My first grader just decided she doesn't want to homeschool...anyone been through this?

[Calliope85]

My daughter told me on Friday that she wants to go to public school.  I have no idea how to handle this...the timing couldn't be worse.  I told her that she'll no longer go to her homeschool park day or homeschool girl scouts and she says she's fine with that...she doesn't even want to go to the back-to-school celebration at her homeschool park group today.  She's incredibly stubborn and I have a gut feeling that forcing her to homeschool won't work.  I'm just terribly disappointed because I was so excited to homeschool and we've spent the past year developing all of her, and my, friendships based around homeschooling.  =(  Anyone been through this?

[greenmagick]

What are her reasons for wanting to go to school?  

What are her reasons for not wanting to hang out with the homeschool group?  Did something happen or is there a kid she doesnt get along with there or?

[philomom]

Just as there are folks here who would force your kid to continue homeschooling, there are folks here who would let your kid try outside schooling. You have to decide what's best for your family.

I have one child who is strongly driven by the need to have his peers around him.. he didn't last long at home.. he was too social.... even though we had play groups and lessons and such... it wasn't enough for him.

[greencurry]

When my daughter was 5 or 6, she asked me when she would get to go back to a real school (we had done a pre-school co-op when she was 3, and she had been to a summer camp at a Waldorf school for a week when we were moving one year). I was, like you, pretty heartbroken at the thought. I shared my feelings with her, letting her know that I had really been looking forward to continuing to hang out with her, and asked what it was about 'real school' that appealed to her. Well, she said, at the preschool co-op they had lots of puppets, and the Waldorf school dollhouse had stairs between the two levels. If we got some puppets and put stairs in her dollhouse, would she want to stay home? I asked. Sure! 

Of course your daughter's reasons are surely not the same as these, maybe if you talk with her more about her desires you will discover a different solution that works for you both.

[etsdtm99]

my daughter and i just went through this last week - though she is starting K this year - she went to preschool last year so she kept asking for 'real school' and when i finally talked to her about it she said she wanted things like, 'outside time' and 'lunch time'  and 'work at a desk all day' not what i would have thought about, (the other kids!, the teacher, the things i couldn't replace) she was very stubborn when we discussed it and i just dropped it that day after i told her all the wonderful reasons we homeschool and she wouldn't back down (getting to spend more time with her siblings, with mommy, getting to go on field trips more often than PS kids, off season vacations, day trips etc) and came here for help - but the next day, no complaining. its been a week now and she hasn't mentioned PS again - i don't think they are old enough to make a decision like this at this time - i would NOT send my kids to public school based on their request until they are much older.. like possibly middle school age .. i just don't think of it as 'forcing to homeschool' like it is any different than making kids go to public school, lots of kids hate going to school and they can't just make a choice to drop out in first grade..  not saying you should 'force' any certain way of homeschooling, or any extra activities - but sometims kid don't want to do things and they don't just get to make a huge life changing decision like that all on their own..