A series of questions from a new homeschool parent of 3&5yo. Considering hsch till high school.?

Question

1. Do you kids ask you why are they not in school?
2. I hv a very practical spouse who sees the only advantage he sees abt hsch is not having to pay fees. How do I make him see about other advantages? How do you garner genuine support from your spouse?
3. How do you fill up the feeling of missing out?
4. How do you maintain your sanity? How do you get your "ME" time as an individual who has their own interest & goals?
5. How do you rebut words & reaction from well-meaning but uninformed family & frens? How do you prepare your kids for such reaction?
6. How is your schedule like? I read that some hsch families are guided not by daily schedules but more of weekly, monthly or even yearly. Sometimes you may slacken, how do you keep yourself disciplined?
7. How do you counter offer subjects that you are not familiar?
9. What are your concerns as homeschool parents?
It's ok if you choose not to answer due to personal reasons, but pls serious answers from homeschool parents only

Thanking you in advance for sharing your hsch's experience.

Answer 1

1. No. My kids know there is always the option of them going to school but they don't want to. My dd assumed she was going to go on the bus for kindergarten and go to school and when we explained the full-day kindergarten we have here and that we wanted her to do school at home with me, that was enough for her.

2. Print off http://www.fraserinstitute.ca/admin/books/files/homeschool.pdf and ask him to read it. Get to know people in your area to know about success stories.

3. My kids don't feel like they're missing out. If they were going to school, they'd be missing out on things that are a part of homeschooling. We're always missing out on something because we can never experience everything.

4. Mornings before they get up. Quiet time after lunch. Decent bed time for the kids so I have time in the evening to be with dh or just have me time. I also try to get to as many homeschooling get-togethers as possible because that gives the kids the chance to go do things with others and the moms, and sometimes dads, hang out and chat.

5. I haven't had any negative comments from friends and family, so can't help you. My dd did the other day, but it wasn't directed right at her. She didn't say anything and it hit me that we should rehearse some things she could say when it happens again.

6. Our mornings are school time. Always except for the odd day here and there. Usually just taking one day off isn't a problem. If it reaches a week of real slacking I enforce school time again the following week. But that's the beauty of homeschooling, if the weather or an on-coming cold or developmental stuff is affecting school work, you can take a breather when you need it. I do have a yearly plan and aim to finish it, but if other just as valid interests end up taking over some areas, that's fine.

7. There is such a great availability of resources out there, especially now with internet, that by the time kids are at an age where you may need some extra help, there's plenty to turn to. Most resources used at the higher levels cover things very well. And as I wrote in another answer, I remember clearly in high school most stuff 'taught' by the teacher being exactly what was already in the textbook. So it's not a biggy to expect a high school student to learn more independently. Also keep in mind that many teachers do not know everything about the subject matter they are teaching before they teach it, not at elementary and junior high level, anyhow. At the school my husband works at, it's not uncommon for somebody who has not studied history to end up having to teach social studies and my dh even ended up teaching science without having taken any similar courses in university. But you know what? We're big boys and girls capable of learning. It's far more important to know how to learn something than it is to know everything.

8. Concerns are to make sure that they do get to be with other people regularly and that I am giving them a decent education. And how to deal with people who make ignorant comments about homeschooling. I still shake my head at the one comment in Answers somewhere about how homeschoolers never do things with other people and then the person proceeded to talk about a homeschooler on his sports team. (?!)

Answer 2

1. I don't ask why kids aren't in school. I'm not nosy like that...LOL, however, many people are and when they ask I just endure the dirty looks when I say we homeschool.

2. My spouse is the one who had the idea to homeschool. Just let him know all the good things about homeschooling, but he will genuinely support you when he sees how well your kids are doing.

3. Take them to playgroups, the zoo, museums, the Y, church, scouts, community sports. Remember that if they were in class, you wouldn't be able to do all that.

4. I admit, I don't get as much me time as I like. My husband keeps the kids so that I can get out to the library or window shopping about once a week or so.

5. I don't have to prepare my kids, because most people address me. You know, it's not their fault I'm a bad parent...LOL I hardly ever have to answer any questions, and when I do, it's usually about social stuff. I assure the asker that my children are very social.

6. I go with the flow. I don't set a schedule, but every day we look at every subject. I don't feel bad if we miss a day one week. If we don't feel like schooling, I'll have my children do art projects and read books. We may go to the library and get books or videos on certain topics. I just make sure I get the hours we need yearly.

7. I'm not sure what you mean here. I haven't had a problem being familiar with a subject yet, as my kids are in 3rd grade and Kindergarten. I wouldn't worry about that yet.

8. I don't have any concerns. I know my children are safe. I know they are learning more than they would if they sat in a classroom for the better part of the day.

Answer 3

I am a highschool homeschooled student. I have been homeschooled since kindergarten and so have my four brothers. I will answer these to the best of my knowledge.

1: Yes, we asked that when we each started school.
2: Simply sit down and explain all of the advantages to your husband and tell him that you will need his full support.
3: Get involved in a homeschool group. They are everywhere! It's great to share stories with them and relate to other students and families.
4: My mom is an incredible teacher and mother. I think that because she sets just 10-15 minutes a day to read her Bible and pray; and because she loves us very much is why she can do it.
5: You can only tell them why you are doing it, smille, and walk away when people are rude. Eventually, your kids will just realize that what those people are saying is just foolish.
6: We start school that day after Labor Day and do school until we finish our books. Five days a week, only taking off two weeks for Christmas break, and one-day holidays like Thanksgiving.
7: If my mom can't explain something, my dad explains it. If we ever got to a point where we couldn't solve a problem, the company that we buy our books from has given us a number where we can be connected to someone to explain the topic over the phone.
8: I think my parents only concern about us is that we get a complete and thorough education.

Keep at it! Your kids will thank you for it one day!

Answer 4

I Homeschooled for a year, but my husband left, and I had to go back to work, and put my son back into the school system. I hope you will understand my answer is from the list of reasons I homeschooled him to start with... I researched Homeschooling for two years before pulling my son out of public school. There are SO many good reasons to go ahead... not the least of which is that NO ONE knows your kids better than you. They won't fight doing homework if it's part of the daily routine, just like flushing the toilet, learning will be so basic that they may never question it. there are HS support groups, both local and National ( and on-line), that can give tips, suggestions, legal help, etc... and Homeschoolers have won the National Spelling Bee for several years running, are usually SO well educated, that they are accepted at such institutions as Yale, Harvard, and even Julliard... There are books from single subject study, to integrated plans that use the same lesson for several subjects, just as the teachers have at "school", and nearly any situation can be quietly instructive, from a picnic (nature hike, bird studies) to the laundrey mat, (money, fractions, measures)... the opportunities to teach without "TEACHING" are endless... and the Most often heard baloney from others will be... "What about SOCIALIZATION?".. The answer... they will actually be MORE social as homeschoolers, becasue they are NOT confined to a series of rooms with the SAME kids for 12 years... Your kids would meet people of ALL ages, and learn to interact with them as well. They will NOT become dependant upon the opinions of "Peers" for their identity, selfworth, or opinions.... you will free your kids to be themselves. It's NOT going to be easy all the time... but the benefits are worth it.... And don't all kids deserve to learn the Answers and how to find them?, (as opposed to the public schools system of teaching them only how to "find the best answer" out of a list?

Answer 5

1. 2 out of my 4 children used to ask. The oldest did worry that he was "missing out" on many things. He attended the 8th grade at a group school and soon found out that he was better off studying at home. At age 23 with 3 children he now insists that they will also be taught at home. My 2nd child LOVED to study and learned many things on her own from the beginning. Homeschooling is a lifestyle that was a perfect match for her personality. My 3rd daughter longed for group school until she was nearly 11. Time and maturity brought her to the point of LOVING to study at home. She knew that she was having more fun than any PS student in her group of friends and neighbors.
My youngest son has never questioned homeschooling -- he knows that it is the right thing to do.

2. Well, oops, homeschooling can sometimes cost MORE by way of fees. Especially if you opt for music lessons and such. But the adventure of home-schooling is well worth any expense!

3. "The feeling of missing out" can be obliterated by staying so very very busy that there is no time to miss anything. Studying can take anywhere from 3-6 hours depending on maturity, temperament, work load, etc. When basic academic studies are finished there is plenty of time for recreational reading, music lessons, sports teams, 4H, animal raising, chores, occasional movies, walks in the park, bicycle rides, mountain hikes, trampolines, entrenpreneurial adventures, garage sales, visits to grandparents, nursing homes, community service, State Capitol visits, etc. etc. etc. Most days can be complete with simply studying, chores, reading.... and friends if you choose for that day.

4. Sanity? Lost it long time ago.... ;-)

5. Smile. Say, they are doing GREAT! Give no more info than absolutely necessary but stay positive and encouraging. If you are having a down day -- lean on another homeschool friend and not the public. PS families have plenty of complaints about their academic choices too..... so.... don't worry. Children will present you with many challenges whether or not they are taught at home. YOU are the first line of defense when it comes to handling their issues. You can handle their tender hearts with more compassion and love than any stranger.

6. Simple. Math, writing, reading for a total of 4-6 hours. A bit of vocabulary inserted into writing and reading.... other than that the remainder of the day varies by need. For a few years I fell into the homeschool mindset of "getting done faster than PS".... but I don't recommend it now. The idea is phooey with what everyone else is doing; We are going to excel. Math must be a complete set of equations with no less than 95% accuracy every day, writing must be a full page essay every day, and reading must be for a minimum of 2 hours regardless of how long other things take. We are entirely independent and free from PS and other homeschool ideals --- our's are our own goals. We want to maximize our strengths and work on our weaknesses to turn them around into becoming strengths.

7. Self-teaching skills give the child an advantage -- they become capable of learning ANYTHING that they want to know with or without an outiside teacher.

8. what happened to #8? ;-)

9. Concerns: That my children learn and progress in their studies every day. That they learn to know truth and not "trust and parrot" what others may say. That they become strong in their walk with the Lord loving him with all their heart, soul and mind. Leaning not on their own understanding but becoming truly wise. That they will know how to treat others in a loving manner with kindness and respect.

Answer 6

1. No--they pretend that school buses are bad and
the run and hide in the bushes if they see them!
Explain that children sit in public school all day, and
can't go to the washroom without permission. If they finish their work, they still have to sit in their desks.
Alot of what they learn there is bad, and maybe even
downright evil, and you can't talk about the Bible! Or
even pray together, like we do at breakfast and lunchtime.
You can get lice, and other diseases because there are so many kids all crammed together. They sneeze, and wipe their noses and you get sick more often. It's also more tiring because the day is so long. And the kids are mean, they say mean things and they say bad words!
2. Check out www.hslda.org and look up your state.
Call the state organization and find a local group. Take
your husband on a date to the homeschool conference,
support group meeting, etc. Read him some of the
stories on this website and find some more. It will take some time for him to see this. It's a good idea to connect
with other homeschooling families and dads and moms. You really need that and so do your children! Genuine support from your spouse may be that he thinks you are doing a great job scheduling, buying curriculum, and the children are progressing! (Try to involve him in some of the decisions, like what curriculum should we buy?)

Sometimes my husband and I take an overnight trip to
discuss the upcoming year: What are our goals for each child? What character trait do they need to work on? What subjects do we want to focus on? Etc.

3. What? Missing out on bad language, teachers yelling at your children, horrible subjects and sticky kids bugging your children?

Homeschooling is tailored to the child. You can work at your own pace. You can finish early and take long breaks. You have alot of quiet time for reading and practicing a musical instrument. It's fun to be with your mom and your family. You can invite friends over and spend the day with their families, or go on cool field trips, or always take Fridays off. You can schedule vacations during the cooler autumn months.

Also, have homeschool families over for potlucks or just
tea with homeschooling moms and kids--or join a coop,
if you like.

The public school kids are the ones missing out, poor things!


4. Ummm...late at night? Schedules help keep "first
things first." Children who mind first time. Older students
who can do alot of household chores. Dates with your
husband and friends. We do "parallel work," with me
sitting by the children working, doing my work! They
can finish most of their work by themselves, and ask
questions if they can't figure something out. Don't
allow unnecessary noise during the time you work together, either.

5. Homeschoolers do extremely well in all areas, including
socialization. They are able to interact with all ages and not just their peers. They stand out in a crowd because of their good manners, and sometimes their neat clothing.
People who say things may just feel bad about not homeschooling their children! I can't think of a single
person who regretted homeschooling their children,
but I know alot of regretful parents who did not.
(The stupidest thing I did was send me older children
to public school!) Thomas Edison, Florence Nightengale,
and many, many famous people were all homeschooled--
public schools are a newer, failed experiment.

Homeschooling is a superior method of educating children.

Go to homeschool conferences, read books on homeschooling, watch videos on it, and check out the actual statistics (www.nheri.org). I guess you need to teach them, too!

6. We have been playing "catch up" this summer because we were too busy during the school year. You
can arrange homeschooling around your schedule.
(We travel in the fall.) I try to keep a weekly schedule.
The children can actually work ahead if they like and finish the week early. Too worry too much about the
schedule, as long as the children are happily engaged in worthwhile learning.

7. You can learn the subject along with your child,
or hire a tutor (or a volunteer!), talk with other people
about, or learn it another time.

8. The only concern is the attitude of the parents!
I used to have the worst attitude in the house...

I'm hoping homeschool parents will turn the T.V. off and computer games, too, and only let their children engage in "real" learning: making forts, running around and playing all afternoon outside, playing dress up, etc.
I'm hoping they keep on training polite manners in their children by answering politely, expecting them to mind first time. I'm also hoping we can all get our houses in
order the next few weeks--throw out, give away as much as possible to prepare our learning environments for as little fuss as possible.

Homeschooling works!

Answer 7

hon, please IM me oh yahoo, alistrinaknows. I can better ask all your questions that way. I am a homeschooling mom to four kids, and would love to help you all I can. Just send me an IM, if I dont answer, I promise to get back to you. I just stay pretty busy.