I’m still here! Just taking some quiet time off before Christmas. Enjoying my babes, tweeting and Instagraming occasionally. Wrapping up gifts and baking cookies with walnuts in them (my favorite – not Ryan’s, but I sometimes sneak them into the last dozen cookies or so for a treat for myself).
I’m thinking a lot these days about what we will do for Oliver for school next year. We have plenty of options, but I’m just not feeling settled about any of them.
We are zoned for a fantastic public elementary school not far from our house, so Kindergarten there is a real option. But, it’s full days (when did they stop making Kindergarten half days??), and they’re so concerned about security that I’m not even allowed to walk him to his classroom in the morning (I know, I’m supposed to get and appreciate the security thing…). They receive him from my car at 8am, and deliver him back to my car at 3pm. I can’t even go in the building. It’s like they have custody of my child for 35 hours a week – and nobody is praying with him or giving him any sort of Biblical training whatsoever for almost 60% of his weekday awake time.
He’s just so little and moldable. And, he still listens to me and cares what I think. That’s not going to last forever. I’m so scared that sending him away will be the end of that – that he’ll start caring about what other people think and listening to (Heaven knows) what the other kids are saying.
But, I would be lying if I didn’t say that there’s a part of me that would look forward to the quiet time at home to get things done. (There, I said it. It’s the truth, I do like to do things from time to time that don’t involve Legos and Star Wars.)
But I just keep coming back to these last few very moldable years. Yes, there are some lovely private and even classical Kindergarten options in our area as well. But each of them, for one reason or another (most of them tuition!) are not real possibilities.
We toyed with homeschooling a bit when he was three, and I decided then that I wasn’t cut out to be a teacher mom, but the more we examine our options (and priorities), we are beginning to lean hard in the direction of formally homeschooling Oliver next year.
Can I just say how much that intimidates me? I honestly don’t even know where to begin! I have some amazing friends who have homeschooled/are homeschooling all of their children (one who has nine kids and they are all homeschooled and they don’t even wear denim jumpers or religious-conviction-length hair or anything! They’re some of the most normal and fantastic kids I know!)
Hm. I hadn’t really intended for this to be my mental-unload of thoughts about Oliver and schooling and such, but here it is.
I honestly thought for months that we would put Oliver in public Kindergarten and just be super involved (I think that if I volunteered in the classroom I would have more opportunity to be there with him, but that’s tricky because I also happen to have a Hazel). I looked forward to Kindergarten for him (I went to public school for Kindergarten and a private school from 1st grade through my Bachelor’s degree) thinking of all the fun it is to be in a classroom sitting in a circle listening to stories, learning to read (yay!), and being around other kids. I know about Oliver that he is a super social kid and taking that away from him makes me nervous. I don’t know if he could handle being at home with me all week!
We are considering a combo option of homeschooling two days a week and sending him for a 3rd year of his private preschool for the other three days. It’s a real option. It would cost more than we are used to paying, but it could solve our need for social interaction.
I know there are also co-op options. I’ve learned that I’m not super duper good at that kind of thing. Maybe because I also have a little person (Miss Lady) that likes (and requires!) her sleep. I just haven’t yet fallen in love with regular social events of that nature.
I could get over it.
Okay, that’s all. I have to go make lunch for my wriggly babes. I’m sure that each one of you has a unique perspective on public, private and home schooling. I welcome your input on the subject, but I do ask that everyone please keep it gracious and respectful. I have listed pros and cons for all three types of schooling and I know that every family is in a different town with their own set of options and obstacles and opinions.
I would personally love to hear recommendations for Kindergarten homeschooling materials if y’all have any to offer, but any discussion is totally welcome (I’d be interested in that too! Y’all have great ideas and interesting things to say!)
Have a lovely Monday, friends! And please, share!
I grow my hair for the glory of God, you know.
And I’m not going to comment here on the school thing, as we’ve chatted about it at length. Whatever you choose will be just right for Oliver. You’re a great mom with his best interests (and his little soul!) at heart.
I Thought About Doing K12.com And i Know Families That Use It And Find It Wonderful!
Before I had children, I NEVER once dreamed I’d home school. Then I had a baby boy and my conscience could never come to terms with him being gone almost a whole day. I didn’t know how I could mother him. I know it can be done and there is no right answer for everyone, but I do that it would violate my conscience to send him at that age. SO (rambling on) I just wanted to share what a wonderful and rewarding experience it has been to tech my boy at home. We’ve learned so much together and he learned to read curled up next to me on the sofa. It’s stressful and a lot of work. It’s hard to get errands done, keep up with housework and laundry and I DON’T get a lot of free time. I whine and lose my temper sometimes but he is learning so much and getting to spend time playing with his siblings that he wouldn’t have otherwise. Anyway, sorry to hijack the comments. I just wanted you to know I had the same inner dialogue. You’re his mama and you’re seeking Guidance and whatever you decide will be the best for Oliver. I am sure of that!!
Sweet mercy. Typed that on my phone. So many typos.
Please excuse!!
i have a three year old who goes to an extended day preschool. he has a few learning delays & this enables him to get the intense one on one he needs. when we first started i was so worried about how he would do as it was long day & we are not allowed to take him to the classroom either, but i have to say he is thriving & loves it. it was a hard decision, but we the best one for us. homeschooling would be so great, but i just don’t think i could do it…
I could have written this post, we also are in the thick of deciding what to do for our daughter for K next year. It so hard, when i think i have my mind made up i change it. I feel like its crunch time, Im just praying and trusting that god will lead us in the decision. :) good luck, he will lead you as well :)
I’ve always wanted to homeschool and honestly we couldn’t imagine doing anything else with our four :) The first year we used Sonlight and I loved some of it but I’m not strictly using just that now. It was great for the first year even though all the books were a bit overwhelming at first ;) I’m not a fan of their reading program and honestly just used Dick and Jane to get our munchkins going at first and it’s been perfect for us. I’ve loved being able to start with Genesis and work our way through the Fall of Rome to the Revolutionary War. I’m doing Preschool, Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd right now and I’ve learned that for us…it works better to pull a little bit from different curriculums and mix it up. I do love Singapore Math for K – 3rd and Singapore’s Early Bird Kindergarten is wonderful. Starting out can be pretty overwhelming but the best thing to do is look into as many curriculums as you can and then decide what works best for your family :) The beautiful thing about homeschooling is that you can always mix it up, seeing that each child tends to learn differently and there are so many options out there!
I’m sure that whatever you decide will be perfect! I have 2 children with very different needs and learning styles. My son is 12 and is very minimally social. He struggled with alot of bullying in public school and with ADD. Although most of his teachers were flexible and had great communication with me, some did not and that was tough. It was difficult for me to send my son to spend his days with someone who did not care to or could not help him. I pulled him out of public school this year (7th grade) and started doing the K12 online program with him through an instate virtual school. WE LOVE IT! It’s a good balance of online schooling and homeschooling (you, as the parent are their Learning Coach). I knew I could not be his fulltime teacher and had no clue how to go about deciding on and implementing curriculum. This program lays everything out for you and guides you through everything. You also have an Education Specialist (teacher) for support and encouragement! It’s the best decision we’ve ever made. Our school does regular field trips and “Fun Fridays” so the kids do get social interaction that they are comfortable with, but are not forced to endure.
My daughter is in 2nd grade and she’s a social butterfly! She’s still in public school and thrives there. I’d never dream of pulling her out to do the online program, unless she wanted to or unless I felt her education or safety were in jeopardy. Just like I’d never force her to wear glasses, just because my son needed them. I am not allowed to walk her to her room each morning, but all of the students meet in the gym, in their designated area, and their teachers retrieve them. I like that. At the end of the day, the teachers walk them out and stay with them until their parents have visual contact with the teacher…I like that too! Having said that, parents at our school are never banned from the school. We can drop by anytime we want, we just have to be buzzed in and then sign in at the office. I would never feel comfortable not being allowed to walk in at any time to check in on my daughter or join her for lunch or help in the classroom. That part does not sit well with me!:(
Sorry to ramble, I just wanted to let you know that you are not alone! We are all just trying to do the best we can for our kiddos! And no matter what you decide, nothign is final or permanent! If you go one route and find it’s not working, you can change it until you find what works for you all!:) Just an FYI, Hilary (Jennifer’s sister) is doing K12 with Isaac and Ellyn (profoundlyseth.com) is doing it with her daughter!:)
Love, hugs and blessings!?
Uh…sorry for the lenghtly post! And that “?” at the end was supposed to be a heart!;)
I just want to say I am in a very similar situation. My soon to be 5 year old is in part time K4 at a local private school that is wonderful, but something inside of me keeps revisiting the homeschool idea. We know tons of homeschool families, I just don’t know if I can do it. Most of the things you are debating over are the same things going through my mind today.
We just made this decision for our kindergartener and decided to send her to a classical school. It is an excellent option of homeschooling 2 days a week and her attending school 2 days a week. We are totally in love with it. Our daughter’s teacher gives us the lesson plan and we follow through with it on the homeschool days. We love that she is in a Christian environment at school and home! It’s the best of both worlds. There may be one in your area.
We have wonderful public schools in our area. I suspect we will be sending Luke there when it is time. But, who knows. We have the benefit of growing up in the area, knowing the school system from a student’s perspective, we are still in touch with former teachers and are privileged to know new teachers that we graduated with, that are now in our district.
I know you are not catholic, but some of the best private schools in our area are catholic, and fairly affordable. We are giving serious consideration to sending Luke to our local catholic school for pre-school. They are accreditated and will teach faith lessons as well as scholarly lessons. Because Luke is not catholic, he will not be required to participate in their mass/chapel if we don’t want him to, but we see no harm in singing the “alleluia” and we like that he will be saying the Lord’s prayer and learning about and enjoying the Christian calendar.(Lent and advent).
Good luck! If it helps, teens report that the most powerful moral and religious influence on them is their parents.
Girl, you must be reading my mind! We’re in the thick of big school decisions around here too. My son is about a year younger than Oliver, but he could start K next year, due to California’s late cutoff date. I’m inclined to hold him back because I think that a not-yet-five year old boy (especially mine!) would have a hard time sitting and focusing for full day Kindergarten. However, he’s MORE than academically ready already, and I feel I could be doing him a disadvantage by holding him back. We’re also interested in Classical education, but cannot afford the private schools in our area. The public schools in our neighborhood are not very good, unfortunately. We’re still contemplating moving to an area with better schools, but it would mean a MAJOR rent increase. Thus, we’re leaning toward homeschooling. I just finished reading The Well-Trained Mind, which really helped me both philosophically and logistically. It is jam packed with suggested curriculum ideas. We are planning on starting Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons after the new year, because he is just ready for that. Next year, I’m thinking I’ll use Explode the Code, a science experiment kit that he’s getting for Christmas, a yet-to-be-determined math curriculum, and lots and lots of books. We’ve read a few shorter novels already, and I have a big list to keep us reading this upcoming year. So to wrap up this novel of a response, our current plan is to homeschool for Kindergarten on a slow pace over the next year and a half, and then determine the following summer whether we want to continue homeschooling or send him to public school for first grade. I really appreciate reading that others are going through a similar thought process!
I have been thinking about this same thing lately with my firstborn, who is 3.5. I still have a year or two to think about it, but we are also leaning towards homeschooling, at least for a few years so I can make SURE that his character is truly formed and he has a really strong foundation to go off into the “public” world with! :) And to be truthful, I love the time I have with him & his little sister and it IS hard to imagine sending them off to school just yet!
You will do the right thing for your child, whatever that is. I was homeschooled from K-2nd, then private school from 3rd-8th and public school high school and college. Whatever works for each kid is what is right!
I could have written this exact post myself, nearly every bit of it, about 2 months ago. My son will be ready for kindergarten next year and we have been going round and round about what to do. Finally I had to assess the reasons I didn’t want to homeschool and I came to the conclusion that they were all about me and not about my son. (I like to get things done too! And that’s hard to do with a child who doesn’t nap, and when there are two other little ones at home) I’m not that worried about socialization, he is in classroom and play type settings with kids his age several days a week. For us, we have decided to homeschool. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little terrified! But, I really feel like this is what is right for our child/family right now. Although i know its going to be really hard and force me to be a lot more organized/ disciplined and likely not have much “me” time, I know I can’t get these early years back. I don’t necessarily want to “shelter” my child, but I do think it’s my job to be his filter to the world until he is old enough and has learned how to do that himself. I can’t do that if he is gone 35-40hrs a week and I don’t know what he is exposed to in order to talk with him about it. As he gets older, we will re-asses each year. My prayer is that we can give him a strong foundation so that he can go to any environment (public school, private school, playground, etc) and be the influence rather than be influenced. I just don’t feel that he is ready for that at 5yrs old.
As far as curriculum, we haven’t decided for sure, but are looking at possibly using My Fathers World for kindergarten. We are really blessed to have a lot of friends who homeschool (and don’t wear denim jumpers either ;-) ) that are and will be great support. In fact there are 3 of us with children starting K next year and will likely all use the same curriculum and do a lot of activities together.
I’m so thankful that we have so many options available to us so that we can all find what is right for our family/situation. I pray you find the right fit for yours!
I appreciate this post – my baby is only 2 (almost) and I’m already having thoughts (and, yes, anxiety) about whether or not to homeschool. Thanks for sharing your thoughts today!
I completely agree with you…it is so hard deciding on school options for our kids!! my son is almost three and my daughter is 8 months, so we still have a while before we have to decide, but i am constantly thinking about it, weighing the pros and cons to every option. it is really tricky!! thankfully here in arizona half day kindergarten is still an option. right now we are thinking we will try public school, and try to be as involved as possible, but it is a very scary thought sending my little boy into that world without me! all we can do is pray, and do what we feel is best for our children. and thankfully, no decision with schooling is a permanent one. good luck!!
I, too, could have written this post. We have wrestled with all of the same questions, concerns, and struggles. We have no “right” answer, but for the time being (our little guy is only 3…) we feel that the Lord is leading us to homeschool. Since he’s only 3, we’re starting now with preschool…it’s a good way for both Jonah and I to build up to formal school by the time he’s ready for Kindergarten. I’m not gonna lie, there are days that I think sending him to school or preschool would be SO nice (hello errands, cleaning, and just a little quiet alone time! Um, yes, please!), but then I’m so overwhelmed with thoughts of stewarding his soul that I can’t take them any further. There aren’t a lot of options local to us, and the ones that are options- well they just aren’t, due to tuition. So for now, until we feel led otherwise, it’s homeschool for us. Curriculum is tough (I went to school for elementary ed, so I’ve been exposed to lots of the public school curriculum, which helps me know what I’m looking for), but there are conferences for starting points and so many options out there. Through my intense searching, I’ve decided the most thorough way to decide is to basically develop your own by melding pieces from different sources. Something I’m still working on. Prayers to you, mama. The Lord will lead y’all in the right direction and give you the grace you need for whatever that direction is!
Scandal of the evangelical mind:
We aren’t educated enough. Put him in public school. Many a homeschooler can’t do adequate math or read on level.
Ah, the great homeschool/public/private decision. It feels like the most weighty decision doesn’t it? It is, really. My oldest (7) is in her third year of private school. We love it and it is a true sacrifice (like, are we going to be able to afford groceries this week?). My middle daughter starts in the Fall for Kindergarten and so far the plan is for her to go as well. There is a 40% off break for the second student in a family. I babysit kids, so I’ll probably pick up another kid to pay for it.
Just know that whatever decision you make, it will be the right one for your family and for Oliver. There is no wrong or right decision, although some mothers/parents will try to persuade you otherwise (sometimes giving you Bible verses that prove one way is the ONLY way). It is a huge decision. Prayers for wisdom, guidance and peace!
Long time reader, but not sure if I’ve ever commented before? You’ll probably get a lot of that with this post. Everyone wants to share their opinion on this kind of debate. :)
I also could have written this post, you know, if I blogged ever.
I struggle with this decision because my husband isn’t on board for Homeschooling, he feels like I am coddling our son and giving into his fears and not letting him have a normal childhood. What he doesn’t understand is all the activities and homeschooling groups we have around us. Our son would not suffer from not having social interaction.
I have a few concerns that turn me against public school for our son. First, they have all day Kindergarten and I feel like that is such a long day for my 5 year old. Second, my son has NEVER used a public restroom, he is terrified of them, and can I honestly expect my 5 year old to hold his urine for 8 straight hours?! Third, his school also has the drop off/pickup policy, you drop them at the door and then pick them up at the door, all from your car. Fourth, my son has MANY food allergies, and even though I plan (if we choose public) to pack his lunch, I still have concerns about him being around other kids who have food that he is allergic to.
My decision would be so much easier if I could get my husband on board. I also worry if homeschooling is the right choice for ME. Will I be a good enough teacher, what curriculum should I be using…etc.
I know in the end you will make the right decision for Oliver and yourself, and I hope I can also make that decision!
coming from a current homeschooler, i’d say go for it. but i’m probably a little biased ;)
i understand (and agree!) with everything you said about public school. or just schooling in general. there is no set way that you HAVE to homeschool (other than meeting the requirements of your state) so it’s up to you. if oliver excels in a certain subject and just “gets” it, then you can focus on the subjects that aren’t as easy for him instead of him having to keep up pace with everyone else in the class at school. that’s what i’ve always done.
and, if you’re worried about your knowledge of how to teach a certain subject, co-ops are AMAZING. i’ve had a co-op for every single science that i’ve taken (chemistry is NOT my friend) and it has helped SO MUCH. my mom isn’t good at science (must be where i get it from, hahaha) so it benefited both of us.
i’m not trying to sway you either way, although it probably seems that way. i just want you to make YOUR decision. you are a great mama & oliver would be oh so blessed to have you as a teacher. if you have any questions, ask me! i’m here :)
I do not even have a baby yet, but I also wrestle with the decision about schooling. I am sure I will change my mind 100 times before it is actually time to implement that decision, but for now I have landed on private religious-affiliated school.
The public schools in my area are ok, but not great so I would definitely have to move to the suburbs to get an exemplary rated school – which I am fine with. But I too would like someone to pray with my child each day and provide them spiritual as well as educational instruction. My top choice would be one of the excellent Episcopal schools in my area, and I am Episcopalian. However, the cost for those is outrageous – about $20k per year. No amount of cutting back would make that possible for me. I am leaning towards Catholic school as they are less than half the cost of an Episcopal school and liturgically, no different from Episcopalian. It will be a financial burden, but one I am willing to take on for my child and I will sacrifice in other areas to be able to do this.
Homeschooling would not be for me unless I had a child that really, really needed it. If my children turn out to be anything like me, they will need that social interaction and group learning environment and would thrive on it. In my heart, I would feel like homeschooling was a selfish choice I was making more for me than him. I am NOT at all saying that is what you are doing. You know your children better than anyone and what is best for each of them, both individually and as a family. You will make the right choice!
http://blog.carolejoyseid.com/
This is the site of a woman, Carole, who takes a literature based approach to homeschooling. She speaks at seminars throughout the country, and is mother to one of my husban’s college friends. She has a few radio interviews on her site that I think are worth listening to. I think she hits on a few points I hadn’t heard elsewhere, and it sounds like you’re open to hearing different perspectives at the moment.
I too, have had school on my mind. Last weekend my in-laws offered to pay for one year of Christian preschool for my son. (homeschooling is not something they are comfortable with) I’m not sure if I should be excited and grateful or discouraged and offended. We’ll probably end up trying three day preschool with the caveat that we can reevaluate the following fall. I really think schooling decisions should be made per child per year. (A friend of mine loved homeschooling through high school to avoid the drama. Her sister loved public high school for the social scene. So glad their parents were flexible and considered each of them as individuals!)
The great thing (and the hard thing) is that there is no right or wrong answer. You are blessed to have so many wonderful options. We homeschool and it is a good choice for us. I always laugh when 90 % of the people I meet say, “How wonderful…I could never do that”. Sure you can if it is what is right for your family and you make that decision. The thing I suggest you remember is that nothing is permanent. If you start one way and find that is not best then you have the freedom to change. With 5 kids, we know that each year brings something new and we look at the needs of each child and our family every year and decide what is best. Best blessings as you make your decision.
I feel your pain, Raechel! Although Gabe is only 2, my husband and I talk about what do with schooling frequently.
Every discussion we have boils down to what is best for Gabe’s spirit; and while we have a ways to go, the older Gabe becomes the more I lean towards homeschooling. And like you, I just have not fallen into a pattern of going to social gatherings with other mothers and their children… and that will be a must if homeschooling is what we decide.
I think no matter what you do, you need to remember that it isn’t permanent and Oliver has a good foundation already.
Is Kindy compulsory in your state? It isn’t where we live, so we still took trips and kept our daughter home from Kindy whenever we wanted. By the last 2 months, she didn’t want to miss days anymore. If it’s not compulsory, then you could keep Oliver home every Friday if you wanted to, and focus on the additional spiritual instruction you want to give him.
My daughter’s school has 3 different methods of drop off, all of which stop at the door. (Each grade level has a different door to enter the school through, and they are heavily monitored.) However, I learned quickly from the other mom’s that if I bring her late, then I get to walk her directly to her classroom door. I certainly don’t do it a lot, but it’s nice to know that I can.
The school has an open door policy, where I can come at anytime of the day & sit in on her classes for as long as I want. I can email her teacher directly, which she checks 3 times a school day. (during lunch & breaks) I don’t ever feel far away from my daugher. And we still pull her out for family time as we see fit. My husband’s job requires him to work every weekend, so his only days off are during the week.
I do have several friend’s who home school as well for different reasons. A few of which you’ve mentioned. I asked my daughter if she wanted to home school, as I would be willing to do it, and she is firmly against it. That’s not to say that she won’t change her mind at some point in the future.
She loves her art teacher, music, PE, and different subjects that she is taking. (1st grade) She enjoys being in different learning groups, and since all of the 1st grade classes intermix, she says that she meets someone new every week.
My husband and I are hoping to transition her to a private school at the Junior High level.
Ok Rae, here’s my story so you know where I’m coming from. Two years ago, I stood in your shoes. My little girl was finishing preschool, and our options were sending her to the public school we are zoned for which is NOT an option. The school system in my city is less than desirable, and our particular school is worse than most. Next we had the option to apply for magnet school, which in theory is GREAT, but it’s a lot of effort, and a lot of money even though it’s a public school, required for uniforms and special supplies, etc. My other options were private school or home school. Of which only one was really an option due to money.
I called myself being smart, and I said “ok God, we’ll apply for magnet school, and if she gets in I’ll take that as you want us to send her there, and if she doesn’t we’ll home school.” I seriously thinks God laughs at us when we say things like this haha.
So we applied for magnet. I was so set on her getting into magnet, that I dismissed the idea of home school for a while. Then magnet letters came out. She was on a waiting list. She met all of the requirements but due to the volume of people applying because of the awful school systems here, they just didn’t have enough room. The next cut came out a month later. Still on the waiting list.
So I prayed. (why didn’t I do this more at first? hindsight, yeah yeah) God began to give me a peace about homeschooling. I’ll be honest, I was SCARED. I was overwhelmed, I was everything you could imagine. How on earth was I going to do all this, I had a 2 year old, and I right before the start of the school year found out I was pregnant again. I thought God was crazy. But slowly, I began to get excited. Excited about all of the fun things I could teach her about God and life that she wouldn’t learn in school . About the field trips I could take her and her siblings on that she wouldn’t experience in school. So I stepped out, and I bought some curriculum. I made up my mind and I was going with it full speed ahead. What happened next? I got a phone call from the school system. A spot opened up in the magnet school and they were offering it to Kyley. And I happily turned it down. We aren’t a perfect homeschooling family by any means, and some days I stick more to unschooling than traditional schooling, but she’s learning and growing, and we’re thriving as a family.
As far as curriculum, for K I hodgepodged things together, and I regret it. This year, I bought a full Horizons curriculum (Alpha & Omega Publishers) for 1st grade, and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it. They are easy for me to teach her, and I”ve looked over the K curriculum and I love it as well (I’ll be starting my almost 4 year old on some preschool next year so I’ve been looking at preK and K curricula for him as well)
Ok, so now that I’ve written a book, I hope you are encouraged to know that others have been where you are, It’s not always an easy choice to make, so many options sound good, but God will guide you in the right direction. And if it does include homeschooling, try not to let it intimidate you. If God calls you to it, He’s going to give you the means to succeed in it. I believe that with my whole heart. Praying for you and your family as you make this decision. And if you have any questions about the Horizons curriculum or anything else, you can email me, I’ll be glad to chat with you about my experience.
Melanie
Just mailed you something! Watch it with on open heart and no prejudice (hehe!). I was home-educated from K-12. I wear pants almost everyday, and my hair is long because I like it that way ;). It is one of the greatest gifts my parents ever gave me and I cannot thank God enough that He gave them the strength to overcome their fears, and sacrifice so much to train me up the way I should go!
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:2
Can’t wait to watch and see! Thanks! -R
I just love your blog, and last year I was having the same thoughts you are having right now! I must plug the public schools, though. I’m an elementary school teacher and my son goes to the school I teach at and loves it! Most teachers (in my experience) are teaching because we love it and have the best interests of your child in mind. We want to see the children in our classes thrive and become good citizens. We want our classrooms to be a safe place and for each child and we do as much as we can to teach morality. Even though we may not be able to pray with your child, please know that alot of us pray for your child. Whatever you choose will be right for your family and I’m not trying to sway your decision, but I just wanted to stand up for public schools because alot of times they get a bad wrap, but there are good people there who love children and will partner with you to make sure the needs of your child are being met.
Jenny, Thank You! Whatever decision we make for Oliver’s schooling, I am seriously so grateful and have so much respect for all the public school teachers out there! Y’all can be lights in the darkness and huge answers to worried parents’ prayers. Loved your input today – thanks!
R
Tough decision. I had a really rough time deciding what to do when it came time for my son to head off to kindergarten, too, but our town is so small that the options were severely limited- all day public kindy, a Christian school with bad reviews or drive him 30 miles to a parochial school and 30 to pick him up. I LOVED his private preschool, but it was just that, a preschool and nothing else. What made it worse were the multiple severe food allergies- I had pictures in my mind of him sitting alone at lunch each day. In the end, we chose the public school and it was such a good decision. His teacher was amazing and made each day exciting and he learned so much. They were also amazing in handling his allergies and it didn’t take long before I felt at peace. I was also allowed to volunteer at least once a week, which made it nice. Did I mention how terrified I was that the public school option was a bad choice?
In the end, the choice is ultimately up to you guys. There might not be an option that meets every expectation up front, but you might be pleasantly surprised. God will lead you in the right direction in this decision. And I’m impressed that you’re considering homeschooling! It’s certainly something I could never do, but I could see you being an awesome teacher mom!
I am way on the other side of schooling my kids and in fact have grandchildren older than Oliver. My kids did great at school, and in fact attended really great schools. I was super involved. However, in hindsight, I think I would choose to homeschool my children. There are lots of reasons why, but the one I feel most strongly about is also what you expressed. Others become the ones shaping your kids’ worldview and outlook. Not just teachers, but also other kids. It is hard to put your finger exactly at the time it is happening, but over time (thirteen years) those influences change who your child becomes. For instance, our children had their tv viewing restricted from certain popular shows, but they learned much about the shows they were not allowed to watch from fellow classmates. I feel like they lost some (a lot!) of the innocence I would have preferred they keep a while longer. We were forced to have conversations that I would have delayed a few years. Parents get one chance to raise your kids. And while it does seem nice to have free time to get things done, in reality those years fly by. They are so precious and unrecoverable. And there are so many more options and resources available than would have been available when my kids were schooling.
First of all, I feel your pain. I am a public school teacher, and still consider teaching at a private school so that I can afford to send my daughter to one when it is time. I want my daughter to grow close to the Lord at school and be guided towards him in her education.
Second of all, public school can provide some amazing opportunities for students to thrive. If you decide to send your sweet son to a public school, he will probably have access to some great technology, classes, and field trips that might not happen at a smaller school. If you are leading him towards God, I have the intuition that he will choose to follow your lead. With all of the great comments about homeschooling, I wanted to make some positive comments about public schools as well. I pray that God leads your family in a direction that is right for you.
oh gosh… i don’t have any super strong opinions either way.
my kids are in public school (i have 3 girls and 2 are in school, kindergarten and gr.2) and i like our school.
granted, we live in a small town where a huge percentage of the population are christian.
so i know they get good influences at school (where probably 60% of teaching staff are christian).
kids are also able to attend ‘discovery time’ 3 x’s a week where they hear bible stories and such, right in the school.
yes, a public school!
kind of hard to believe, huh?
but it’s awesome and we feel so blessed to live where we do.
so we’re happy with our public school option.
but in saying that, if we lived somewhere where i wasn’t happy, i would definitely consider homeschooling as an option, but i would try hard to have some kind of social interaction for my kids b/c i think they need that.
whatever you decide, i’ll pray that the answer is clear to you.
it’s so hard when you get to these “big” decisions in the life of your kids.
it’s not just what kind of diapers to buy… or what kind of yogurt to feed them.
these are real issues and it’ll affect their life.
hoping that you’ll feel peace in whatever decision you make.
huge hugs and prayers to you!!
xo
Raechel,
I totally understand how hard of a decision this can be. I struggled with homeschooling/public school for a couple years. I am now homeschooling my 3 kids, and have a 4 year old to add to the mix. It is not easy, it is stressful at times, but what keeps me going is knowing how fast time is flying, how one day, they will be out of my home, and I will miss those moments of having them with me. I try to enjoy it as much as possible. My biggest purpose about homeschooling was that I wanted them with me as much as possible to be able to teach them about Christ all day. I wanted that opportunity to lead them to Christ. Someday I think I can’t do it anymore, and the next day, He relieves my load. Then I know it is possible.
Here is a post I read on a blog a couple months ago and it helped me come to terms on why I decided to do it and gave me a piece of mind about doing what was right for “us” and for the Glory of God. I hope it helps in your personal decision. What ever decision you make will be the best for you and your family.
http://ewifeblogsagain.blogspot.com/2011/05/no-longer-homeschooling-mom.html
I am a homeschooling momma to 3 boys (ages 18, 15, and 12). They all went to public school for many years. We pulled one out in 7th grade, another one in 9th grade, and the youngest in 4th grade. The one thing I can tell you for certain is that I wish we would’ve home schooled from the get-go! Yes, we have difficult days. Yes, sometimes I wish I could be home by myself cleaning house. Yes, sometimes I wish I could get my nails done or go to the gym. I am with my kiddos all day everyday and I feel like I know them on a level that wouldn’t be possible if they were away 8 hours a day. We use a hodgepodge of curriculum. If you love literature I would recommend Sonlight. There are so many great options out there. I remember praying for a burning bush when we first considered homeschooling. God answered us in such a real way that we knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that this was the path He wanted us to take. Believe me if the Lord wasn’t walking us through this every step of the way it would be so much harder! We just decided to school all through the year. That gives so much flexibility. We can take off and go on vacation or a business trip with my husband. In the incredibly hot summer we can swim in the mornings and school in the evenings. It is quite an adventure!!!!
Many times I read your blog and it prompts a “big think,” and this post was no exception. Two of our four kids currently attend public school and it has been a mixed bag. My oldest has made it through half of second grade now and I have been underwhelmed at what has been offered to her. We have always desired that she (and the other three) are in the world but not of it…but the souvenirs she brings home from “the world” have touched a nerve. I am weary from fighting what seems to be a losing battle for her little soul. We are blessed that our town has an amazing school that offers classical Christian education three days a week and then you homeschool the other two days. After reading your post, and having that big think, I felt God was prompting us to take action. We will be enrolling the older two for next year. And I have a healthy respect (er, fear) for homeschool. But I feel like if God has led us to this decision, then He will show up to see it through. And it has eternal results. My advice? Hit your knees and offer it up. His will won’t be hidden. Thanks, also, for your blog. Looking forward to reading more of your thought process on this decision :)
Raechel,
I have followed your blog for several years and, as many of the other commenters also said, could have written this post two years ago! Every one of your concerns was one I had as well. I have four children – our oldest is 7, we have 5 year old twins, and a 6 month old baby. How could I possibly homeschool??!!! God called me to it, and He equipped me to do it. I’m only two years in, but it has been the most tremendous blessing for our family. Last week in the carpool on the way to ballet, the little girl down the street (who goes to our public school) asked my 7 year old daughter, “Who are your best friends at school?” and my daughter answered, “My brothers.” Believe me, she has loads of other seven year old friends who are girls – homeschooled and not – but to me, the opportunity to have a close-knit family has been one of the coolest surprises that has come out of this experience. It cracks me up when well-intentioned people encourage homeschoolers to make sure their kids have social interaction – homeschooling does not mean our kids sit locked inside our house all day staring longingly out the window!!! For goodness sakes, there is so much to do and be involved in as a homeschooling parent that you have to diligently guard your calendar or all you will do is socialize! I worried so much about my selfishness, and my longing to finally have some “me” time after the long years of mothering infants and toddlers, but God handled all of that for me as I trusted Him, and I can honestly say that I could not imagine having my children educated any other way. Good luck to you Raechel! I will be praying that God gives you and Ryan wisdom and discernment as you make this decision :-).
Laura, this was awesome and SO encouraging! Thank you!
Oh, this post makes my heart hurt. I can completely understand epwhere you are coming from. I was I your shoes at this time last year. The big difference for me is that my husband was never really on board. He did give me the go ahead to homeschool just for kindergarten last year because we were anticipating a mid year move, but he never really got why it was that I wanted to homeschool. Anyway, I completely agree about these early years being so formative and would love nothing more than to keep my kids home with me during the early elementary years, but after homeschooling for the first 1/2 of kindergarten, our oldest will be heading to public school after Christmas break. There were a LOT of additional things on our plate these last couple of months (having a 4the baby, selling our house, moving, my husband working 2 jobs) that affected our homeschooling experience, but ultimatey I think she (and our whole family) will be better off with her in school. Aaaaagggggghhhhhh! I can’t believe I wrote that, it hurts so bad to admit that. As I’ve struggled with this decision the last couple of weeks (we just decided to put her into ps a couple of weeks ago), I think I’ve come to realize that I have to trust the Lord to take of her and He will! He is so much bigger than anything I could ever do or not do when it comes to raising my kids and that public school doesn’t intimidate him or stop Him from carrying out his plan for my daughter’s life. But still, I want her home with me. :( praying for my heart to be at peace. It helps to see her SO excited. Sort of.
It is such a hard, personal decision. I’ll pray for peace and clarity for whatever decision you come too. FWIW, I tried to piece together different curriculums this year and I regret it (and I have an educational background). I’m not sure if it would have worked better if I wouldn’t have had to worry about her keeping up with her peers in school (since I only got the okay to homeschool for one year) or not, but if I had to do it over I probablywould have chosen an all-in-one curriculum. We love books around here so probably something like My Father’s World or Heart of Dakota. There’s also Abeka, Sonlight etc. I would guess an all-in-one would be something you might be interested in, especially if you’re worried about taking care of Hazel as well while home schooling.
Natasha, thanks for this note. I’m so sorry to see that you are struggling with this too right now. Praying for peace for you as well. God knows.
R
Raechel-
Eric and I planned, for a while, to put our kids into private school. We really struggled with the decision when Olivia was getting ready to enter kindergarten. The hardest thing for me was the full day transition, too. It just seemed like such a long day for such a little girl who still took naps. Financially, however, we just couldn’t swing the 3 child (at the time, now we have Eliza) private tuition. It was more than our mortage payment. Plus, we had a really hard time taking our kids away from a really good education and putting them into an “okay” education based soley on the fact that they were Christian schools. (its not like at LCS, where the private schools are clearly superior to the public. ;))
that said, I really didn’t ever consider home schooling for more than a second. As it was, I was really struggling with my patience with the 3 kids at home, and I didn’t think i could handle trying to teach on top of parenting. Plus, Olivia’s temperment is such that she and I clash a lot more than the other kids (or her with Eric.) I just *knew* it wasn’t the right choice for us.
having 2 kids in public school is a completely different experience than what I was expecting. because we live in the area we do, Austin has a teacher who told us on day one that she was a Christian and what church she attended. I love that she has all of the resources of the public school system at her hands, too.
Really, the struggle we’ve had with the public schools have been mainly from the other kids. I know this was one of your concerns, and its a very valid one. Olivia, especially, is very moldable and has said things or done things that other kids have told her to do (i.e. One girl told her to say “hell” then came and told on her when she did.) They do make for good teaching moments, however.
Anyway, sorry for the novel. ;) If it helps, I can totally see you as an awesome home-schooling momma. I think you’re creativity and sweet nature are wonderful assets.
Tracy
OH i dread the days when this is on our plate. public schools just scare me more and more. There is a fantastic private school here but whew that’s alot of money! And i so appreciate your honesty when u say u would love that quiet time. :) I hear you sister…prayers for ya’ll!!
I haven’t read the other responses, so I hope I don’t repeat! I don’t know if I’ve ever commented before, but I felt as though I should this time. :)
We were in the exact same position 2 years ago. I was so torn and our options were very similar to yours. We had the exact same concerns! We were told by the preschool teacher that our daughter needed the social interaction, she just craved it! After lots of prayers and torn hearts, we really felt we were being told to send her to public school. Not that I was ok with it, I really wasn’t! I feel for you, I really do. As dramatic as it sounds, it can be life altering for these little people. Our teacher wasn’t the soft and cuddily one we were used to and I adjusted harder than anyone. But honestly, it was the best thing for all of us. I paniced many days, thinking of all the lost time with not only me but her little sister as well. She turned into a confident little girl, able to venture out (just a little!) on her own. I learned to let go a little bit. I remember being heart broken over all our “lost” time. But God was there with her, teaching her things at school I couldn’t at home. Our choice to not do private (cost) was a concern, we wanted her relationship with her Savior to continue to grow after 2 years at a private preschool. For her, public school (ours is wonderful!) was a perfect fit as surprised as we were.
The whole security thing, (not walking them to their classroom door would be hard, but the security is good!) that scared the daylights out of me! Yet another growing experience!
For homeschooling we looked at Sunlight, for reading Teach Your Child To Read in 100 Easy Lessons, and Little Hearts to Heaven. We have friends who homeschool and were able to look at our options. Handwriting without Tears is suppose to be very good.
We have Little Hands to Heaven which is the preschool version of Hands to Heaven. We aren’t using it currently, but it’s very nice and lays out each days lesson for older and younger preschoolers. If you are interested in it, I’m willing to send it your way possibly! Just send me a note!
Good luck with your decision, this stuff can tear a mommy’s heart apart!
Hey there,
I don’t comment on your blog very often, but I do read pretty regularly. I have heard a lot about home schooling and public schooling. I am a public school teacher (high school). I do not know what you are going through because I do not have children. I will say that as a public school teacher, I can understand why you would want to home school your child. There are scary things out here and that can be a lot for a family to take in. On the other hand, I have seen students start public school at the high school level and they break my heart. The students I have seen have been so anxious socially. They have also struggled to keep up with the pacing of a school day. I know it’s not fair to lump all home school children together. I can only base my thoughts on what I have seen here. I do know people who home school their children but arrange for their child to participate in public school activities likes sports. Those children seem to adjust much better than the ones who stick solely with other home school kids. As a public educator, I am probably supposed to encourage you to send Oliver to a public school. I am not going to do that because I don’t know you beyond your blog. You know Oliver and you know what you want for his future. I wish you the best of luck in deciding how you will handle his education.
Blessings.
Mindy,
This was so sweet and helpful. I have loved reading the perspectives of existing public school teachers. I seriously have HUGE respect for y’all! Thanks for your input and for sharing from your experiences!
We just started homeschooling this year. Our daughter is a 4th grader and our son is in kindergarten. I was extremely intimidated and anxious about it for a couple of reasons. 1. Our son gets distracted very easily and although he’s smart, the thought of teaching him the basics scared me to death. What do you have if you don’t know how to read, write or add and subtract??? 2. My fourth grader knew her basics (she was in a small Christian school) but was now about to learn things that ,I have to admit, I completely forgot and have no idea how to teach!!
Those were my main concerns mixed with a million tiny ones that made me a wreck for the 8 months leading up to the first day of school. The first week was hard, but honestly, I get teary eyed everytime I think about how much I love it! They are both learning, thriving, growing in the Lord (there is an amazing Christian Character trait study we do) and I get to see it all happen!! I still have hard days and am reallllly scared. Like for instance, our first day back when I have to explain to Derek that vowels have long sounds too because I think he is going to be completely thrown off track, but somehow we’ll get through that :) I have thought many times about the fact that He would have been gone all day for (maybe) 2 hours of school work. Five years ago I would have laughed if you told me I would be such an advocate for homeschooling! It’s the best decision we have made. I love your blog, and it’s wonderful to see people raising children like you are so I’m sure that whatever decision you make will be the best one!!
I could say a lot more, but I’ll keep this brief! For kindergarten, we’ve used Sonlight K for the first 3 so far… and love how easy it is and how much snuggle time we get reading GREAT books together! It’s an easy and quick curriculum that leaves the rest of your day for real life fun! Plus it’s biblically based, with missionary stories added in, which we love! My first “baby” that I took through it, is now in 5th grade! Ack!!! May God leading you in his paths for you and your family!
Here in Canada 99% of kids (from what I can tell, haven’t looked it up) go to free public schools (or Catholic schools which are also free – that’s where I went.) It’s so nice because there isn’t the shame that I can see in the states involved with public schools. If I told people I wanted to pay to send my kid to a private school I guarantee everyone in my life would think I was completely insane. I don’t know anyone that’s homeschooled either. I’m actually a teacher in the public school system.
So no advice for you, really, except for the ain’t no shame in public schools thing! I think you’d be wonderful at homeschooling, too.
I teach full day kindergarten and I think it’s a wonderful thing. A full day = time to do lots of fun things! I think it’s important that kids have time away from their parents and siblings, and get a chance to spread their wings and be their own person and try new things independently. That said, children still do have many hours a week with siblings and family, and these are the moments and people who will shape who your child is. It’s true, I see it every day. I know who is spoken to, interacted with, read to at home, and who isn’t. So while your child is away from you, they are doing their important growing in a different way! You have to trust, especially if you are fortunate to have a good school system!
Andrea,
What a privilege to hear straight from a public school kindergarten teacher. This was so good to read and to think on. Thank you!!
You will totally make the right decision. We completely intended on sending our daughter to the local school that is actually in our neighborhood. It is one of the best schools in the state but only has kids from three neighborhoods. We kept thinking that we wanted more for our daughter–diversity (in various forms), flexibility, etc. We ultimately found a fantastic charter Montessori about 10 minutes away. It has required more on our part as the school doesn’t offer transportation but she is thriving in all aspects. We love the Montessori learning environment. It is really the best of both worlds as we can be as involved as we want and she still gets to have the social aspects including conflict resolution and working in groups.
This is my third year homeschooling my son. My second child starts school next year, and I must tell you it has been the biggest blessing. I, too, was concerned about someone else having SOOO much time with MY child. I know there are many great public schools and many wonderful teachers. I just have a problem with the overall system. I was a teacher for seven years and realized quickly that I wanted to homeschool. I feel it is a calling and God will clearly guide you and your family to the right decision for your children. That’s what He did for me. Looking forward to hear how it goes?
Where we live public school is THE ONLY option besides homeschooling. I work 4 days a week so homeschooling really isn’t an option- it wouldn’t be an option for me any way b/c as much as I love my kids and love having fun w/ them- I do not have the patience to teach them everything they need to know school wise! I do admire anyone who does have that ability though!
All that to say that our now first grader LOVES his school (which is small since we live in a super duper small town) and I love his teachers and the staff. It doesn’t hurt that this is where I also went to school so knowing everyone is a plus. I know they don’t teach the Bible or Jesus at school and that bothers me, but then I look to myself and realized I turned out fine and am still a Jesus Lovin’ girl! We just make sure he gets plenty of teachin and learnin’ about it at home and church. We did a church pre-school for two years so I do realize there is a major difference in how his day is playing out but so far I haven’t noticed it making a difference in him.
I’m not sure as to why I’m typing this except that when I was reading through the comments I seemed to be in the minority so thought I’d give my view from where I stand :) Whatever you decide will be perfect for your family.
Hi, I’m lisa, and have enjoyed reading your blog. I homeschool my 3 daughters ages 6, 8 and 11. The number one, major reason that I love homeschooling is the TIME we have. TIME. (I wish I could boldface and italicize that word!)
We are free to travel and live our lives on OUR schedule.
Our lives move at a slower, more sane pace than most people we know. We aren’t tied to the local public school schedule. We get up in the morning only slightly later than the kids would if they caught the bus. But when the school bus passes our house, we’re usually still having a relaxed breakfast, or just getting ready for the morning.
We spend the morning homeschooling and we’re nearly always done by noon. NOON! That’s only the half-way point for most public school days.
There’s entire books that have been written on the “nature deficit” that is common today- basically, kids aren’t getting enough outside time in a natural environment. By that, I don’t mean a playground (which is still fun) but interacting with wood, stone, leaves, birds, rocks, etc…..”Real” stuff.
So, after our school- I want my kids to play. Outside, preferably. A mountain, creek and woods are practically in our backyard, and I want my kids to enjoy them as much as possible. We have a couple other homeschool kids on the block, and they play together, and then when the public school kids get home, they join them.
I don’t want my kids to spend another hour inside doing homework. Most of public school homework is repetitive, boring, and consumes precious daylight hours. When we’re finished with school at 12pm, I mean we are finished.
Extra curricular activities are part of our lives as well, but I feel a lot better dropping them off for drama class or horseback riding lessons IF I have already been with them during the day. If they were in school all day and THEN went to extra curricular activities, I just wouldn’t feel like I’d been with them at all, for most of their best waking hours.
OK, that’s probably far more than you really need to hear from me! Pray about it, listen to others….and remember that you can always try it for one year and then re-evaluate. I know that you’ll make a good decision!
Loved this! Thank you so much, Lisa! You make it sound so lovely and doable and I really believe I CAN do it. Thanks for your words! -R
you CAN do it. You are smart, creative and gifted- your blog is all the evidence I need of that! ;)
I have not read all the comments but wanted to give you a resource to go to. When my husband and I were trying to decide what to do for our daughter regarding school we went to a homeschool convention. It has a huge exhibit hall with all different types of curriculum that we could actually look through and see plus it had just tons of different speakers that you could go. From small class room type settings to a big hall and from all the different walks of the homeschool philosophies. They spoke on a wide range of subjects and from what I could see hit amost every type of child/family that could possibly be out there! The website for the one we went to is http://www.greathomeschoolconventions.com and they do offer one for the Mid-South area which is in Memphis, TN. There are many different types of conventions that you could google though if that one didn’t fit your needs. This one is reasonably priced and offered a wide variety which is why we choose it. I will say this one is ran by Christian people and the majority of curriculum and vendors/speakers come from Christian beliefs and background but, like everything, a parents has to discern for what is best for your family.
A comment on homeschooling in general – it was a big decision for us as well. My husband is a youth pastor and when we started at the church the majority of the kids were homeschooled and I said I would NEVER do that! (We did not have any children at the time) I just thought I wouldn’t be skilled enough, have the patience or enjoy anything like that. I just pictured myself saying to my daughter “2 + 2 is 4 just becauase! I do not know why!” So silly of me. I laugh at it now that I am bit supporter of homeschooling! However, and as a commenter said above, it is amazing what God can do when I just fully submitted and allowed Him to equip me. On top of all the normal questions, I do work about 30 hours a week – so I didn’t even think it was an option for us. However, with sacrifices being made and my husband helping out too we have done it for two years now. I cannot tell you how blessed we both have been since deciding to homeschool. It has been truly a joy that I could never imagine missing. There are times of frustrations and discouragement but usually an adjustment in schedule, slowing down is all that is needed. Our daughter has benefited from it as well. She was very shy and so many people warned me about the whole “socialization” issues. Her preschool teacher really pushed me hard wanting me to go public school route. It was a concern for me in the back of my head. She has only come out of her shyness MORE since homeschooling. She is involved in so many activities and with a wide range of ages from kids younger than her (7 years old) to teens to adults. It has not been an issue at all. It has kind of become a joke when people make comments like that to us. We just normally smile and are polite but in our heads we think this girl has more social activities than we did when we were her age!
I know homeschooling is not an option for everyone so I wanted to tell you about a book I did see from a blog that I read sometimes. I bookmarked it as we may go the public school route someday. It is called “Going Public” by David & Kelli Pritchard. I have not read it personally but the review (www.challies.com/book-reviews/going-public-your-child-can-thrive-in-public-school) was good and offered some really good thoughts on the subject. Even though a child is going to public school “homeschooling” is still being done and is such a vital part of our children’s lives. It can be done though!
Praying for you and your husband as you make these decisions. So many decisions in raising our children! So grateful for a loving patient God who guides and directs us! I cannot imagine trying to do this on my own. :)
I’m 20 yrs old and I still vividly remember preschool and kindergarten. My parents chose to put me in a public elementary school, even though I was raised in a very strong christian household. I’m sure a lot of people would disagree with that, but it gave me a chance to interact with people, make friends that were different than me, bring kids to youth group with me that I wouldn’t have met unless I went to public school. I loved being in choir, dance, school plays, and art classes. I had SO many teachers that made an impact on my life. There’s just something about a teacher that cares about your success in the classroom that will stay with you throughout your life. I even write to them today to thank them as I learn about becoming a teacher myself. Public schools can be scary though, I agree, but for me, my parents and my church were the strongest influences on my life. I never became “evil” as a result of public school, instead I was given a chance to shine God’s light in a place filled with a lot of kids who had never experienced it. On another note, I’m not against homeschooling at all! I think it’s great, but I’ve never experienced it. I would love to maybe try it someday with my children. You’re a great mom, and God’s a great God. Follow Him, love your kids, and whatever you decide will be great. You’ll have nothing to worry about :)
I don’t have any kids, so I don’t know exactly where you are coming from. BUT, I am a kindergarten teacher. I would encourage you to at least look into finding a home-school group (I’m not sure what the formal name for them is) if you choose not to go the traditional route. While these are important years for building your child up in his faith, they are also important for building him up academically. If a child starts 1st grade behind (academically, socially, and physically) it will be very hard for them to catch up. A private school, or home-school collective may be the best way to find a balance.
First of all, I am sure if you decide to homeschool you will do a great job and Oliver will learn a lot=] I wouldn’t worry too much about the academic part of it being a problem as I see you being very thorough and making sure he is staying on track.
I just wanted to comment on the thing you said about Oliver being social. I know that homeschoolers often still are very socialized and the negative stereotypes are often not true. However, I just wanted to give you a bit of perspective from someone who is very social and was also homeschooled at a young age. My mother was a great teacher, and I was so far ahead academically that when I did start school (2nd grade), they moved me up to 3rd grade. I just vividly remember begging my parents to go to a “real school” because I so desperately wanted the social aspect. I still got to spend a fair amount of time with my church and neighborhood friends and I had a little sister, but I really really wanted that daily interaction with other students. ONce they did decide to start me at school (a small Christian school) I LOVED it. So just a thought from the other side, perhaps even if you could give OLiver a great education at home, he may really love the atmosphere of being at a real school and come away with wonderful memories and friends.
I was educated in a mix of homeschool, small private christian (12 kids a grade), public, and Catholic school. I think that the solid base I got at home, in family devotions and in a wonderful church with great youth programs I got the base I needed even when I was not getting it at school. Anyways, I pray that you will feel at peace at whatever you decide, and always know that there is option to change if you end up not feeling comfortable wherever you end up.
We’re incredibly blessed that my *wonderful* Mother-in-law is the kindergarten teacher at our church school. She’s amazing! The classes are always very small and I’m so happy that we’re not going to have to struggle with the decision you have to make! For various reasons, I think it’s very likely that she’s be homeschooled for 1st grade and beyond, but we still have a few years to decide.
One thought…you might want to consider meeting Oliver’s prospective teacher to see if you think it would be a good fit for him. Also, remember that in K-5 there is (I think!) very little humanistic teaching – it’s mostly ABC’s and 123’s. So I don’t think he’d be coming home with much teaching that you would have to undo.
Prayers for a clear answer – I know that it must be difficult!
Raechel, I so understand your dilemma and how time consuming and thought consuming the whole process is of choosing a school. We were in your shoes last year! We went back and forth with this decision for months. It finally came down to we had to make a decision for one year, and not feel like we were stuck until he graduated. We decided that we will look at it as a year-by-year decision. Which honestly took SO much pressure off of the decision!
We ended up enrolling our son in what I call a hybrid school (M,T at home and W-F at school). It has exceeded our expectations! I love the time of having him home, I love getting to be a part of all he is learning! And on the days he is at school, I was surprised by how much I needed this time to focus on my younger 2. We have been very blessed by our school, the administration really works to having the school be of like-minded families, so we have not had any concerns of what he is learning (even during recess). We have seen so much growth in him this year in learning more about considering others, working in groups, showing respect… all areas that we have tried to teach him at home, yet the learning environment of the classroom has really helped him soak in and flourish in each of these areas… and more.
As the mama, I have loved the accountability of the hybrid program. Each week I get the lesson plan from the teacher, so I know what I am responsible for teaching on my days. I add to it a little each week (just stuff for fun). But there have been weeks where I was busy with life and this accountability kept me focused, and kept homeschooling as a priority.
On a different note, if you do homeschool full-time, I would do Singapore Math or Saxon Math. I have been a little underwhelmed by Abeka’s Kindergarten math program. But we have really liked the rest of Abeka’s system.
I hope this helps : )
First of all – whatever decision you make will be a good one. Secondly – if you decide later that it is not working the way you planned, you can change it. Thirdly – please take the socialization issue out of the equation. If you decide to homeschool, he will get plenty of socialization – library, store, church, zoo, science museum, theater, play dates with friends, children at the park, etc. (and best of all, he will get socialization with lots of different people (preschoolers, elementary school, tweens, teens, adults, seniors) instead of just one adult teacher and several same-age peers. For a curriculum, I would highly recommend My Father’s World. The only addition I would make is to go ahead and get the Singapore Math kindergarten book to go along with it. Have fun and know that whatever you do, Oliver will be just fine (and you will, too!)
I am so sorry that the public school is so restrictive! The public school system has always been really highly rated in Canada! My 3 kids have gone to a fabulous public school (3 blocks away) for 7 years. While you must stop at the office and sign in for security, we are encouraged to drop by anytime and help out (even if it is just for 30 minutes). I have learned so much from the teachers and staff and have loved working with students and being such a part of their education and “school world”. I know the teachers, kids and parents so well. Plus, our Kindergaren is 9:00-11:15, so I still had all afternoon with my little ones to do our own thing. When I had babies at home, we created a little kindergarten sibling network and took turns babysitting each other’s babies/toddlers so we could volunteer properly – which gave the babies/toddlers a neat little social group that eventually they went to kindergarten with.
I have been totally absorbed in your blog! I’m commenting here because I was homeschooled from 7th-12th grade, used a one-day-a-week tutorial, and went to the community college early. I now have a Masters in Teaching. I’ve heard Sonlight is good. We used the Calvert Curriculum when my parents started homeschooling me, and with that you send the work to a teacher who grades it and sends it back. They send you everything you’ll need– books, paper, pencils, lesson plans… even what you could read to explain stuff. Co-Ops sound great to me– I hope to use them in the future (a little way off for now). Two books I’d recommend are Wm. Bennett’s “The Educated Child” and Wise/Bauer’s “The Well-Trained Mind”. They both have tons of good info about teaching and curriculum. You sound like you’ll do great, as you are interested and care about what your son is learning.