I'm Freaking Out here! Need some encouragement - Page 2

[melissabb]

Originally Posted by CartersMomma

Off topic, has anyone else seen the commercial for DanActive (I think?)....this mom is freaking out and stressed because of school starting, it shows all these clips of hurrying kids out the door, everyone stressed...they were saying in effect that stress weakens your immune system and you should just combat the stress by drinking their product... when I watched that commercial, I just kept thinking that if you see your life like that (hurry, worry, stress), why would you just keep DOING IT instead of changing it?

OMG! This is sooooo what I think. I kept sending my DS to school and every day it was the same.....rush, rush, rush in the morning, then getting him back at the end of the day exhausted and on the verge of tears. Then it was home to sit down at the table to do homework with a crying 7 yr old who was just DONE for the day! And on top of that he was doing terribly academically (according to the school but that is a whole other story).

I actually brought this up as a "PRO" point with DH when we were against each other in our views of HSing. Where, in anyother part of your life would you keep on doing and repeating something that was a stressor and clearly not working??? Just because millions of others are doing something you simply would chose NOT to because the pain was more than the pleasure. Why should this be different for school? Just because that is what "other people do"???? Sure, it might work for some people and great for them. But it clearly was not working for us.

Hold on.....after typing that reply I had one of those AH-HAH moments....

Yes, I am once again reminded WHY it is I am taking this leap! Thanks for getting me all riled up! Defending my position always helps to set my mind straight and clear out all the anxiety!

[melissel]

Originally Posted by melissabb

I think some of the anxiety for all of us is that I suspect we live very differently from most of society. For example, my family is non-vax, don't go to the MD but get adjusted by my chiropractor husband, live organically etc etc. I think for me (and most definately for hubby) was that it was yet another step away from mainstream. And let's face it...it doesn't matter how great your convictions it is MUCH harder to go against the grain. This is just one more way my family is different.

I think you're on the money here. As strong as my convictions are, I still have those moments of, "Can't we just be NORMAL for a little while? Can't I just stop swimming upstream just a little bit? Everybody else gets to!" And then I check myself and keep on swimming

Originally Posted by melissabb

I remember when we had a big blow out overe HSIng in our family. I was pro and DH was con. One of his reasons were "because going to school is what "normal" people do"! I nearly choked with laughter. We are soooooo far from normal it isn't even funny! I told him that wasn't a good enough reason!

: : :

I'm glad you're working through this and feeling better. Enjoy your first year!

[melissabb]

OP here again...

I started a new thread to post my accomplishment of the day.....

I handed in the intent to HS letter. Whew! Feeling a wee bit less anxious that the decision is not official.

[luvmytwo]

Me Too!!

I called a few weeks ago to withdraw my two oldest kids from school and will go in this Monday to file my intent to homeschool.

I am feeling all the same things you are too. I look forward to chatting with all of you more as this is all new to me. I am scared, nervous, exited all at the same time. I hope to meet other mamas on the board who actually withdrew their kids and how the transition went.

[Chinese Pistache]

I felt sooo nervous when I turned that letter in, too! It didn't help that the district office and school office had incorrect information and kept telling me that I needed more paperwork and more signatures (I knew this wasn't true because I was working with the local hs groups). I was sooo glad to have that administrative stuff out of the way.

[larksongs]

Originally Posted by melissabb

Next Tuesday is the first day of school in our area. My kids attended up until last year (grade 2 and Junior Kindergarten). We are HSing this year. But, now that the day is getting closer and closer I am feeling so anxious about it. I can't put my finger on it. I'm not sure if it is excitement, or fear, or self-doubt.....

My kids are absolutely thrilled. So am I. Don't get me wrong. They are NOT going back to PS. But, like I said, I am sooooo nervous about this new journey we are about to embark on.

Anyone been here? Did you feel like this??

Tell me it's all going to be okay. I keep hearing my own self asking all of those silly questions about HSing....socialization? academics? blah, blah, blah.

I KNOW that this is a good thing. It's just so new to me and....well...you get my point.

I'm rambling.

I haven't been in the exact spot as mine has never been to school, but I know the feeling. I got it especially the year he would have been going into Kindergarten. I was like "Whoa! I'm not sending him to school, just whoa" It was exciting but I was also loaded w/ questions. I had been teaching him all along but it felt like there was something I was 'supposed' to do besides just keep on keeping on, like once I made the decision, I needed to go out and I don't know ...buy new pencils or something .

Anyway some seasoned HSers told me to just keep teaching and that I'd been homeschooling all along. That eased my anxiety and that's what I kept doing.

It takes a little while but it becomes a lifestyle and very natural. You find a flow and that evolves, both for you and your kids. It will be awesome, just keep a positive attitude and they will see that and it will work. I think that homeschooling adds a whole new dimension of listening to our kids , hearing them etc, and the way that you can tailor their education to their specific needs by adjusting/listening is really wonderful. There will be highs and lows, lulls and surges but you can do it

CONGRATULATIONS!

[Jojo F.]

I was pretty nervous a few weeks ago. Everyone kept asking DS- which school are you going to? He'd say he wasn't and then they'd look at me all funny. Then I'd reply with a smile- homeschool. Then all of the usual questions would arise and answering them kind of got me more OK about it, less nervous.

A book I'm reading right now is the Unofficial Guide to Homeschooling. It's a keeper :thumg There was another book at the book store about homeschooling and how to prepare yourself but now I can't remember the name for the life of me and I wish I could!!

There are a ton of homeschooling web sites out there and so much info!!! Relax and have fun with it

I kind of like the fact that we are not rushing around like chickens with our heads cut off trying to get everything ready. I'm doing this at OUR pace and I have to admit, there is a part of me that takes joy in watching all the others stress out about "back-to-school" while I sit back and and have relaxed lessons with DS in my jammies

[emmsmama]

Originally Posted by larksongs

I think that homeschooling adds a whole new dimension of listening to our kids , hearing them etc, and the way that you can tailor their education to their specific needs by adjusting/listening is really wonderful. There will be highs and lows, lulls and surges but you can do it

I find one of the biggest things since I started hs'ing is that, ironically, even though I spend soooo much more time with my kids now, I'm not in as much of a hurry to get them out the door. Sure, there are definitely times they drive me bonkers being home all day, but I'm not counting down the days until they go back to school after the summer, itching to have them out of my hair. I've learned to enjoy being around my children more by...being around them more!