Choosing to homeschool. Yikes.
Milking goats. Butchering chickens. You guys have all known it would only be a matter of time before we went full weird and…HOMESCHOOLED! (dun, dun, dun). I’ve been mulling over this decision for over a year now. What has kept me from taking the plunge? Probably the same reasons why others hesitate to homeschool. I worried about the effort involved, if I’d have enough energy. I worried about mommy guilt, and if I’d feel a constant “I’m not good enough” feeling when it comes to educating my kids. I worried about removing my kids from their friends, about my kids turning into weirdos. And I worried about never having a break from my kids.
This is not a public-school bashing article.
Nope. Not gonna go there. Some people find that public school (or charter school or private school) works well for their kids. To that I say, “Cool beans, my friends.” Do whatcha gotta do. Go where ya’ gotta go.
All I know is that for my children, school was making life lame and learning was becoming a chore. I’m not even talking about public school here. I’m talking about ANY kind of school.
Worksheets, homework, tests, reading groups, homework, book reports, math facts, cursive practicing, homework…
According to William Crain, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at City College of New York and the author of Reclaiming Childhood, “Kids are developing more school-related stomachaches, headaches, sleep problems, and depression than ever before.” The average student is glued to his or her desk for almost seven hours a day. Add two to four hours of homework each night, and they are working a 45 to 55 hour week! (source)
Everybody is a Genius
I can see it in my children & you can see it in yours. It’s the part of them that makes them unique. They may not be the spelling bee queen or the star of the math fact club, but they’re still geniuses. It may be deep down inside, it may be bursting at the seams, but it’s there all right.
My son is the most obedient child you will ever meet. As a baby, I never had to child-proof the house. All I had to do was show him something once, tell him not to touch it, and I knew that he would never touch it. He loved all things animals and would spend hours reading non-fiction animal books. To this day he still loves animals. He knows practically every species of every animal. You think I’m exaggerating, but I’m not. Want to know which whale is the largest? Ask him. Want to know what kind of hawk has black-tipped feathers? He’ll tell you.
At 6 years of age I was so excited to send him to Kindergarten. My big boy, all grown up! Now that I look back, I feel sad that I thought he was grown up at 6 years old. Or at least that I thought he was grown up enough to be away from home. His teachers were all kind and loving, but still, something was missing.
Unfortunately, because of his obedience & quiet nature, he has always been overlooked in school. He hated his assignments, failed tests, and struggled with homework. I knew that we needed to do something to save that inner genius inside of him.
My daughter runs on emotion. She wants to be the fastest, the smartest, and she wants to be recognized for it. School was like a game for her. A competition to be won. Unfortunately, she developed anxiety about “not being the best”. She spent so much energy on getting recognition for her work, she never found a subject she loved. She needs to discover what is interesting to her, and learn it without the need for constant recognition from others.
Want to learn something? Be a child for a day.
What I’ve found in some intense observation over the past year is that learning comes naturally to everybody. But there’s a catch. Learning cannot be forced. Yes, you can teach all you want, but learning only happens if the learner chooses to learn. So how do we get the learner to choose to learn?
You stop teaching. In my experience, you let the child learn what they want to learn. And an amazing thing happens.
They Learn! They Explore! They Create! They Grow!
Think of how YOU learn. As an adult, what are you interested in right now? What are you reading about (either online or in books)? What are you talking about to your friends? What is on your to-do list?
Was it assigned to you? Were you forced to learn it? If no, then why do you bother?
I believe it’s because this is the natural way we learn!
When people ask, “[How do you learn]?” My answer is that we follow our interests – and our interests inevitably lead to science, literature, history, mathematics, music – all the things that have interested people before anybody thought of them as “subjects”. A large component of [learning] is grounded in doing real things, not because we hope they will be good for us, but because they are intrinsically fascinating. (source)
Five years ago, I wanted to learn about health. I read like crazy, studied like crazy. I ate, drank & slept it. I learned all I could learn about how to reverse illness with food. That led to me starting a blog. That blog led to me finding like-minded friends. Those like-minded friends taught me more. The learning I was able to acquire led me to be able to help other people. This blog now provides a full income. And nobody ever forced or assigned me to do it. I simply let my natural learning lead me to my life’s calling. And I LOVE it! Not for the income or for the number of followers, but because I am STILL learning every single day from my readers and friends, and I feel my inner genius coming out.
That, my friends, is what I want for my children. I want them to be so excited about an idea or an area of interest that they would rather study it than sleep. I want them to discover the world on their own terms (with the guidance of a parent) and let them discover their own inner geniuses.
So, what kind of curriculum will we be using?
Aside from an Abacus math class (an Asian method of addition/subtraction/multiplication/division), we will not be using any kind of curriculum.
It’s called unschooling, and it’s a method learning that happens naturally. We decide on our “topics” of interest, and every week we explore those interests and learn along the way.
Our current topics of interest are vary widely, and I’ll talk about those more in my “Unschooling Updates”. Our very first day of unschooling produced some amazing natural learning experiences, and I’m excited to share them with you. It was easy, low-stress, and incredibly entertaining.
As far as the “SOCIALIZING” aspect goes, that’s probably worthy of a full blog post, so for now I’ll just say, we’re good. We have a million gazillion friends and activities and I think these kiddos of mine will turn out just weird enough to be cool, but not too weird that you wonder if they’ve ever heard of deodorant.
Do I think homeschooling/unschooling is right for everyone?
I honestly don’t have an opinion for any children besides my own. For us, this feels right. For you, it may feel completely opposite, and that’s fine. Heaven knows as a parent you have to consider many factors when deciding what’s right for you. As an official homeschooling parent, I can honestly say I ain’t judgin’ those who choose NOT to homeschool! Life’s a journey, that’s for sure, and we all have to find our own path.
For us, it’s homeschooling.
Wish me luck, peeps 🙂
Read my other articles on Unschooling.
- What is Unschooling?
- How to learn ALL SUBJECTS through Unschooling.
- Unschooling Update #1: That time we learned about birds, bees, disease, life, & death…
Hi! My daughter just started kinder last month and we spent years before trying to decide if we would homeschool or public school. She ended up getting into a dual language program so we went with the public route. Unfortunately since starting she has developed a horrible attitude and tells us she hates us all the time over little things. We got a lot of negativity from family for the thought of a homeschooling and we were very overwhelmed by the thought of our child being “dumb” but now I feel like I have forced my child into an environment that she is not thriving in. We are only a month in so I wonder if we should try harder or just withdraw and start new? Has anyone decided within the school year that they didn’t like how things were going? Any advice would be much appreciated 🙂
Hi Jessica,
That’s a tough decision, for sure! No matter what your decision is, one thing you can be sure of is that you can ALWAYS change your mind, no matter what time of year it is. Don’t worry about being wishy-washy, and definitely don’t worry about what other people think. This is your family and your choice is yours to make:) If I were you, I’d probably take her out if she’s having that much trouble, and get back to basics with her emotions and your relationship as a family. Work up from there, and take note of her strengths & weaknesses so you can do your best as a homeschooling parent:) No education situation is perfect, we just have to do our best as parents and trust in that they’ll turn out just great!
Hi Jessica… I know that this is four months late, but I’ve been there too. I pulled my son out of Jr. Kindergarten (age 4) on the Friday prior to Canadian Thanksgiving (2nd Monday in October) because it was such a disaster – his teacher was only there 2 days a week – the rest of the time there were substitute teachers; there were 28 children in the class 14 of whom spoke no English – and this was not an ESL school; and it went down hill from there. We took him out and he is now finishing Grade 5 at the end of December. Because we ski, his school year is April thru December and we ski all winter. He loves it and I am so glad that we did it. You know what is right for your family and I hope that you find a comfortable balance.
I happened upon your website today, and I am encouraged to see so many willing to make the sacrifices and commitments that it requires to educate your children at home. After 19 years of home schooling 10 of our 11 children my husband and I have been through many trying times. Yet, the blessing of having our family together as we live, learn, love , and work together outweighs the most difficult times.
Truly the hardest part is learning to deny ourselves and serve one another in unconditional love. Of course, only supernatural love can enable us . Teaching is such a joy when there is true love guiding each step.How thankful I am for ministries such as Titus2.com who were there for me when I was struggling to complete my jobs at home as wife, mother , and teacher of so many different ages. I highly reccommend their many books and resources. Although they switched from a unit study approach to mostly textbooks , the amazing testimonies of their eight home schooled children is encouraging . We moved from the city to and old dairy farm 6 years ago. Our home schooling took an exciting leap into even more life skill learning . I believe that if God has led you to teach your children at home He will enable and supply all your needs no matter what method you choose. The successes will be a part of His blessings and rewards.
Thank you ??
We’re one of those too. We follow the “Classical” model for homeschooling, but it leaves us plenty of freedom to let our kids follow their own desires. Right now, my oldest is enthralled with historical fiction, and I find her curled up in the corner reading most of the time.
We also live on a small dairy goat farm with pastured chickens and pastured pigs and a newly acquired lowline steer calf to round out the mix. There’s plenty of learning to be had around here!
Good Luck with your new adventure! We “unschooled” our oldest daughter until she was eight. Currently, she is in 3rd grade and doing well. Our youngest is not yet school age, so who knows what we will be doing when the time comes. I have really enjoyed reading everyone’s comments on here. There really is no one formula that works for everyone all of the time. 🙂
Do you have a curriculum for the abacus math? If so please let me know 🙂
Kudos to you for taking the leap! I began unschooling my kids after my son had major problems after 9/11. At first, I never planned that it would be forever, but it was the best thing we ever did. Their dad,whom I left in 2004, was never supportive though,so once they hit the high school age they took a few FLVS(virtual school) classes to appease him. In Florida, they have dual enrollment for Juniors and Seniors, so both my kids were able to go to the local Community College for free. My 19 yr old daughter is currently in her Junior yr at UCF on a full scholarship,and has a 4.0. My 20 yr old son, graduated from Film School last year and has a resume working on various films and commercials that is longer than many 30 yr olds. Enjoy the ride! It’s an amazing adventure and before you know it they will be all grown up and you will be yearning to do it all over again!
With unschooling, are you connected with any online institution that will then give your kids a certification of schooling completed when they are “graduation” age? Will you guage if they “know enough” by any type of curriculum guide?
We are pulling our kids out of school this January for the exact reasons you did. Nice to know I’m not a paranoid parent, acting out of fear, but of concern and actually “knowing” our kids.
Danelle, thank you. I come from a family of public educators so I’ve never questioned that my children would attend public schools. But your article and the comments after have given me so much to think about … the reasons behind the choice to homeschool are real, powerful and really resonate with me! Excellent & appreciated!
We homeschooled 4 children on a dairy farm. They worked hard every day, played and got dirty, learned responsibility, had fun riding and showing horses in 4H. They say it was the best childhood anyone could have. Now they are responsible, amazing adults with college educations and great work ethics. It worked for us but we had our days of trials and frustrations. Definitely not for those who can’t walk against the grain.
I am a second-generation homeschooler. I loved my childhood, and I have a great passion for learning. There are going to be holes in every education, but homeschooling give a person the confidence to learn anything! I know that if I REALLY wanted to, I could learn anything… and with the passion comes understanding. I love the resources that are available now! There are so many amazing ways to learn and discover, I can’t imagine a better way to grow up.
Silliest question I was ever asked?
“Where are they going to learn to stand in line”?
SERIOUSLY??? Hmmmmm, I don’t know, the grocery store?, the bank?, Costco?, how about the DMV??!!
I am a public school teacher and would homeschool or unschool in a heartbeat if I didn’t have to stay for the healthcare. Maybe in a few years it will work out after my husband graduates from seminary. My question is, and I haven’t looked into it, how do you meet the requirements of the state? I assume that you would have to show the state what you are teaching, and how you are grading them. Does this differ by state?
Every state has different requirements. Some are as easy as giving written notice that you are homeschooling, and others are far more difficult. Some of them require hours, or a test.
After embarking on unschooling from the start, we just enrolled my daughter in a Sudbury model school. For her, the daily and constant interaction with kids is a drive I just found I can’t fill at home–even with active homeschooling groups in my area. She is so happy for the daily social atmosphere. But then Sudbury school is about as much like any regular school as unschooling is. I am always so happy when I see parents turned on to unschooling (or a truly play based model of learning) that keeps kids out of the traps of school. You might like Peter Gray’s book, Free to Learn, which is pro-homeschool, pro-unschool, and pro-Sudbury school. I know that as we’ve journeyed down the path of unconventional school, it helps to read books that inspire us to continue! Good luck and congratulations!
We just started homeschooling our fifth grader this week! It’s an exciting time for all of us. And his 2 year old brother is thrilled to have a playmate throughout the day, too. Once we get our feet wet and I am comfortable and confident with the direction we are headed, we will be pulling our 2nd and 3rd grade daughters from the public school as well:) Best of luck to you!
I have been considering pulling my kids out of public school for a year or so now. We have been less & less satisfied – both w/the attitudes of the admin & teachers, as well as the curriculum and teach-to-the-test mentality.
My son (6th grade) refers to school as the acronym for Seven Crappy Hours Of Our Lives. Nice, huh? I worry most about how it will affect my daughter (a HS freshman) – not socially (mostly), but like another commenter said, I worry I won’t be able to challenge her enough (she takes stuff I didn’t learn until much later on). Part of me thinks “it’s only 4 more years.” But then w/my son it is 7 more. That’s a LONG time. I have no idea where to begin, & I have so many questions! *sigh*
More power to all unschoolers!
A number of my friends homeschool their children, and I was influenced to try it. For us, it was not the solution. I almost ruined my health for good and all in the attempt.
Our solution was to send our daughter to a Montessori school, with a modified schedule that allowed her to have time for ballet, violin and Latin.
A firm believer in the Montessori method and classical methods of education, I will continue to strive to do well by my daughter!
God bless all families!
Thank you for not bashing schools! We all have to make the best decision for our families – for some it’s homeschool, others it’s public or private. I was homeschooled 2nd through 10th grade, and it was a great experience for me. I was ready to send my kids to school, but realized that it just wasn’t the best option for us – right now. I have committed to take the decision year by year, so that we aren’t trapped if it doesn’t end up being what’s right for our family in a few years.
It’s hard to stay at home, homeschool, blog, etc. But it’s so worth the effort!
Congratulations! My homeschooled kids have grown to be adults. Last year, oldest graduated-sum laude, middle child- cum laude, youngest- 3.54 GPA in college, they are are able and well-rounded adults. One thing that helped, I think, is to write a homeschool manifesto–a public declaration of policy and aims–you would write what your child will look like as an adult. I wrote things like “able to do public speaking, can do math through trig, knows a 2nd language, knows most of the life skills….” I also wrote, “be compassionate, able to converse, know how to think…” And no, we didn’t accomplish all of those goals, but it gave me a guide posts. I searched for ways to meet them. For example, I found 4-H for public speaking; socialization and life skills, church for teaching compassion and the world’s people, and other outside classes for some of the harder subjects. It forced me to think through how to take the manifesto and find a way of getting the manifesto’s policies and aims taught to my kids.
A lot of people here are saying that the socialization factor is a myth. I do know homeschool kids that are still socially awkward adults and some that are adjusted. It can be done right I’m sure, but it can be done incorrectly.
Adrianne, just as an observation, I know many public and private school kids that are still socially awkward adults and some that are well adjusted.
Props to you my friend for taking the leap and doing what YOU feel is best for your kids. We started homeschooling last year the EXACT way you are doing it and my kids are thriving big time while learning at their own pace in things they are interested in. We are even more united as a family since we started as well. You will do great. 🙂
I LOVE the idea of homeschooling/unschooling so much, (and look forward to updates!) but also have my reservations. Please know that I’m in no way trying to offend here, but can I ask an honest question?? What about when they get older, like high school age, and then things like getting into college become important. In this day and age you practically have to have a degree to get a job, so are they going to be qualified to get into college and then have a means to provide for themselves? I know for sure I can’t teach my kids calculus or physics (but then really do they even need those things?) I do know I can teach them all kinds of things that they do need to know in “the real world” that they can’t learn in school, so I guess that’s where I’m really stumped! I would really love your thoughts!
Julia, all you have to do is look at the students who have been homeschooled to find the answer to your concerns. I know a handful of students who have been homeschooled and they are all excelling in real life. My son-in-law is well versed in virtually all subject areas and is now working on his 3rd master’s degree just because it interested him and he could do it for free as part of his employment agreement. He is on staff with a major university. His sister just finished her PHD program and was paid to teach while she learned. She has been offered a position to join the faculty. His other sister also is finishing her masters program this year, in international business, I believe. My niece is in med school and my nephew is in college studying design. Homeschooling is about empowerment – empowering the learner to learn. The teacher doesn’t have to know all things. He/she only needs to know where to point the learner. Realistically, some students will be very successful with homeschooling and some not so much. It’s about knowing your student and their own learning style. Homeschooling is neither for every parent nor every student but for those who are passionate about empowering their children to learn, it may be a good option.
Julia, due to a health problem, we ended up unschooling our son. He really wanted to go to college to get a degree in Music Business, so we kept records of how much time we spent in each ‘subject’ (which was never planned – just recorded). Because he had not been in the habit of taking tests, he took a 3 day prep course on taking the SAT (which is the test to take for our area of the country). He scored high enough that colleges were sending him promises of scholarships. He was the only one of our kids who graduated college in 4 years. Our other institutional-schooled kids took longer! The university had no problem with our transcript – which was listed as subjects covered with hours in each.
I love this! We’ve been homeschooling for 6 years now, and I don’t think we would fit into neither the unschooling category, nor the curriculum learning category; we just are a little bit of both. Some of our family members quietly question my sanity and ask open-ended questions about when we’ll take the PSAT or ACT exams, etc. Frankly, I don’t know when or IF we will. Right now, my daughter is doing great and that’s what matters to me. I am curious though, to all you unschooling Mama’s out here, how do you know when you’re done? I mean, if your child wants to go to college, do you just cut them loose at 18 and call it good? I’m not being at all facetious, this is one of those burning questions I’ve had rolling around in my head for a while. What do ya’ll think?
My sister homeschooled all 3 of her children and she “just knew” when she was “done”. For the eldest, it was the death of her dad. She transitioned into public high school her junior year, graduated 11th in her class of 14,000 students, was elected by her peers to speak at commencement, finished 4 years at Univ. of Florida Pre Med and is enjoying her first year of Med School. For the second, he wanted to be a drummer in a band so sophomore year he transitioned. He’s now second year at a college for the design arts in Georgia. For the third, it was freshman year of high school – she wanted to participate in choir and theatre programs. She finds the education portion rather dull but supplements on her own as she already knows how to unschool.
So you see, their reasons and timing were different but the communication with their mom was open enough for them to express their desires, weigh their options and make a good decision. Fortunately, their mom was also willing to hear their hearts and “cut them loose” when they felt the time was right. I suspect you too will “just know” when the time is right. My best to you….
Trixie, we ended up doing a combo of Homeschool and unschool. My son really wanted to go to college to get a degree in Music Business, so we kept records of how much time we spent in each ‘subject’ (which was never planned – just recorded). Because he had not been in the habit of taking tests, he took a 3 day prep course in taking the SAT (which is the test to take for our area of the country). He scored high enough that colleges were sending him promises of scholarships. Deciding when he was ‘done’ had to do with his maturity level, when he wanted to start college, and what he wanted to do before starting (some travel with his grandma and a mission trip). He was the only one who graduated college in 4 years. Our other institutional-schooled kids took longer! You will both know. At that point you may feel like there is so much more you want him to learn – but don’t worry about that. It will be ok.
Another suggestion…you must watch, Indoctrination!
So very glad that you took this GIANT LEAP for your family! There will be days that will be a struggle, but those are so very few and far between! The most important thing is, that you are doing what YOU feel is RIGHT for YOUR FAMILY! We have been homeschooling for 5+ years now, and I wouldn’t change that for anything!
My only suggestion, find a homeschool co-op or families that homeschool.
Also, never let anyone tell you that your children need to be “socialized”! It is such a myth. Our boys are not shy, but well behaved, and able to talk to adults and kids of all ages. We get comments often about our boys and couldn’t be prouder!
I started Unschooling last week. I LOVE it and so does my son. He is 13 so it is taking more time to adjust. I have browsed curriculum and have a list of things that I love and I hope something stands out to him to pursue. For now, we spend a lot of time in nature and the outdoors, we also do yoga and are working on meditating. Ive shown him Goal Setting, Time Planning, Gardening by the moon and he Ice Skated for the first time. He has learned a lot in just a week! School was zapping him of his time and I could tell he was becoming resentful of the hours of homework. I was so hesitant to homeschool before because I hate the textbook way of learning, but this works for all of us!!
Danelle,
Loved your post. I currently send my children to a public institution, but have a lot of doubts that it is best. My 13 yr old (7th grader) just says school is so boring and learning is boring. I first thought it was the age, but the more I think and learn I think he might be right. I have some friends near by that Homeschool and I’m always picking their brains and fascinated. I’d love to do it but it seems so hard. I have a super social advanced 13 yr old and a challenging special needs 5th grader. Always thought he needed the homeschooling, but now thinking it might be my other one.
I’m sorry I’m rambling, but this is obviously weighing on me
Please continue to share your experiences
THanks
lol, nope sorry its. http://www.tjed.org
almost forgot, if u don’t already know about this a really good unschooling site is thomas jefferson education. I think its http://www.tje.org
I think that’s awesome. I used one of those free take home curriculum based home school and my kids hated it so we put them back in public school. only reason we tried home schooling was because we moved and the bus ride to school was an hour long. anyway they live their school and are thriving, all kids are different. But I do love my kids school, there is one class per grade and my daughters 3rd grade class has only10 kids. my sons 15.
Congratulations! I began homeschooling/unschooling my then 8 and 6 year olds 20 years ago, continuing on with my two younger daughters who have never been to school. Only my youngest, 16 now, is still at home — the others, now 20, 26, and 28 – are in college (the 20 yr old), or graduated, working, raising families of their own – so we have homeschooled/unschooled 3 kids, soon 4, all the way through the high school years. I wouldn’t trade this adventure for the best brick and mortar school in the world.
Sorry about the errors! “there”, not “their”. Sheesh. 🙂
We are brand-new to unschooling too!! We just started last week and we are loving it! A funny story for you, my 14 year old is the most on board with unschooling after explaining to him that he is capable of learning anything. Sunday in church, their was a band playing. Part of that band was a cello player. I love the deep, resonant sound of the cello and was telling him I wish I could play. He thought for a minute, then said, “Mom, if you want to play the cello, you can. Just go online and find a class.”
Touche. 🙂
They are getting it.
We took the plunge into homeschooling 4 years ago and have never looked back. We had spent all of my children’s school years in a private school where I taught. It was nice having them in the same place with me and we felt at home there, but when my daughter began 7th grade things just went downhill. School owned our life and we all hated it. Every day when I would pick them up from school my first questions was, “Do you have homework?” The answer was always yes and for my daughter that was anywhere from 2-4 hours a night. This was just unacceptable. School was a chore. It was making everyone grumpy and constantly tired. I started researching homeschooling two years before I pulled them out of school, reading everything I could get my hands on. My husband and I agreed that we wanted our kids to be educated, not schooled, and we wanted them to have time to be kids…to play, explore other interests, learn basic life skills, get a job in high school to earn money and budgeting. None of that was going to be possible if we continued in school. We have never regretted our decision Our daughter is a junior and has blossomed. I know in my heart that she would have missed out on some great opportunities if we had continued in school. Our son will be in high school next year and just started competitive cycling. This is hands down the hardest thing I have ever done, but hands down the most rewarding. I encourage you in your journey. Don’t give up…there will be a lot of days you will sit in your room crying saying “What have I gotten myself into?” (or maybe that was just me). But it will be worth it and your whole family will be healthier and happier for it. And, in my opinion, more educated. Good luck in your new endeavor! Oh, btw, we finally ended up eclectic too and love it!
My mom homeschooled me for the first ten years of my education, and I think, depending on the kids, it can be a really great thing! Kudos to you for knowing your kids well enough to see what makes them tick and how they learn best!
My only suggestion would be to make sure you’re also open to sending them back to a school if you ever feel that would be best for them later on. For me, homeschooling was a good fit until high school, at which point I became very unhappy for various reasons. My parents, however, didn’t get that, and I had to practically beg to go to a private school. I really thrived there, and I credit much of my success in college to my high school experience. My sister, on the other hand, may have been happier homeschooling the whole way. So yeah, everybody is different.
And good luck with your homeschooling journey!
Congrats on choosing this journey! It definitely has it’s ups and downs and panicked moments lol but it is wonderful. I tried traditional, full on Unschooling and then a combo. In the end we just call ourselves eclectic. A little of everything and it works for us. Homeschooling in any form is not a form of education but a way of life. It involves the family as whole and a lifestyle.
Took me a few rough years to figure that out. We were thrown into it, no guidance, no support and a lot of flack from outsiders(especially the school) but surprisingly not from family. I pulled my son out 1/2 way through kindergarten and I am happy I did. We have been doing this ever since. He is almost 16 now and just a few weeks ago sat down with me one night telling me he had something to say. He told me “Mom. I just want to thank you for homeschooling me.” “Look at all I would have missed if you hadn’t.” “All the friends I made, all the adventures, learning what I want and all the time I would have missed with you!” Then he went on to tell me that even though I get worried that I am not doing a good job with it, that he thinks I am doing great. That he is smart, happy and that we have a great relationship. *tear* Enjoy every minute of it!
Danelle, We made the decision to teach our children at home about 24 years ago, and have never regretted it for a day. I simply wasn’t ready to send my little boy Matthew, who was fascinated by books, and by life, to sit in a classroom–any classroom–for 8 long hours every day. It felt wrong, so I kept him home “just for one year.” We’ve taught all our children now through high school, and they’ve all gone on to college (except for the 2 who are still at home) except for one, who taught himself web development and has a great job now because of it. Matthew is now he’s a grad student working on his PhD in Medieval Lit, and a professional writer, married to a lovely girl and daddy to my grandson. My other children have done quite well, too, and they are all lovely, sweet, stable people. I still have two children at home in our home school. Learning is a lifelong process! Have fun with your children at home! You’ll never regret your decision, I’m betting.
Wow Danelle…how exciting! I’m a 55 year old retired grandmother and I’m learning new, interesting and exciting things every day so the learning never ends. As for homeschooling, I’m hopeful that if my kids decide to go that route with their kiddos they will invite me to join in the journey. I’d encourage all of you homeschool mamas to consider tapping those “elders” around you for ideas and experiences and maybe even a field trip or two! Not a day goes by that I don’t think, “Wow, this would be a great homeschool lesson!” Turns out, at this point in my life, I’m homeschooling myself and loving the adventure!
Well said, Wendi! My husband and I are so blessed that my in-laws are very accepting of our unschooling choice for our son, and they love to participate. My son loves science and nature, and so does my Father-in-law; so when they’re together they take nature hikes and learn about various birds and such. My mother-in-law plays logic games with him, which he really enjoys. It’s awesome to have those who are supportive to participate. Sadly, not everyone is supportive of the unschooling choice.
Wendi,
My thoughts exactly, but where would you find such a community to get involved with. I think access to resources such as the elders can be a challenge in itself.
Great question and I have no answer. Let’s see if this community has any suggestions that may have been successful. DaNelle, can you ask the question of this larger community, “How do we connect Unschooling families with the elders of their community?” Thanks…
We chose the ‘unschooling’ route many, many years ago and haven’t regretted it at ALL! Our youngest is now 24 and the oldest 28. Our connection to the elders in the community happened clearly by accident when my kids wanted to learn how to play chess! I found a chess group that met at our local library at 10 am on Tuesday mornings ….they were an elderly group that loved chess and met regularly to play and they welcomed us with open arms :). They LOVED sharing their excitement for the game with youngsters and were more than happy to teach them to play. Word spread in my ‘unschooling’ community and before long there were just as many youngsters attending as there were elders ….it was a match made in heaven and couldn’t have worked out any better had we planned it!! Tap into your senior centers, check out the library for group meetings, ask the local churches if there are any elders who might like to share a hobby with a younger generation…..once you open that door you’ll find endless opportunities 🙂 ENJOY the journey!
Congratulations Danelle on taking the leap! Welcome to the ever growing homeschool movement. We have been learning away from school since 2011. We have our ups and downs I will admit. We love the freedom it brings!
So you think the best way to prepare kids for the real world is to bus them to a government institution where they’re forced to spend all day isolated with children of their own age and adults who are paid to be with them, placed in classes that are too big to allow more than a few minutes of personal interaction with the teacher-then spend probably an hour or more everyday waiting in lunch lines, car lines, bathroom lines, recess lines, classroom lines, and are forced to progress at the speed of the slowest child in class?”
― Steven James, Placebo