unschooling son wants to try PS

[momofthree]

Hi I'm new here...been pregnant, nursing and unschooling for the last 8 years....my 7 yo really wants to try school in the fall and I am thinking it might be good for him as well as for me. Need of advice right now. So many things I dislike about school, but then I had good memories and fun times in school I'd like for him too. He is a social butterfly and he exhausts me trying to do all his activities, friends,etc...I'd rather be home and he'd rather be going....what to do? He really wants to try school, I think I should let him so he knows what it is about otherwise he will always wonder, right?: Not sure what to do....my heart tells me he will be fine...he is strong, caring, sweet, smart....I feel more troubled by making him stay at home than letting him experience what school would be like. Have any of you had your kids try school for a year or two and then go back to homeschooling/unschooling??? Need advice and support, words of wisdom right now from others who have been there.

Thanks...
mom of three

[anythingelse]

[momofthree]

Thanks Vanna's mom....I know and worry about the behaviors you are talking about! We wouldn't put him in till fall and will just see how the summer goes. I plan to get him around more homeschooling buddies and see if that helps. I like our lives not being dictated by the school...I like our freedom, I'd hate to lose that and his love for learning.

He told me he wanted to go to school so he could do more math. I told him we can do plenty more math if he wants! He wants recess, friends....things he sees from tv shows which he won't exactly get....but to experience it might be the only way he will truly know if he really wants to go.

momofthree

[hydrangea]

I think if my children really wanted to go to school after thinking about it and talking about it quite a bit, I would send them. But I wouldn't require them to stick out the year or the semester. I'd let them come home as soon as they wanted to or play "hooky" any day they wanted to.

I haven't read it, but if you do send him to school, you might want to check out Grace Llewellyn's Guerilla Learning

[Dancinghen]

Since summer is just around the corner, why not look into some structured school-like summer activities that might give you both a better idea as to whether you'd like to proceed with school in the fall. I don't know about your area, but around here there are loads of structured day camps (general day camps as well as boy/girl scout camps, art, science, sports, nature, etc. etc. Some are even sponsored by schools and held on the school grounds) Many of them are full day (9am-4pm or so) and this might give you both the feel of a school day as well as some of the social issues that might crop up.

[barbara]

Most homeschooled kids go through the "I want to go to school" thing around 7 or 8. I think it has more to do with the social thing, and with all of my kids, they get past it and never really ask again. I'm honest with them and tell them what school is like. No horror stories, just the facts.

I think it is natural for kids that age to become social and want to do what the rest of the kids are doing, but eventually they realize that they have the better deal at home!

We found that sports, boy scouts, or 4-H, music and drama clubs, church and homeschool groups can provide better social contact in the long run than schools do anyway.

[anythingelse]

[Alexander]

Let him, but expect his langauge and manners to go to crap. You could use this. Make him aware that as a condition of him continuing, he knows hat is expected of him.

Also, get to see the homeroom teacher in advance. Clarify the extent to which you are prepared to allow them to have homework inflicted upon him.

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