how do i know if hs'ing is right for us?

[faiths13]

im seriously considering hs'ing but i want to make sure it is the right decision. i see alot of pros for doing it, but i want to make sure its the right choice for my kids. they have been in ps (they are going into 2nd & 4th grades) and i dont know how they will ultimately feel about hs'ing. they are used the the school they are at, have lots of friends there, etc. but then my older son has alot of problems and has been suspended 3 or 4 times this year. thats a big factor in thinking about hs'ing for me. i have talked to them about it and they sound like they want to with maybe a bit of mixed feelings in. and then i think about how much work it will be for me and wonder if i really have what it takes to teach them and be patient enough. i mean i always like the ask alot of questions when i am thinking of making any big decision. its not that i dont think i can do it either. i just want to know if someone can help me ask myself the right questions to know whether hs'ing is the right choice or not.

[elizawill]

connect with a local homeschool group. ask lots of questions to the families you meet, & hang out with them this summer and make new friends for your kids.

also, if you do homeschool and just hate it for some reason...you can always return to public school one day, ykwim? you have nothing to lose by trying it.

[annmartina]

I think you are the only one who can answer that question. Here are my personal thoughts, someone with more experience would have a much better perspective. (I was homeschooled but have yet to homeschool.)

a) It's ideal if the parents in a homeschooling family like life in general and are curious about the world and the people in it. Homeschooling is not a good fit for chronic couch potatos.

b) Hopefully you know (or are willing to learn) how to set goals and take initiative to achieve them. Not to confuse this will structure, such as finishing a level of curriculum, etc. Achieving a goal could mean a lot of things, but I think developing a certain level of responsibility is desirable in a homeschooling family. After all, there's no system in place to tell you what you have to achieve.

c) Don't do it out of a sense of burden or obligation. If you resent it, your kids will too.

[mommy68]

Originally Posted by annmartina

Homeschooling is not a good fit for chronic couch potatos.

I tend to disagree with this. Mainly becuase I think any child can be changed gradually over time. Why give up on a child and say they aren't worth it just because they don't "try" in a public school setting. Her child may do well at home after being de-schooled and he may also do well as being unschooled. You don't know until you try.

I agree with finding a H/S group to join. That can help a lot. My oldest is 13 and when I first started thinking about H/S him I knew a mom at church that gave me a lot of information. She had already been H/S for over ten years at that point. Being around H/S with experience can help a lot.

[Mallori]

I think the beauty of homeschooling is you can do it any way you like so that it is right for you.

Did you ask yourself if school would be the right thing for your family? Or did you just do it? If it isn't working, why not switch gears? We did.

[3momkmb]

I don't think that you can know for sure that homeschooling is right for you until you try it and see. Like any momentous life decision; getting married, having children, etc you (collective) aren't able to see into the future and know that everything would work out. You just think about it, maybe do some research and go with what feels right.

A lot of deciding to homeschool for me was going with my gut, it felt right so I jumped in and gave it a try! Best decision I ever made.

I think doubt is a big part of deciding to hs for most people. Is it the right thing to do? Will the kids ultimately resent you for it? I still wonder those things sometimes and we've been homeschooling for 5yrs! If I didn't wonder about hs ing I'd be wondering about something else LOL!

[faiths13]

very good points! thanks! i saw a yahoo group for hs'ing in my area, so i guess i will check it out again. i think its natural to question things, so its nice to have others to bounce all my thoughts off of to help me get more insight and perspectives.

[eilonwy]

For us, things are different for each child. My oldest couldn't function in a traditional classroom; Everything I've learned, and everyone I've spoken with, and 85% of the people who've met him in real life are entirely agreed on this. Bean would be *miserable*, and he'd make everyone around him miserable at school and at home.

BooBah, on the other hand, could probably thrive in a particular kind of school environment. It's not to say that homeschooling wouldn't be right for her, but school wouldn't necessarily be *wrong*. Bella may end up going to school one day, and it's a bit early to know about Bear... but again, I don't think it would be wrong to homeschool them (though perhaps it would be wrong to teach them in the same way that I teach Bean).

In any case... I'd think about it in flexible terms. Homeschooling your kids now doesn't mean you'll have to do it in the same way with all of them always and forever.

[phathui5]

When I was looking at how to homeschool, I checked out just about every homeschooling book and magazine that the library had. I think doing something like that could give you a vision in your mind of how you see homeschooling for your family.

[mom2ponygirl]

Originally Posted by mommy68

I tend to disagree with this. Mainly becuase I think any child can be changed gradually over time. Why give up on a child and say they aren't worth it just because they don't "try" in a public school setting.

I think the couch potato designation as suggested by the PP applied to the parent not the child