The only drawback

[splotchy1]

My son has Aspergers and, after being a public school teacher for a while, I am totally on board with homeschooling, think it is right for our family, and I'm planning on starting next year.
But, I'm a single parent and a WAHM with another little one too. For 4 1/2 years now, I've made it work without childcare because it is really important for me to be here for my kids in all ways. My son has gone to preschool 3 mornings a week for 2 years now in the early intervention program and it has been wonderful for him. That ends at the end of this year. I would absolutely miss my kids like crazy if they were in school all day and that's one reason I love the idea of homeschooling, but I have to admit that having a few mornings to myself is my sanity. When I hear of my friends kids going to school and the parents actually having time during the day to get their work done, have some down time, etc...it makes me know I would like that too. If school were only 3 hours a day for their school career, I might consider it a bit more.
Anyone else feel a little jealous of other moms freedom during the day? Or, does this just sound ridiculous?

[Heavenly]

I know exactly what you mean. I have said often that if school were just 3 hours a day I might consider it. I could never stand to have my kids away from me for 7 hours a day. Yes I do get very jealous of how easy it seems for those moms who have time alone all day but I do also notice downfalls to their lifestyle as well.

[frogguruami]

I actually don't see PS as providing any down time for me. I would have to be up at 6am instead of 9am to have them on the bus by 6:30am. If I chose to drive them to school then I would have to have everyone dressed and in the car by 7am to have them at school by 7:30. I would never be able to go anywhere during the day and run errands because I would have to be "on-call" in case something happened at school. Not to mention that I would have to fight NON stop with the school in order to get DS2 the help he needs (He is PDD/Autism, SID and ODD). Then there is the three hours of homework they send home (One for Kindy and three for third). So I figure the 2 hours (maybe) that I would gain as "free time" would require me getting up at 6am and then not having my children back until dinner time. It is simply not worth it to me. My children are able to entertain themselves for an hour at a time easy. So it is not like I have to constantly engaged in "educational instruction" in order to homeschool.

[blsilva]

Originally Posted by frogguruami

I actually don't see PS as providing any down time for me. I would have to be up at 6am instead of 9am to have them on the bus by 6:30am. If I chose to drive them to school then I would have to have everyone dressed and in the car by 7am to have them at school by 7:30. I would never be able to go anywhere during the day and run errands because I would have to be "on-call" in case something happened at school. Not to mention that I would have to fight NON stop with the school in order to get DS2 the help he needs (He is PDD/Autism, SID and ODD). Then there is the three hours of homework they send home (One for Kindy and three for third). So I figure the 2 hours (maybe) that I would gain as "free time" would require me getting up at 6am and then not having my children back until dinner time. It is simply not worth it to me. My children are able to entertain themselves for an hour at a time easy. So it is not like I have to constantly engaged in "educational instruction" in order to homeschool.

:
Ds is an Aspie, too, so I pretty much feel that if he were in school I'd be spending more time getting him there, dealing with the school/teachers, dealing with meltdowns after, or just plain going to school with him to make sure he was being treated & taught the way he needs to be. That's what my mom did with me.
Right now I have it pretty easy. I do try to work in some time where the kids are occupied with other things so that I can just read or something, but I feel a lot less stressed than I would have if he were in school. That would not have been down-time. It would have been worry-time!

[Cullens_Girl]

Originally Posted by frogguruami

Then there is the three hours of homework they send home (One for Kindy and three for third).

An hour of homework for kindy? OHMY. I guess I am behind the times. I don't remember getting my first homework assignment until the 3rd grade and even then nothing came home regularly until grade 4 - and it took maybe 1 hour tops.

[blsilva]

Originally Posted by Cullens_Girl

An hour of homework for kindy? OHMY.

That's awful.

[frogguruami]

Originally Posted by Cullens_Girl

An hour of homework for kindy? OHMY. I guess I am behind the times. I don't remember getting my first homework assignment until the 3rd grade and even then nothing came home regularly until grade 4 - and it took maybe 1 hour tops.

When we were in school they wouldn't have dreamed of giving that much homework. Now they spend so much time preparing for "the test" that they have to send the REAL work home.

[splotchy1]

Thanks everyone. I never thought too much about the time I'd be spending worrying about school. Being a WAHM, I just worry about the time I won't be working, and the nights I'll have to work to stay caught up.

[tallanvor]

You might look around and see if it is possible to find someone who could watch your kids at least one morning or afternoon for a couple of hours. I realize that might cost more than you can spend, but it might be enough to really help with the work so you don't get too stressed.

Crystal