[MoonWillow]

I have been going back and forth about homeschooling big time. We'd start next year (ds is 4). Dd is still just 2...

I feel strongly about freedom and my desire to homeschool is major. So the freedom thing makes me feel sure that I want to unschool...until I am sure that I don't have the capabilities to provide my kids with enough opportunities to self direct their learning.

So then I decide to use a curriculum. Then I doubt my abilities to carry THAT out. So then I decide to send them to school. And each time I make a decision, I am CERTAIN that I made the right one, until I change my mind again. I have almost started a thread like this a million times. Then I change my mind lol!

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[Autumn Breeze]

LOL

I did it too, before I sent my son to school. My only advice would be to follow your heart, which seems to lean toward homeschooling. With your son only being 4, I think that gives you more room, and more flexibility, you don't have to school every day, you can start slowly and work up. I think we're going to have fun this year, won't you join us?

 

[MoonWillow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Autumn Breeze LOL I did it too, before I sent my son to school. My only advice would be to follow your heart, which seems to lean toward homeschooling. With your son only being 4, I think that gives you more room, and more flexibility, you don't have to school every day, you can start slowly and work up. I think we're going to have fun this year, won't you join us?

How can I resist an invitation like that?

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So, you sent him and then pulled him out?

 

[Autumn Breeze]

yes ma'am! He has attended school since '07-'08 (kindy) and this year for first. and I'm not sending him back next year!

we've agreed to see how it goes this year before deciding what to do for 3rd grade. I'm hoping we can keep him home until 6th.

 

[MoonWillow]

Part of the problem is that I am starting not to trust my own instincts. How can I be so sure of something one day and have it change so completely the next. Its usually more of a week to week, month to month thing but still...

 

[Autumn Breeze]

Because something so important like your childs education can be a daunting thought. There is a lot of pressure to succeed. You feel like you have to get it right.

Honestly with a 4 yr old I'd be putting it off for another year (though i'm guessing if he were for sure attending school he'd be starting kindy this year).

ya know what, you can start Hsing and then enroll him later. or the other way around. start him at school and 'test the water' if you don't like it, or he doesn't like it you know you have other options.

As sure as I am about next year...I still have my worries. I worry about my ability to keep it calm, and for me to stay focused. I doubt my ability to actually have the motivation day after day. But i've made up my mind and we ARE doing this for the '09-10 school year.

It's kind of like, for me, deciding about vaccinations. Do I continue them, or stop them. Do I give them to my dd or don't I. I decided to stop my sons, and not get any for my daughter because I can't take back the ones given but I can start them later. Although it wasn't really a DECISION. I just put off making the decision. I'm going to let them decide, it's their bodies after all.

I'm not much help am I?

 

[MoonWillow]

No it does help. I did the same exact thing with vaxes

I decided by not deciding...after giving some to my ds and none to my dd lol!
If we were to send him to K, we would wait a year. But if we don't then I want to start doing some type of homeschooling come September. He'll be 5 in November, not that it makes a huge difference.
Anyway, we are actually having him evaluated in 2 weeks, a full psych eval. I feel he has some sensory issues and someone told me that she actually thinks he might be on the spectrum (I have my doubts about that).
So the issue may get forced pretty soon. I am sure that if he qualifies for services, they will be recomending a school program at which time I will either have to send him to decide not to!

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[Autumn Breeze]

Then all I would probably do, since you'd wait a year for public school, is letter recog, reading to him, number play, colors, shapes, cutting, pasting, drawing, painting. All the fun stuff, music exploration!

All these things I'm planning to do with my 3 yr old (she'll be 4 in September, so that'll give me a bit to get in a groove w/ ds, and then start adding these things in with her)

You don't have to have a strict curric. for 'pre-k' , and he doesn't have to do kindergarten this year if you're at home.

good luck with the eval. I need to have my ds re-evaled it's been 2 years, and I still swear something is 'up'.

 

[MoonWillow]

Honestly though that sounds hard to me lol. I'm not that organized! My kids just do a lot of free play. I'd definitely need to plan and organize something. I'd never force...but just something to use as a guideline, KWIM?
I actually purchased Oak Meadow K and love it, but ds's interests kind of go other places that aren't very Waldorfy...electronics for example. And he's showing a lot of interest in reading. Plus in NY, having to do testing, I feel somewhat pressured to have him doing academics.
IDK

ETA: He does do cutting, glueing, coloring, markers, playdough etc. But I am just SO not crafty, and I wish I was.