Should I delay homeschooling?

[MamaGaia]

Hi,there!
I'm in need of a bit of advice.

My dh and I are thinking about homeschooling our twins. It's something that has been discussed for quite some time (like, since they started school) and one of the girls has asked several times,"Can we be homeschooled?". We're at week 4 into the school year and already I have concerns and they are complaining of "being bored" and "hating school".

Here's our dilemma,though. I'm pregnant with my 5th,due sometime in March. I'm Supermama and all that but I still recognize I'm going to have to relax and take it easy a bit after the birth, not to mention the joys of handling a newborn and a 3 year , I would expect there is going to be a bit of a "break" in the twins' homeschooling .

How have other families coped with homeschooling and having a newborn? Their father (not my dh) thinks we should wait until next year and "see how the year plays out". Any advice?

[phathui5]

Since they're asking to be homeschooled, what I would do personally is find out your state's requirements for homeschooling (try www.hslda.org ) and then pull them out. Because you don't have to follow the school year schedule, you can take your break when you have the baby and make up for it later. I know seeveral homeschooling families who have their spring break in February or March because that's when Mom wants a break.

[UnschoolnMa]

There are a variety of ways to homeschool! It can be done with a newborn, but you might have to be willing to look at learning in a light that is different than what you are used to. The beauty of homeschooling is that there is such flexibility. You get to make it your own. Also try www.nhen.org

[Openskyheart]

I only have two kids - so it's easy for me to say , but I would take them out now. My son really disliked school, and the longer he stayed in, the more damage was done. It's taken awhile for his enthusiasm, and self confidence to return in certain key areas.

Once the baby comes, you can take a nice long break. Your twins are so young, that even a 6 month to year long break from anything formal (if that's the way you decide to go) won't make much difference. During that time, you can have big baskets of books, gel pens, paper, colored pencils, blocks, legos, a globe, clay, scissors, felt squares, science kits, sidewalk chalk, etc. available. Your girls will learn and learn - you won't be able to stop them! And think about how many usefull real life skills they will learn by helping you out with the baby.

Laura

[mom at home]

I would take them out now. There are tons of things they can do besides having you actively give them lessons. Even helping you with the baby would be a great learning experience. Follow their lead and see what they are interested in studying and have them go for it. My 8 yr old dd pretty much does her own thing. We do stuff together but she decides what she is interested in and does it when she wants to.

[littlest birds]

Yes, you can with a newborn and older ones, too. However, I confess that dd went to a half year of school when the twins started walking and I felt I couldn't even sit down and read a story with her. After that it was actually pretty easy with only one baby when the littlest was born. But, I was an utter failure in many other areas like cooking and cleaning and painting the kitchen during that time. And more of my laundry gets worn without folding or sorting than with it. So what?

I think that good solid support from dh is essential if you do this.

My dd went to about 2 wks of ps 2nd grade--she was grumpy, tearful, and irritated by everything from the slowness of her classmates (translation boredom that becomes restless bad behavior) to short lunch hours. She was tired and burnt out already and I would never have endured an entire year of that with her after seeing how quickly that excitement and newness of the school year disappeared. Please, do take your children's feelings seriously because just one year can be a very long time.

So far my twins (almost 5yo) are great coworkers and companions in games and other activities (though they also tend to pester each other) They never seem to need the kind of constant attention my first did. Two 7 year olds could do a lot together without too much from you I would think.