Why should I homeschool my child? - Page 2

[Brisen]

Originally Posted by RiverSky

p.s. oh yeah, and "getting good grades" was always extremely important to me...and very easy, when I was in school. Too easy. I would be extremely worried if my son wasn't getting good grades, he'd be out and in homeschool in a minute.

I also got good grades in school -- I was usually at the top of most of my classes in high school and occasionally in university. My oldest seems so far to do well in very similar ways. I have come to see how getting good grades damamged me. Maybe it wasn't all from the school, maybe I'm just mean and judgemental at heart. But it was a while after I was out of a schooling environment before I realized that I had come to view "dumb" people as second-class, somehow. Which makes sense, given that that is exactly how they are treated in a school environment. I can't imagine what it is like to be in that situation, and I don't want to trivialize it for those who weren't good at school. But what school did to me was make me feel that I was somehow more deserving than those who did poorly in school -- that getting good grades was the most important (and really, the only) measure of intelligence. On the surface, I thought I didn't believe it -- my dad fared very poorly in school, but I could see that he was quite smart in ways not well measured in a school setting. But deep down, I still thought that bad marks in school = dumb and ....unworthy. I don't quite know how to explain it. Getting out into the REAL world, meeting a wider variety of people, and researching homeschool brought this belief of mine into clear focus and I have been able to see how grading -- even though I did quite well -- was damaging to me.

I'm not saying the above to slam you because you value good grades, which I worry it might look like as I go back and re-read my post. I'm just trying to show you how getting good grades -- one of the reasons, it seems, that you are saying your son is fine with being at public school -- may be just as bad for your son as getting poor grades.

From your posts, I'm not quite sure what you are looking for. Your son is doing well in school, so you're not sure if homeschooling is justified? Would it help to take his doing well in school out of the equation, and just look at it generally -- do you think that, generally speaking, public school or home schooling has more to offer children? If you hadn't sent him to kindergarten -- which IMO isn't really school, where I live anyway truancy laws don't come into effect until grade 1 age -- would you be having this debate with yourself?

[RiverSky]

I love novels.

Originally Posted by Citymomx3

I took my 8y/o dd out of a top-ranking gifted school in NYC.

I have gotten so much out of your post. Now I have a couple of questions. How did you tell your 8 yo of your decision? Was your 8 yo pleased? Were there any tears? Did you have to convince her, and if so, how did you do it?

Originally Posted by Citymomx3

So, I guess even though I believe in homeschooling, I'm more in the camp of - where-will-your-child-be-the-happiest-and-reach-his-potential? Are the issues you have with school something that you think you can get over? Or do you see things steadily getting worse for your child? What does your mommy-instinct say? What's the prevailing thought that's in your head over and over again? Go with your gut. Homeschooling doesn't mean he'll miss out. It's just a whole new way of doing things - which I feel are better than what school has to offer.

I believe it is possible that some of the issues I had with school this past year will go away with a new teacher. Others will not, especially if certain children happen to be in the same class with him again. Even if those children are not in the same class, there is really no way to determine whether or not those same issues will reoccur with other children. THen there are the "quality of education" issues. I now know I can do a better job (thank you to the 20 or so books on homeschooling and education that I have been reading) and I know of no schools here that can do a better job than the one we tried last year. I used to think that private school would be the way to go but now I think differently.

I do see the social issues getting worse with every passing month. I do see a future of my child losing part of himself too quickly, getting "tough" before he needs to (does he even need to at all?) simply because of being in public school (or private, I now see it doesn't make a difference). I don't want my son to lose his love of learning. I do want him to have more time for his art projects (he's much slower than other children in that area, but still LOVES it) and I want to be able to challenge him more in the areas that he is far advanced for his age (ie. math) and that he enjoys.

The prevailing thought over and over in my head is that I want to homeschool, I really want to homeschool and I just want to have every possible issue thought over and decided. I want to have every argument fully developed in my mind, both for myself, for him in the future and for others who might disagree with my choice.

By the way, I tend to use us/we/I/my interchangeably in these discussions, since my husband says he is certain he would like me to homeschool but as he is the one who works full-time (and more), that it comes down to my decision as I would be handling the majority of it (he's willing and enthusiastic about helping out).

I also really want to figure out how to show my son that he will enjoy homeschooling more than public school. And I want to be certain that that is true.

Originally Posted by Citymomx3

Sorry this turned into a novel. I go through this in my head pretty often, too. As parents, we always second guess ourselves. It's a tough decision and it's hard to step out of your comfort zone. Just keep thinking about where you feel the BEST environment will be for him over time. Good Luck in your decision and keep us posted!!

Not to worry, I LOVE to read, especially informative, insightful and helpful missives such as yours. Thank you!

Do you have any suggestions as to what I should tell my son?

[meowee]

Originally Posted by RiverSky

Another lady that I know who has always homeschooled her 9 year old daughter told me once that her daughter plays so well with all of the other children in the class we go to (all younger, including my 3 year old) because she does still have all of her imaginative play intact, that she is not as [falsely] "mature" as other nine year olds who have other concerns than playing imaginatively. .

I can tell you definitively that hs'ed kids maintain their innocence and imaginative play longer than regular schooled kids, and are more able/ willing to play with kids much younger than themselves (this latter point has actually been proven in studies of hs'ers).

Honestly... your son is young enough that you can make this decision for him. You are the adult still, and it's your job to make choices for him that you think are best. If you are concerned about being an over-controlling parent, that is a separate issue from homeschool.

I worry sometimes about the control issues too, but in my mind, it's like you make choices for them up to a certain very clear point, and then give them all the freedom they want beyond that. HSing will allow him more freedom in the long run than regular school ever could.

[RiverSky]

Good grades & my not being very clear

Originally Posted by Brisen

From your posts, I'm not quite sure what you are looking for. Your son is doing well in school, so you're not sure if homeschooling is justified? Would it help to take his doing well in school out of the equation, and just look at it generally -- do you think that, generally speaking, public school or home schooling has more to offer children? If you hadn't sent him to kindergarten -- which IMO isn't really school, where I live anyway truancy laws don't come into effect until grade 1 age -- would you be having this debate with yourself?

Haha, yes, I can tell that I am being confusing, sorry about that. I am just working it all out in my brain as I go along and am reporting ALL of my thoughts and confusion right along with it. That's pretty much why I began posting here instead of just continuing to read everyone's else thoughts and situations...which were helpful but did not necessarily parallel my own. I was hoping that I would get advice and information more directly tailored to my own particular situation and I really have received it. I don't really know what I'm looking for either, just that I am searching and I believe I will know what it is when I find it. Even though that might make little sense, I've actually been getting so many fantastic responses and suggestions that I am quite optimistic about getting exactly what I need from this forum. I appreciate everyone's help SO MUCH. I also figure that if I need and want this information, chances are there is someone else out there who has been lurking for months and is finding all of this somewhat helpful as well.

Now to attempt to clarify...I think when I mentioned that my son received good grades, it was to just give a full picture of the situation in order to elicit the best, most appropriate advice and to explain where I was coming from.

As a matter of fact, I do realize that getting good grades and especially getting them mostly very easily, definitely hindered my growth. Well, I'm realizing it more and more each day. Even as a child, I figured part of it out fairly early on and had it reiterated in my mind periodically, that many children tried even harder than I did and were not able to get the same grades and it did not mean they were "dumb" or "stupid" but that they weren't being taught in the right way for their own individual mind to figure it all out, or that the teacher wasn't giving them enough individualized attention and that I was simply lucky that the way the school and most teachers taught to me was exactly the way my brain learned quickly and easily. I also encounted myself having an elitest attitude and I have worked hard to try to eliminate that from my personality but I have to say, that I do occasionally fall back on that in certain occasions. This is not a fact I am proud of and it is definitely NOT something I want to perpetuate in my child. My husand, for instance, did not get top marks in school but he is absolutely brilliant in so many ways and in so many ways that I am not, and he makes a good salary doing what he does best, better than my good grades propelled me to do - and you know what? He LOVES his career! (what's with those pointless good grades, anyway?)

As for my son...if he had gotten poor grades or even mediocre grades, I would probably have (silly but true) jumped right onto the homeschooling bandwagon, believing that it was the system not teaching my son adequately and that I needed to do something about it right away. Instead he got extremely good kindergarten report cards which I took to heart more than I should have.

Actually, it didn't occur to me not to send him to kindergarten, I, oddly enough, did not know it was optional. Since I always loved school and he loved the little play-oriented short and occasional preschool that he went to... I thought kindergarten would be full of fun and games with sweet innocent little kindergarteners. Instead, most of those kindergarteners were not so sweet and innocent. Another thing I did not realize was that Kindergarten pushed reading far more than I ever thought it would and not necessarily in the way I would have believed to be the best.

If I had never sent him to kindergarten... theoretically I probably would have come to the same decision around the same time...thinking that I wanted to homeschool him NOW instead of later. Interesting point. Very interesting. In that case, I wouldn't have had such problems finalizing my decision. I should have come to this decision BEFORE he'd ever come to this point but oh well, don't have that choice now really...oh wait, there's my 3 year old daughter! Yay!

Now how do I deschool my 6 yo son gently and without him crying or feeling left out?

Hmmmm.....

[RiverSky]

Originally Posted by rebeccalizzie

Hope this helps..because to be honest, I'm rereading my own post and saying "why am I *not* 100% positive? I think I just convinced myself! :LOL

Rebecca

I can relate to this because just by posting my reasons for and against, I have been finding that my reasons for homeschooling are far more compelling than any I have to not do it immediately.

I do worry about my children losing their love of any particular subject, or just learning in general by being in school and then having to spend all kinds of time and effort to make up for that and reverse it. If I already feel like that is inevitable with school, why would I even consider continuing with that type of an institution?

So are you going to homeschool your daughter this year or next? Have you changed your plans?

[Brisen]

Originally Posted by RiverSky

Haha, yes, I can tell that I am being confusing, sorry about that. I am just working it all out in my brain as I go along and am reporting ALL of my thoughts and confusion right along with it.

Oh, don't apologize. That was more a disclaimer from me just in case I was completely misunderstanding you. I often write out a whole post asking a question, but in writing it I work it out/figure it out and don't end up even submitting it, lol. So I know what you mean about working it out as you go along.

Now how do I deschool my 6 yo son gently and without him crying or feeling left out?

Hmmmm.....

Find your local hs group(s). Get involved! If he's still feeling left out in the fall, many groups do a "not back to school" party, that might help (or make things worse, hmmm...), or maybe sign up for some kind of daytime class....? I know some places in my town (pools, martial arts, music) have homeschooler time set aside in the day.

[RiverSky]

Overthinking?

Originally Posted by lckrause

I think you are overthinking this, making homeschooling into a much bigger deal than it really is. If the decision is tormenting you this much, then maybe it's not the right thing to do. However, I agree with Linda that it's not fair to your son to keep changing your mind and telling him different things. You're the mom and you're the one who needs to make the ultimate decision, so stop placing the onus of it on your son.

I can see how some might think I am "overthinking" this, but in my opinion, I am simply being thorough. I am attempting to consider all angles and not just brush aside aspects that I have not gotten a handle on. This decision is not tormenting me, I am simply fascinated and completely interested in making the correct decision with all things considered, with a deadline since 1st grade begins in the middle of August in Florida.

Ever since I realized that I wanted to keep my son home from 1st grade and on (which was during the last week of kindergarten), I have given myself the deadline of the end of July to complete my investigation and make a final decision...and I have been upfront with my son. Well, actually, all I have said to him is that "we" (my husband and I) are thinking about homeschooling him. I have given him some reasons and examples as to why homeschooling would be better and I have pointed out to him some homeschoolers that we know. I have had him speak to a couple of them about how they feel about homeschooling and what it is.

I don't actually believe he knows exactly what homeschooling is from all of that and my next step is going to be to teach him more about what homeschooling is...but I have never wavered on what I have told my son about it. I have never placed the onus on him. I have told him that if "we" decide to homeschool him, though it is not his decision, we would like him to agree with us.

My sister was just telling me that she knows two men in their 20s who were homeschooled. She says that both of them hated homeschooling and entirely wish they had not had to homeschool. They have sugar-coated ideas about what public school would have been all about, a "the grass is always greener on the other side" approach yet they both feel they have been shorted and regret that this has happened to them. I never want my son to feel this way. I don't think he ever would, because if he ever told me that he didn't want to continue homeschooling, I would respect his wishes and if I felt they were lasting (not fleeting whims), then he would go to public school. I am simply conscious of the future and want to ensure that I make these decisions with all eventualities in mind. Personally, I think these two men are really poor examples of homeschooling and I am guessing that this eventuality is a rarity as opposed to a regular occurrence. Knowledge is power, though, and I want to be aware so that I don't repeat those parents' mistakes.

The fact that I am considering my son and his feelings in this decision does not mean that what my son says goes.

[RiverSky]

Great advice!

Originally Posted by Fairy4tmama

I think for the most part children are better off being HS in the elementary grades and schooled in the higher grades if at all. My reasoning is that by than their brains are hard wired and they hopefully have a passion for learning, so schooling in the upper grades has less of a chance of doing permanent damage!

See, I am coming to believe that, too. I was definitely hoping that elementary school would be fun and carefree learning in a gentle environment but already our experiences in kindergarten were only occasionally that.

Originally Posted by Fairy4tmama

If you really want to save money for travel, a worthy HS activity, then send them to school later and work then. As your children get older you may be able to work and HS. Who knows you may even find a way to involve your children in saving for trips when there older, HS'ed kids are notorios for starting there own buisness in their teen years.

Great ideas! Thank you for your thoughts on all of this. This has been really helpful to me. I really CAN do it all! I'm not just a silly unrealistic dreamer wanting it all! :LOL

Originally Posted by Fairy4tmama

just my .02

That was worth a lot more than two cents. Thank you.

Originally Posted by Fairy4tmama

Pleas feel free to ask me questions about young children, brain development and the school enviorment if you like

What should I do about my son? Today, he said to me that we should hurry up and finish our homeschooling this summer so that he can go back to his public school when 1st Grade starts. Obviously, he is not understanding what I am getting at, or he is trying to work out a compromise to suit the both of us. I would like to gently ease his thinking around and though I have a few ideas...
1) getting every storybook from the library that I can find about children who homeschool and reading them to him
2) spending as much time with other homeschoolers as possible
3) explaining to him what homeschooling will be like over and over and again and again until he really actually understands. Actually, I believe I've been homeschooling already, just have to make him understand that.
...I can use more.
Do you have any?

[UUMom]

I have two schoolers and two hsers, and they are all happy.

It depends on the school, the child, the parental expectations, personalites etc etc. I know some wonderful schooled kids and i know some lame hs'd kids and vice versa.

Do what's right for everyone involved. Only a family knows what they need.

While i think most every child can find a niche as a hser, i also think there are some cool stories out there by families who do the school thang.

The biggest, meanest, dumbest family I know is a hsing LLL family. People don't like to talk about such things, but tis true.

Conversly, some of the nicest, most confident kids I know had more traditional schooling.

It just depends on the family.

While I think any family can hs, I don't think all families can make it work well.

That said, i don't think 6 yr olds can do a great job planning their lives. That's why 6 yr olds need parents.

Nothing is forever. It's easier to start hsing and then go to school than the other way around. IMO.

[RiverSky]

Imaginative Play & Freedom to learn

Originally Posted by meowee

I can tell you definitively that hs'ed kids maintain their innocence and imaginative play longer than regular schooled kids, and are more able/ willing to play with kids much younger than themselves (this latter point has actually been proven in studies of hs'ers).

This is a very good reason to homeschool, IMO.

Originally Posted by meowee

Honestly... your son is young enough that you can make this decision for him. You are the adult still, and it's your job to make choices for him that you think are best. If you are concerned about being an over-controlling parent, that is a separate issue from homeschool.

I worry sometimes about the control issues too, but in my mind, it's like you make choices for them up to a certain very clear point, and then give them all the freedom they want beyond that. HSing will allow him more freedom in the long run than regular school ever could.

I have no problem making a decision for him, but I don't want him to resent me even a little for doing it therefore I need to figure out the very best way to teach him about homeschooling. I believe strongly that when he has enough info, he will far prefer homeschooling to PS. I am now working on giving him the right tools for the job.

[RiverSky]

Triple L?

Originally Posted by UUMom

I have two schoolers and two hsers, and they are all happy.
...Nothing is forever. It's easier to start hsing and then go to school than the other way around. IMO.

What an interesting family dynamic. Thank you for sharing. I believe happiness is the most important thing.

I like your point.... I should just homeschool and if my son decides to go back to school one day, so be it, we'll try that again. Perhaps.

The only LLL I can come up with is La Leche League? Is that correct?
I am not that good with all of this forum's abbreviations either, hence my fully typing out certain words, like husband. That should be "dh"...but dd sometimes means son? I'm confused...dd, ds, dh, are there more? (off topic?)

[Citymomx3]

How did you tell your 8 yo of your decision? Was your 8 yo pleased? Were there any tears? Did you have to convince her, and if so, how did you do it?

I brought it up one day after school. I was very matter-of-fact and said it was something I had been reading about. She asked questions about it and I explained it with a little more detail. She immediately said it sounded like something she'd like to try. I still wanted to wait until she was sure and after a couple of months, she brought it up to me by saying, "I think I'm ready to homeschool now".

The struggle I was having was that even though I knew homeschooling would be best, if I took her out of this school (that she went through a lengthy process to get into!!) then she could NOT just go back if homeschooling didn't work out. This gifted class went all the way up to 8th grade and practically guaranteed her a spot in a top high school. It was difficult, but I just went with my heart. I could see she was becoming academically indifferent and starting to shut down. Socially things were ok and she was happy, but I had to think of her future well-being.

I think you should just come right out with your thoughts to your son. Ask him what he thinks about it. Don't bring up anything that could be taken as negative. Emphasize the fun and the being with you and tell him it's something he can do if he wants to. Say why you think it's better than where he is now.

Now how do I deschool my 6 yo son gently and without him crying or feeling left out?

This is the easy part! The initial decision is the hard part! I think you should just cross one bridge at a time for now, though. Don't get way too ahead of yourself or it may seem overwhelming. Deschooling is basically just hanging together and just "being". Let him take the lead with his learning and you just provide him with resources, activities, outings, and attention. My dd says she loves homeschooling and that it's definitely way better than school was. She still keeps in touch with a couple of school friends. We joined a great homeschool group where she is making new friends (one is now her new best friend!), she goes to dance class and community theather rehearsal a few times a week where she has lots of friends and lots of fun. She does not miss her old life at ALL. We eased into all of it so there was no major life-altering change all at once for her. I have never seen her so happy. Check out my blog for the whole story if you'd like! (<<<shameless plug>>> )

[RiverSky]

Need to teach him more about homeschooling...

Originally Posted by Brisen

I often write out a whole post asking a question, but in writing it I work it out/figure it out and don't end up even submitting it, lol. So I know what you mean about working it out as you go along.

Hehe...I've already done that a number of times. I'm glad you understand.

Originally Posted by Brisen

Find your local hs group(s). Get involved! If he's still feeling left out in the fall, many groups do a "not back to school" party, that might help (or make things worse, hmmm...), or maybe sign up for some kind of daytime class....? I know some places in my town (pools, martial arts, music) have homeschooler time set aside in the day.

I am now convinced that I have simply not been reminding him and explaining to him enough (or enough times) what homeschool will be like. We are already in many things, like a homeschool music class, I have told him about the homeschool sports class, that we are going to transition from our MOMS Club activites into Homeschool Club (which has more school age children) and about the Homeschool class at the nearest Children's Science Museum (he loves it there). That's my next project. Thank you for your ideas! Oh, and yes, I plan to be very involved in the HS group. I might even join two of them and be involved in both. I'm going to play it by ear.

Thank you for your great ideas.

[RiverSky]

Your blog is great.

Originally Posted by Citymomx3

The struggle I was having was that even though I knew homeschooling would be best, if I took her out of this school (that she went through a lengthy process to get into!!) then she could NOT just go back if homeschooling didn't work out.

I actually have a very similar situation in that it took ingenuity and trying a few times to get my son into this school. Plus, he is guaranteed to be in it until the end of grade 5 and my daughter could go into it, too. Now, if we homeschool then change our minds, we would not be able to return to this school without buying a house in its district. And we like our current house!

BUT I think I've come to the decision that I will homeschool and that, you know what? I'm not going to change my mind, my son is not going to want to go back to PS and we are going to be just fine. We won't even have to sell our house and move because the school will be in our house!

I did check out your blog and it was neat to read about part of your days. I actually love all the pictures and the way you haven't actually shown your children's faces. I would have loved to have seen them regardless but it's so cute and thoughtful that you worked so hard to keep them private. Very cool.

[RiverSky]

Doubts & Books

I like to think of them more as questions, not doubts.

Originally Posted by callmemama

ETA: Have you read Dumbing us Down by John Taylor Gatto or any other books about homeschooling? I particularly liked Homeschooling Our Children Unschooling Ourselves by Alison McKee.

I have read tons of books on the topic (at least 20?), I'm constantly reading about homeschooling and education lately. I have not read "Dumbing us Down" yet but I have it on order and I have read a number of synopses and a few quotes from it. I have read some John Holt books, like How We Fail and How We Learn. I'm currently reading Linda Dobson's Homeschooling Book of Answers (it's in the other room...that's the exact title, right?), and have about 6 more on my bedside table waiting for me to finish.

Thank you for the suggestion, I'll have to try to find the McKee book.

[RiverSky]

I'm glad

Originally Posted by Lillian J

Well, it's a pretty big deal, f'r Pete's sake!

I'm so glad to be understood!

As for the seriously ill children who want to continue in PS, I have never understood that either...except in wanting to stay connected with friends. Perhaps they felt that school was their only or main connection to their friends or they didn't have any really close friendships and school was their substitute for that. Either way, I believe that through homeschooling, I can provide more along all of those lines for my children than traditional schools.

I'm coming around now, aren't I?

Milk, haha, good analogy.

As for the Disney Award Winning Teachers...I have a friend whose son finished a year in a Golden Apple Award teacher's class (big award in Florida) and she said that though the teacher must have been wonderful with most of the other children, she wasn't a good fit for her son and she should have requested another teacher. Having one of those "fantastic" teachers is no guarantee it seems, either. Hopefully that won't ever be a worry of mine.

Originally Posted by Lillian J

if you make sure you're getting them out and about to mingle and play with others.

No problem there. I don't think my children have EVER told me that they were bored. It's not that I don't give them plenty of time to play quietly and imaginatively by themselves and/or with eachother, because I do, no tv, just playing or creating or swimming or running around the yard. I think they learned how to do that so nicely BECAUSE we so often get out and play with others. Social skills my children will NEVER lack. Socialization will NEVER be an issue with homeschooling, that is for sure.

Originally Posted by Lillian J

And, by the way, you don't get off the hook just because you finally make up your mind - periodic anxiety attacks come with the territory.
- Lillian

Now I've been warned. That's fair. And I can live with that.

[RiverSky]

Okay.

Originally Posted by Charles Baudelaire

What in the world are you thinking?? HOMESCHOOL NOW!.

Okay. I think I will.

You outline your thoughts very nicely. I definitely love the idea of tailoring the curriculum to each individual child. I have come to believe that I love every single part of the idea of homeschooling. I don't believe that every parent would make a good homeschooling parent but I believe that my husand and I will do a wonderful job of it....or actually, to be more precise, I think our children will have a wonderful time with it. I have been reading and thinking about Education Majors and I tell you, I am looking differently at that family member who is about to graduate with his Education Degree...

Thank you so much for responding to my query. I have really enjoyed reading your posts in the past few months.

[mandib50]

i think whether your child likes homeschooling or not is not a good way to decide to homeschool or not. i mean how is a 6 year old to know when firstly he has no experience with homeschooling and secondly he can't even begin to comprehend the bigger picture as to why you'd homeschool. that argument is silly to me in a way because as parents we make many decisions that our kids don't like because they can't see the bigger picture.

why do i homeschool - i agree with everything that was mentioned and wanted to add that our kids are a part of our lives for such a short time, it's great being able to homeschool and watch them grow and learn and to know at the end of their time with us we were together bonding as much as possible. what is more important in life than the bonds we create with those we love. when it's all said and done, i think that's what counts the most.

mandi

[rebeccalizzie]

Originally Posted by RiverSky

I can relate to this because just by posting my reasons for and against, I have been finding that my reasons for homeschooling are far more compelling than any I have to not do it immediately.

I do worry about my children losing their love of any particular subject, or just learning in general by being in school and then having to spend all kinds of time and effort to make up for that and reverse it. If I already feel like that is inevitable with school, why would I even consider continuing with that type of an institution?

So are you going to homeschool your daughter this year or next? Have you changed your plans?

I think losing that love of learning is almost inevitable in regular schools. I personally do not know anyone that didn't start to hate school around 4th grade or so, if they didn't hate it earlier. What cracks me up is they often say "well, we hated learning and we are just fine" to explain why I should keep DD in school...it's just like the stupid spanking argument!

DD is 9, so I do think she is old enough to at least be a major participant in the decision making process. I did include her and take her wishes into consideration. She didn't like the idea at first, but she came around quickly.

Next year. I wish we could do this year, and DH and I have said that if she gets any more bored we'll go ahead and pull her in the middle of the year if needed, but for the time being it would be (financially) much better if I can finish this last year at work. The current plan is for me to quit next May, then spend the summer "de-schooling" and then start hs'ing in September 2006. We talked about it again this past weekend, and I'm almost positive we are going to do it. The only thing I'm waiting on for the final decision is DH--we just started talking about it a few weeks ago, and we are also going to start trying to get pregnant next month, and then I'm going to quit and DH is going to be financially responsible for the whole family...he needs some time to process this latest change He seems pretty positive though, so I'm fairly certain it's what will happen.

[callmemama]

Originally Posted by callmemama

Maybe you shouldn't homeschool if you have so many doubts.

I just re-read my post and realized what a useless comment this was! Just because hs was an easy decision for us doesn't mean it is for everyone. I would be very frustrated if someone told me to "just vaccinate" because I have so many doubts on that whole issue! Good luck on making peace with whichever course you pursue!