom2Camryn397]

Very good point. I am so nervous to tell them but i don't want them to take that as my apprehension regarding homeschooling, which i have none, or think that i am asking their opinion on the matter. My mother in law actually told me a few weeks ago that i do so much with camryn that she won't have anything to be excited about in kindergarten and that will be annoying for the teacher. My jaw was on the floor at the implication that i should do less with my child so the teacher can have fun experiencing things with her. In the end, i know I'm going to get the socialization talk from her and no matter what she says, i am not going to open it up for discussion because i think that would make her feel like my mind can be changed. I will put a positive spin on it for her since she likes to spend a lot of time with the kids and she'll have more opportunities if i homeschool and i will offer to share some reach and relevant articles with her if she's interested (although i doubt she will be). Thankfully jay is completely excited and on board with homeschooling so i tHink I'll just tell him to casually bring it up next time we're all together "pass the broccoli, oh, by the way, we're planning to homeschool and we are really excited about it". LOL if only it were that easy.

Edit... It also happens that many discussions with my MIL helped convince me to homeschool. Hearing about the school system, how she labels students, changes in curriculum/standards/testing, etc... Really made it even more clear for me.

[SundayCrepes]

My MIL is an ex-school teacher and is against us doing HS. She talked to my husband about the socialization thing. I keep trying to get him to give her this article: http://www.homeschool.com/articles/s...on/default.asp He won't do it, so I'm just not going to worry about it.

[Momma Aimee]

Originally Posted by Mom2Camryn397

So I have recently been inundated with questionsn and comments about camryn going to school. It's the usual "you'll be able to ride the school bus too in a few years" and "are you going to go back to work when the kids are in school" stuff but it's making me realize that I may need to actually tell my family I plan to homeschool. While my family will think I'm nutty, I don't think the conversation will be too difficult. My in laws, however, will be a different story. My mother in law is a retired kindergarten teacher who, as a result of her career, has a lot of opinions and expertise regarding schooling. Add to that the fact that I'm taking a waldorf approach, assuming that fits but we are flexible, and I am certain to get a whole slew of "feedback" from her. And she spends one day a week with camryn and she already talks to her all the time about "school" and how exciting it is...conversations that i would like to put a stop to. Anyway, I'm curious if/when others tell their family about their homeschooling plans. It's starting to stress me out and i think I really need to let everyone in on my little "secret".

BIL and SIL both give me cr^p already. Though i think, secertly, BIL at least expects DH to not go for it and that they boys'll end up in school. LOL

I talk about it all the time.

MIL was just here 5 days and asked DS1 many mnay times "did you have fun at school" " it ill be so fun to go all the time without momma" ... i shut her don each time

(DS1 has an IEP and goes to ST)

I don't mind being a b^tch about it -- she doesn't like me anyay. LOL

[Smidge]

Originally Posted by Mom2Camryn397

Very good point. I am so nervous to tell them but i don't want them to take that as my apprehension regarding homeschooling, which i have none, or think that i am asking their opinion on the matter. My mother in law actually told me a few weeks ago that i do so much with camryn that she won't have anything to be excited about in kindergarten and that will be annoying for the teacher. My jaw was on the floor at the implication that i should do less with my child so the teacher can have fun experiencing things with her. In the end, i know I'm going to get the socialization talk from her and no matter what she says, i am not going to open it up for discussion because i think that would make her feel like my mind can be changed. I will put a positive spin on it for her since she likes to spend a lot of time with the kids and she'll have more opportunities if i homeschool and i will offer to share some reach and relevant articles with her if she's interested (although i doubt she will be). Thankfully jay is completely excited and on board with homeschooling so i tHink I'll just tell him to casually bring it up next time we're all together "pass the broccoli, oh, by the way, we're planning to homeschool and we are really excited about it". LOL if only it were that easy.

Edit... It also happens that many discussions with my MIL helped convince me to homeschool. Hearing about the school system, how she labels students, changes in curriculum/standards/testing, etc... Really made it even more clear for me.

My mom loves to spend time with the kids too and she asked if she could be the "Home Ec" teacher and I said sure. This made her MUCH happier and willing. You may do the same thing if you're comfortable with it. My BIL has his MA in English, so I've asked him to do our HS English (when we get there). He was so excited. DH's uncle is fluent in 5 or 6 languages, so we will likely use him down the road too And I can't forget my dh who has his MA in History, so that part is taken care of too

[Momma Aimee]

are e still useing this thread, or did I miss the start of a summer one?

[Momma Aimee]

bump

[OkiMom]

Is this thread still living or did we start a new one?
Family is a hard one, my family doesn't care one way or another.. thats until they realize Im serious then I know everything is going to hit the fan and its going to become another "he (meaning DH) is just controlling you by using the kids" etc etc etc.
DH family waffles on it depending on the week. One week they are all for it, the next they aren't. I think it happens to be whenever my Grandma-IL is around they are supportive and when she isn't they aren't. Oh well, its not a joint decision, its a decision for DH and myself to make.

I found out a couple of weeks ago Im pregnant. Im super excited but morning sickness is already hitting which makes me worried about the next few months. Hopefully its more like the morning sickness for my second (off and on for about a month and then nothing) rather than my first (I threw up from about 7 weeks until the day I delievered, I spent most of my pregnancy on anti-nausea meds because otherwise I didn't keep anything down). My 3 year old is super excited for another sibling but she doesn't know if she wants a brother or a sister so she keeps asking if she can have both at the same time.

Oops, got to go save the baby, my 3 year old just put her in the dryer (no worries, my 18 month old did the same to the 3 year old the other day, its become a regular joke to the two of them)

[SundayCrepes]

Congratulations OKImom

[greenmamapagan]

Congratulations Okimom
I'm waiting for someone to start a Summer thread since it's actually Winter here but I guess you're all out enjoying the sunshine...

[SundayCrepes]

It's almost spring like here right now. I don't know if it's even going to hit 100 today. What a weird spring we've had. On May 12, it was 75 degrees. It's often 100 then. (I live in Tucson though am visiting Phoenix right now. Phoenix is about 5 degrees warmer than Tucson.)

SO, I'll start a new summer thread, unless I get distracted by my bare butt toddler who's running around.

[Momma Aimee]

Congratulations OKImom

[Momma Aimee]

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...0#post15515840

there is the SUMMER thread