Does your child ask to go to PS?

[baby-makes-3]

This isn't an issue for us now since DD is just 4yo. But I have two friends who have 8-9yo's who are begging to go to PS. One finally sent hers this week.

I guess what I want to do is provide the type of environment where PS does not look like it's better.

Just looking for different ways to approach this, or maybe try to circumvent it before it comes up?? I definitely don't want to demonize PS...

Any dialogue appreciated!

[MrsJewelsRae]

I haven't encountered this yet, my oldest is 8 and has no interest at all in going to ps. In fact, this morning I asked them what they liked about hs'ing and he answered "that I don't have to go to school!". My kids have never been to preschool, but they do go to sunday school, which they love. I'm really glad they haven't an interest in it because I wouldn't let them go at this age. They really don't have many school friends anyhow, because we live in the country and there are no kids around here at all. At church they both have 2 great friends, 1 friend is homeschooled and the other is public schooled, the rest of their friends are homeschoolers pretty much. So I think those factor into their disinterest in public school. Plus, even though they definitely don't cling to my skirts when out in public, they really don't like the thought of being away from me all day. I haven't vilified public schools, but I am realistic of them to some degree- there is often a lot of homework, you don't get to focus on your favorite subjects, you can't drop everything and go to the beach, the park or for a picnic just cause the weather is awesome, etc. Anyhow, I think neighbourhood kids and having gone to either preschool or kindergarten plays big factors in kids wanting to go to public school, could also be boredom and perhaps too much structure at home...

[hapersmion]

My 4-year-old really wants to go to public school. Some of the neighbors go, and we drive right past the playground every time we leave the neighborhood. I'm thinking that I'll let him go to kindergarten next year to get it out of his system, then hopefully he'll be ready to start some real learning at home in first grade.

[CherryBomb]

My 9 year old sometimes says she does, but it's usually when she's pouting about have do something. I remind her that if she doesn't like the 2.5-3 hours of school work she does at home, she's really not going to enjoy 7+ hours at ps PLUS a good 2 or more hours of homework.

[Savoir Faire]

Haha, no. I even KID about it (when we're driving by in the mornings when the kids are getting dropped off) and they're all NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

I suspect my son, who is 4.5, will want to go one day. He's a pretty fun kid...so I could see him wanting to check it out.

Of course, he'll also be the smart funny kid in the back cracking jokes... so he'll probably be coming back home soon after!

[donutmolly]

My DD1 wanted to go to school in the worst way (she is 5 and just kindergarten age this year) -- We've planned to hs her from the start, so I couldn't figure out where the allure of school came from... but it really is everywhere, we always end up with at least 1 library book about school (and how fun and wonderful it is...), the school bus passes by our house each morning, the school in town has the most fun looking playground...

We talked with her about our reasons for hs'ing and she's on board. Mostly her life hasn't changed much since we "started school" which is what I prefer. I'm sure we'll need to continue to point out the good parts of hs'ing and help to normalize it by hanging out with more families that hs.

[Mere]

I've been careful to never demonize public school, but my kids have zero interest in going. I guess that's a good thing? One of dd's best friends - our next door neighbor - goes to school, and she feels bad for him that he has to go sit in a building for so long! She's made comments to her brother when he complains about doing his 'homework' that he should be glad he doesn't go to school because if he did, he'd be having to do homework all day!