Home schooling vs regular schooling. I think about this all the time. I can see so many benefits from each. Kids are expected to learn so much at such an early age. They are in school for almost 7 hours a day, that's an adult work day. Then when they get home, there is homework. There is little time to just be a kid. Home schooled children seem to have so much more time. They get a one on one education and can learn at their own pace. I'm sure there are down falls, like not having as much social contact with kids their age. But, I do hear that homeschool kids do get together for field trips and sports just like the others. They certainly are isolated from much of the bad elements that we try to keep our kids away from. Yes, they will have to enter society sometime, but is it better to do it when they are a little less nieve. I don't know, maybe it's just fear and to many news stories. What are your thoughts.

When we started homeschooling Matthew (due to Tommy's medical issues), we thought it would be temporary. Then, after we got into a routine, we LOVED it! Brandon is even joining us this year. We let our minds lead us where we want to go every day. One question can open up a plethora of lessons! We study as long as he is interested, and when he needs a break, he gets them. A trip to the grocery store gets turned into a math lesson as HE does the shopping from a budget and has to calculate what he is spending.

As far as missing out on the friendships from school...there are no more tears of "nobody likes me" and "so and so picked on me today". The school he was going to has a lot of kids coming from (don't know how to word this) broken, violent home lives, and that showed. He was in third grade and was the youngest in his class because so many kids had been held back. The day I visited, the teacher spent more time trying to reprimand a boy that was nearly as tall as her and who was flat out refusing to listen. How many third grade boys do you know that can throw gang signs??? Not the things I wanted my son learning from his public school!

So now, we will homeschool for as long as we live in this school district, even if it means until graduation. There are enough homeschooling families here and in the neighboring cities that he will have plenty of kids to associate with. I also want to get him back into Boy Scouts. I don't need to worry if my now-fourth grader is going to be shot on the school bus.

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There are more than 40 different types of congenital heart defects. Little is known about the cause of most of them. There is no known prevention or cure for any of them.
My Blog:Musings of a Heart Family

There is a part of me that knows the freedom would be wonderful. I don't want my kids hanging around with some of the ones that they will be in school with. We, as adults, choose who we will be in contact with. Kids just don't have that option. They are stuck with whoever happeneds to be in their class. Like Jeannette said in the other post, so much is required now that the lower grades are being forced to learn so much more than ever before. It seems like it's all too much. And heaven forbid if a kid falls behind, there is no time to catch up, the just move on so quickly.

Tommysmom, What kind of testing or state requirements do you have to keep up with? What happens for graduation, will there be a diploma or a GED? Will that affect which colleges the kids will get into? I have never heard of a homeschooling mom that regrets their decision.

State requirements are to show accountability by keeping a record of some sort for attendance. SC requires 180 days out of the entire year, so as long as you get in your 180 days during the year (of 365 days) it's your choice on how to run your school. (such as 3 weeks on, 1 week off, a 4 day school week, etc) I just keep a journal with that day's date and what we covered for the day. I also keep a folder with examples of his work. SC also requires the parent to have at least a high school diploma. Testing is optional unless you homeschool through your local school board. (eww)

We are required to teach reading, writing, science, social studies and math. Middle school and High school require a couple more classes. You also have to keep up with credit hours at the high school level, but I figure I will cross that bridge when I get there. Yes, your child may get a diploma. I don't think it would affect college. More likely, it would help them because I feel like homeschooled kids get a better rounded education.

I think the best place for you to start would be to google homeschool associations and laws in your state. There is lots and lots of support out there!

The freedom is wonderful! For example, my son loves pirates, so we studied pirates for a week. Reading about them from a historic standpoint (covers reading and social studies!), learning all of the parts of a tall ship, what the pirates ate and drank, etc...then we went to a pirate festival here in Charleston (lots of pirates came through here). We met "real" pirates, saw authentic tall ships, went to pirate camp, the whole nine yards! Sorry this got a little long...I get excited over homeschooling lessons!

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There are more than 40 different types of congenital heart defects. Little is known about the cause of most of them. There is no known prevention or cure for any of them.
My Blog:Musings of a Heart Family

I would not make a good teacher - I don't think I would be able to create a learning environment that was good enough to stimulate them or hold their interests. They received excellent educations in the public and private system, managed to get through school without any alcohol or drug problems, and managed to avoid the ire of bullies so I do not feel bad about the experience.

i just plain flat out have the patience required for "real" teaching. Not my kids or anyone else's. Which is why when all those tests said I should go into teaching I knew they were a bunch of hooha.
I don't think it really is a which one is better but which one works better for you.

allgirls

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allgirls, mom to 3 girls

I really wanted to HS my girls !! but It is just not for us!! Oldest dd had trouble with a diagonal and well we ended up in a Screaming match over it!! at that point (she wasonly 4)
I decided it was not a good enviornment for her or myself or even her little sister who was 2 at the time!! plus I just do not have the discipline for it!!
I still wish it owuld work!! but not us!! I am soo for it tho!!

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Kelly mom to 3 great girls A Peanut, a monkey and a little burrito.

I'm heavily leaning toward homeschooling and will consider doing it when we move to another state and will perhaps live farther out in the country. I'm not worried about the socializing issue AT ALL. Oh my goodness, homeschool kids get together ALL the time. As a matter of fact, our church has a homeschool group where the kids get together to learn certain subjects (science, art and something else) and the parents trade off preparing the lesson. To me, that is an ideal set-up. Another church in the area has an open playtime in the gym for homeschoolers who come to get their P.E. requirement fullfilled. The moms network and the kids play. Ideal!

The one comment I hear from kids who returned to public school after being homeschooled is that public school wastes so much time. Homeschool kids do all the work that public school kids do except it take about 2 hours for homeschool kids and all school day for public kids.

And to think of it, I'm practically homeschooling DD anyway. I'm already providing her with P.E. (gymnastics, swimming, dance and various sports teams through the year), music (piano lessons), art (various classes through the year) and other educational extra-curricular activities. It wouldn't be hard to add history, science, reading and math - we're doing most of that through daily living anyway.

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"I've been rich and I've been poor but independently wealthy is where it is at."