Tell me why I am not CRAZY.......

[litlwons]

to bring my 8 year old home next year to homeschool with his will be 3 year old brother. I need a pep talk here....I am really worried the age difference will be the death of me and my re-adventure into homeschooling (he went to second grade this year at a small private school).
They are fighting a lot lately...although they are staring to play more and more.
I just need some moral support here. I really want this to be successfull.....


Thank you!!!!

[rsps]

they will play better together when your older one is no longer under the influence of the public school.

Consider unschooling ( at least in the begining). Call it decompressing if you like. You and your kids will need time to adjust to your new life. Plan fun activites and reading books together take trips to the library and walks in the neighborhood. Eventually you will find a routine that works for you. But don't try to jump into a full academic schedule right away.

You are not crazy. You can do it.

[Mallori]

they will play better together when your older one is no longer under the influence of the public school.

I COULD NOT AGREE MORE!

I just pulled my kids out. After a week and a half, they are fighting less. I think p.s. had my oldest so stressed out, he just wanted to come home and take it out on someone...that someone being his siblings. My kids are so much happier now.

[*clementine*]

My 6 year old dd plays with her 2 year old brother all the time now that we've pulled her out of public school. She used to just get really frustrated with him, but now they are tight.

[gilamama]

Originally Posted by Mallori

I COULD NOT AGREE MORE!

I just pulled my kids out. After a week and a half, they are fighting less. I think p.s. had my oldest so stressed out, he just wanted to come home and take it out on someone...that someone being his siblings. My kids are so much happier now.

so jealous

[mommy68]

I also do not think you are crazy.

Originally Posted by rsps

they will play better together when your older one is no longer under the influence of the public school.

I agree. My younger kids are still in school (private school also) and they are soooo grouchy on the days they go to school. The weekends and holidays are wonderful.

I know someone with twin boys age 6 right now and she is pregnant and homeschools. They are very vibrant and active little boys too. Just know that you can do it. Once your children get used to being home together all the time they just get used to the routine and order of the days.

[lilsparrow]

This past school year my children went to school after being homeschooled previously. This year the sibling rivalry has been through the roof!! My son, who I pulled out last month, has calmed down tremendously and has really gotten SO CLOSE with his two year old brother in this short amount of time. He insists on laying him down for his nap every day, (and sleeps with him), and has begun asking if we can move little one into his room with him.

He slept with him last night, and this morning when I got back from taking the other kids to school, he had already fixed him breakfast and fed him! They were sitting on the couch together watching tv when I got home, like two peas in a pod.

The two children in school, fight like rabid dogs. I am looking forward to next year, and I predict things will go much smoother, when they are in a less stressful situation. School promotes age segregation, and not playing with "babies."

I predict, and have experienced myself, that homeschooling will IMPROVE the sibling relationships.

Good luck!!

[litlwons]

Thank you all soooooo much for your replies! They have helped me feel better.
I do notice when DS1 is home for longer periods of time, they play better. I hope they get really close, right now it just seems like a competition between them when they are both home together.

[lakesuperiormom]

Originally Posted by litlwons

to bring my 8 year old home next year to homeschool with his will be 3 year old brother. I need a pep talk here....I am really worried the age difference will be the death of me and my re-adventure into homeschooling (he went to second grade this year at a small private school).
They are fighting a lot lately...although they are staring to play more and more.
I just need some moral support here. I really want this to be successfull.....


Thank you!!!!

well, i am doing something wrong here! my 7 yr and 4 yr old fight like crazy...it's an all day wrestle fest! they also play well together until....wrestle fest happens! it's a boy thing...i think...or i am being conned by dh! i am certain that homeschooling my three boys and daughter will be the death of me.....but it is going to be a fun way to go! lol it's also the highlight of my life to be with my 4 children watching them grow and learn! watching the older ones help and teach the younger ones...it's a blessing! there are tough days,but it's worth it! you are going to have a great time with your kids so stop worrying and realize just how blessed you are!

[Ruthla]

I think ther'es a huge difference between "play fighting" (physical play that resembles fights) and "real fighting" where kids really DON'T get along, whether it's physical or if it comes out as bickering and yelling.

It sounds like your boys are wrestling the way puppies or kittens interact with their littermates- not "not getting along".

[Mallori]

my 7 yr and 4 yr old fight like crazy...it's an all day wrestle fest! they also play well together until....wrestle fest happens! it's a boy thing...i

For us it's a boredom thing. This happens when they've been indoors too long. Boys are very physical. I agree with the puppies analogy, boys really need to burn off energy. Kinda like certain dogs, where you just have to run the snot out of them before you train them, kwim? Of course, my daughter tends toward that way too.

Just another reason public school didn't work out for us, the kids just didn't get any opportunity to run it off..

[annmartina]

Another long-term payoff is that they have a greater chance of sustaining a lifelong friendship with their siblings. My 3 bros and I were homeschooled K-12 and as adults, we are extremely good friends. I see relationships like ours in essentially all the homeschooled families I knew as a kid (that I have stayed in touch with). I rarely see comparable relationships among my adult friends who went to public or private schools. My dh says he barely knows his own brother, less than 2 years older than him. I find that strange and tragic and I am so grateful for the richness of my relationships with my brothers. My mom, who went to public school, has said how amazed she is at how our adult sibling relationships have developed . . . so different than her and her siblings.

[litlwons]

More and more reasons...thank you thank you all for posting. I am amazed that even though my DS1 has been in a VERY SMALL school this year, the influences that drive him right now are frightening. I am so looking forward to bringing him home, scaling down, getting back to our own "basics" and connecting with what really is important.

Kathleen in San Diego

[ikesmom]

I will be crazy with you

As my youngest ds will turn 3 in August and I will homeschool my 8yr old ds too. I also have 13 and 10 yr old dd's but they will continue ps.

I am hoping that ds 3 will want to be like big bro and do his own version of the lessons to keep busy.

[lilsparrow]

Originally Posted by annmartina

Another long-term payoff is that they have a greater chance of sustaining a lifelong friendship with their siblings. My 3 bros and I were homeschooled K-12 and as adults, we are extremely good friends. I see relationships like ours in essentially all the homeschooled families I knew as a kid (that I have stayed in touch with). I rarely see comparable relationships among my adult friends who went to public or private schools. My dh says he barely knows his own brother, less than 2 years older than him. I find that strange and tragic and I am so grateful for the richness of my relationships with my brothers. My mom, who went to public school, has said how amazed she is at how our adult sibling relationships have developed . . . so different than her and her siblings.

I agree with this. Although my brother and I would be an exception to the rule. We weren't homeschooled, but we are TIGHT. I rarely see the type of closeness we share among other siblings. I think in our case, we were able to maintain and preserve our bond because our family moved every year or so. When what was outside our front door changed so frequently, our roots were in our family unit. I am frequently amazed and saddened by the lack of closeness between siblings. My husband and his sister only talk once a year, and my brother is one of my best friends!!

A tight family unit is one of my major reasons for wanting to homeschool.

[Kabes]

I have 4 and we homeschooled/un-schooled this past year after a year of ps Kindy. I think the kids relationships are much better. Of course the squabble but they also work it out on their own now too (most of the time).

[leighann79]

We saw a big improvement with how our kids got along once we brought Fiona home. She and Eric fought horribly while she was in school. Long vacations were where we saw an improvement and made us think that homeschooling would help out. It wasn't the only reason, or even the biggest reason, but it was still something we thought about.