I am considering homeschooling my 4 year old daughter?

Question

what are the pros and cons of doing it? your experience?

Answer 1

I agree with what many others have said here( Glurpy, Creatice Rae, Tammy R). I have seen first hand, the bad homeschool situations and the good. I know someone who was homeschooled incorrectly. I can see the damageing affects that it has had on her life. I also see the lack of social skills from her and her siblings.

I also know people who have been homeschooled correctly. I see that they are intelligent, and that they interact very well with other kids. I have never heard any homeschool kid, tease another kid because of where they shop or how they dress.

The key to a good homeschool, lies in the commitment of the parents. If you want your kids to learn, you will find the information that they can learn. I have known of home school groups, that have sub groups, they may go to special reading groups at one family's home, or go do a science project at another home.

I was recently talking to my sister who is homeschooling her kids, I had been telliing her about a biography that I had just picked up at the library. She asked me why I was reading that book. I told her that I had seen a movie about this person and that I thought that there were inaccurate things in the movie, so I did someresearch on the internet, and in the proccess became intrigued, I wanted to know more, so I went and got a couple books. She said, "that is independent learning, that is what I am trying to teach my kids. When you are curious about something, go do the research and find the facts." We talked about the simiarities between what is happening in the world now, versus what was happening in the 19th centuriy and the lessons that could be learned from studying her life.

Home schoolers tend to love to learn. That is something that goes out of most public school kids by about second grade. There is nobody telling the kids that they are slow readers, or that they need to go to resource to fugure out math. They all work at their own pace, and when they figure out a concept, then they move to the next. They can be taught according to their own learning style- that is just not possible in a public school setting. When there are 30 kids in one class, there is no way to take one-on-one time and make sure that everychild understands.

As for social skills, I am not sure what the positive social skills I learned in school were. I can tell you the negative social skills I learned. I learned that bullies should always get their way. The teachers did not put an end to bullying, they just either told the kid who was being bullied that somehow it was their fault, or that they just needed to ignore the bully. No one ever said stand up to the bully, and that will end it. It was always, give the bully what they wanted. I learned that the quality of a person is determined by the quality of their clothes and not by the quality of their character. I learned that it is okay for two 6th graders to amke out in the halls, and the teachers won't stop it. I learned that a person it automatically a "good person" if they are a cheerleader or a football player. And you did not have to be good at either, to do them, you just had to be popular enough.

Also Homeschool and pul ic school are not the only option anymore. Many places have charter schools. They are a great alternative to public schooling. my other sister has her kids in one, they don't have the behavior problems that they do in public school, shi is not fighting with them about thier homework as much, they are understanding the subject matter. It has all around been a very positive enviroment. The teasing and bullying is not even allowed there. The teachers stop it when it happens. They don't baby the kids, but they do make sure they understand a concept before moving on. They aren't laughed at for asking questions. It is a great thing. You could check into that as well.

Also I don't believe in preschool. I think that when you child is that age, they can learn tons just by playing. You can find little moments to teach them with out doing it "formaly'. Things like pick up all the red toys. or Bring me that square toy. Or just counting them as you put them away. It is fun and they are learning a lot.

Answer 2

Nearly every negative aspect to homeschooling has a solution if you know where to look. If you decide to homeschool, be sure to give your daughter plenty of oppotunity several times a week to interact with children her own age. This can be through home school groups, church activities, sports, etc. When she gets older, have resources so you can teach her the more difficult classes. As long as she's devloping normally, and getting a well rounded academic, social, and emotional education, she should be fine home schooled.

My biggest concern would be when she becomes a teenager, she will need to know about some things that may be uncomfortable for you to talk about. I've seen this go both ways, 6 of my cousins were homeschooled and are perfectly fine and had no trouble in the "real world". The oldest 2 are married now, one has his MBA and one has his law degree. However, a freshman girl at my school who ws homeschooled for only 3 years has the maturity of a 5th or 6th grader. Her parents baby her and if she goes away to college it'll be very hard adjustment.

Answer 3

I agree with what glurpy said.

I also wanted to add that what one person might consider a "negative" would be a "positive" to another family.

For example, one might think that one negative of homeschooling is that mom doesn't get that 5 hour break every day from the kids. But then others would say that they get to spend so much time with their kids.

The list can go on and on.

To me, it all depends on the parent's values and perceptions of what education and family are for. Read up on the various philosophies of homeschooling and educaiton (there are many!) and figure out what is important to YOU. Then decide whether or not public schools give you what you need, and whether homeschooling has the potential for what you need.

Another thing, depending on your state, you don't have to enroll your child in school for at least a couple of years. Take this time to "practice" homeschooling, and to do all your research. Go to homeschooling park days, join a few field trips, do research about the available options in your state and get a feel for what it's like to have education on the brain 24/7. Because that's what is going to happen. Once you put yourself in "homeschool" mode, you won't be handing off your children's education to someone else. Because of that, you'll start thinking about education *everywhere*, and from a certain perspective that is very different than what is taught at school.

Good luck in your search!

Answer 4

I found this really good website that has TONS of information about homeschooling and different homeschooling curriculums. They're also having an essay contest, in which the top two essayists will each win a Nintendo Wii!! The essay must be 500-1,000 words, and the question to be answered is: How is your family putting "Christ" into Christmas this year? The contest ends December 31st, 2006.

Check it out at www.learningbygrace.org

Answer 5

One of the main advantages is YOU HAVE A SAY IN WHAT YOUR CHILD LEARNS. You can set your own study/school hours. For my five year old it is a couple of hours first thing in
the morning. She already knows how to count to 20 in Spanish and enjoys every minute of it. She was picked on in public school and loves doing the work at home. It can get pricey ($20-30 per week sometimes) because I have to pay for the ink Etc..to print out the work, first I have to find it and download it from places like http://www.Enchantedlearning.com and another is http://www.Learningzone.com are some good places to start. Find a local "Umbrella School" then request a transfer of records to the new private school (We don't use home school wording because there is too much legal rigamaro) so it is better to use an umbrella school and call it "I am transfering her to private school in such a county" very simple and easy. You do have to keep up with the attendance/grades Etc...at a place called http://www.homeschoolreporting.com

Answer 6

Glurpy was very thorough...but I wanted to add my 2 cents as well. My dd just turned 5 last week. I consider that I have been HSing since birth. At 4 she decided (because her little friends all were) that she wanted to go to preschool. I enrolled her in a private Montessori preschool 2 days a week that I was paying a fortune for. After 2 days was put into the kindergarten 1 grade class. She started exhibiting major behavioral issues after starting the preschool so we decided to pull her out and continue on the path that we had already started. She is doing fantastic now and is in all kinds of classes and activities. We have park days and field trips as well and she gets to be with other children and adults of all ages. You will come across negative people but I say "ignore the ignorant". Find a local homeschool group and join them for a park day.

Answer 7

Okay first of all forget all the crap people say example: "Home schoolers don't have a social life", "Public schooled children don't learn anything", "home schoolers can't think for themselves", "public schooled kids don't respect adults", "home schoolers are much smarter then public school kids", etc, etc.....I can tell you right now there are good and bad in both, and it also depends on the person.

My parents home schooled me and I loved it when I was 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 years old. But when I was 11 I wanted to go to school, so my parents and I talked about it and we agreed that high school would be best for me. I'm now a sophomore in high school and I love it!

In my experience in home schooling I think its best for younger children between 4 and 11 to be home schooled. And when they get a little older (11, 12, or 13) ask them if they want to go to a public/private school. If they like home schooling and don't want to go to a public/private school keep em home schooled. If your unable to teach your child any longer have your child enrolled in online classes or get em a tutor.

If you think home schooling is best for your child, go for it. If it doesn't work you can always send her to school.

Just make sure both you and your child are happy.

Best of luck!

Answer 8

She's at a good age where she can start learning to read, do easy math. I learned to read when I was 4 and that was before I went to school. Getting a head start on her education through homeschooling is a great thing and it will also help your daughter bond closer to you.

Answer 9

My experience to HSers comes NOT AS A PARENT but as a teacher in a technical school and a teacher on Saturday classes for DAPCEP and First LEGO League
I have met a few (maybe a dozen, or less) HS kids in my Saturday classes. To ME, they seemed very poor team players (very despondent, very critcal leaders, bad at delgating tasks, bad at doing their own role in a team) and needed LOTS of direction. They were not capable of an open ended assignment (come up with a task for your robot to do and then build and program you robot to do that) I realize this is very ancedotal, limited by geography and subject matter, but it is a outsiders view.
Not much else has shaped my opinion, I am not convinced HS is any better for the kid, a good kid can learn in either place.
I am still of the opinion that 'all those horrible things' that kids do at public school, HS kids will also do: drugs, drinking, kissing, bullies. Kids are damn curious and apron strings aren't strong enough to change that.
I am grateful that I got to make all kinds of mistakes as a teen ager in high school and I learned from them, BEFORE I BECAME AN ADULT. I'd hate to see a young adult struggle with peer pressure, bullies, and knowing how to choose and make friends as AN ADULT. ITs very arrogant for me to say this but'you are raising the person to be an adult some day, your not raising them to be a child forever' 'Cutting the apron strings' is a HARD AND LONG process, its starts with sending the kids to pre-school, and its never really done, but sending your kid to school all day says a lot: I trust YOU when you are away, YOU can function without me (for a few hours), there are people I trust and YOU can trust too, YOU can survive the world oustside of OUR HOME, YOU CAN MAKE YOUR OWN FRIENDS, etc.

I hope you try sending your child to preschool or headstart and I sincerly hope that all is well in your home. NO MATTER WHAT schooling, parents are the most important people in their kids lives, good or bad, just or unfair,

Answer 10

well I am homeschooled by my Mom. My parents both agreed on it. Its a great thing. I mean your child might not be socially stable as in like friends go..but its safer than public school because these days kids carry stuff in their bags that they shouldn't. Although if you want your daughter to have friends there are plenty of programs for homeschoolers only that you can enroll her in. I hope I helped! Good Luck!