# Homeschooling?



## TriWinkle (Oct 2, 2011)

Who here does? Why did you start? How do you like it?

Pros?

Cons?


Do's?

Don'ts?


Complete this sentence:

"If I had it to do over again, I would..."


Thanks for the help!!


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

Yes.
I love, love, love, love it. And so does DS.
Pros:..everything.
Cons: Um....really cannot think of one.

If I had to do it all over again.. I would not have put DS in school to begin with..probably. Though it did give him a point of reference that helps him love homeschool more.

Do: adjust your paradigm to fit your kid.
Don't: assume it has to go just one way.. the whole point of homeschool is to get maximum educational input. Your kid may not be a 'sit at the table and do sheets' kind of kid. That is fine. You have to adjust your own ideas and pre-conceived notions as to what education should be like.
Do: realize the benefits of down time and play. It builds creativity and allows the mind to wander. Find a group in your area and just let the kids be. I love to watch the kids have long conversations.. that is seriously lacking in schools.
Do: realize that kids can get more from a single documentary than they can from a week of book learning.

Have fun!! Homeschool is awesome. (from a mom formerly against the very idea of homeschool.. until I put my kid in school...)


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## mommathea (May 27, 2009)

TriWinkle said:


> Who here does? Why did you start? How do you like it?
> 
> Pros?
> Individualized learning, not having to put the kids on the bus at 6:30 in the morning :gaptooth: I get to watch my children learn and grow, I get to KNOW that they are actually learning and not slipping through the cracks. Advance them in areas they excel in, take extra time in areas that they have more of a struggle in.
> ...


 I was a homeschool kid. So for me homeschooling my kids is an extension of who I am. When I first started I felt like I had to prove something. But quickly realized that it's ok of my child doesn't learn to read by 5. They will get it when they get it.


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## Kevingr (Mar 10, 2006)

We do. We started for two reasons, religion and quality of education. We wanted to use a Christian based curriculum since we couldn't afford private school and we had issues with the public school on how our kids were being taught (poor quality).

Pros. 
Flexibility. We can have school or not and take a trip when we want and do school when we're on our trip. We can get up early or sleep late. It doesn't take 8 hours to get an entire school day in. And the number one reason, we can do it better since we can have more focused learning.

Cons.
mom is the teacher. Some kids will test that.

Dos.
Teach to the style of your kid(s), not everyone is the same. Do what works for them to really make it a great experience.

Don'ts.
Spend money on things that others think you should buy on the way they taught their kids. Go slow until and just buy cheap workbooks until you find a groove that works for your family, and each kid may be different.


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## Sonshine (Jul 27, 2007)

TriWinkle said:


> Who here does? Why did you start? How do you like it?
> 
> Pros? I can adjust the curriculum to meet my DS's special needs and work at his pace
> 
> ...


Most of us were probably raised in the public school system and as a result, many try to make homeschooling using the same patterns. I had to unschool myself in order to really start homeschooling my son in a way that was helping him instead of frustrating him. I learned to relax and have fun with it, as a result DS has learned that learning is fun, not just a chore. Good luck on your adventure. You'll have days that you'll wonder why you ever decided to homeschool, but as you and your children get into what works for you those days will be few and far between.


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## Laura Zone 5 (Jan 13, 2010)

TriWinkle said:


> Who here does?


I did. My last one graduated in May.
Home schooled my oldest from 7th grade to 12. My middle from 6th grade to 12. And the youngest from 4th grade to 12.
Oldest is a Culinary student at a local community college.
Middle is at a private college in a corn field. Psychology major
Youngest will start college in January. EMT/Paramedic Science + Photography.



> Why did you start?


Deuteronomy 6:
4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 
5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 
7 *Impress them on your children*. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 
8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 
9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

I believe the Lord Called me to it. I prayed every day the last year the kids were in school. Each morning before I dropped them off I asked the Lord to show us His Way and lead us His Way. And please give me confirmations that home schooling was what He wanted.

And He did.



> How do you like it?


I loved it, wished I would have done it from the word go. Wished I would have done a few things different (like joined 4-H sooner, joined a co-op, etc). 
The relationship I have with the kids, is amazing. Just amazing.



> Pros?


For us the pros were:

God is in everything.
No 'peer pressure' to conform while hormones are going crazy.
Move at our own pace (kids were *most of the time* 1-2 grade levels above their age group)
There were never D's or F's. If they didn't understand a concept, we didn't move forward until it was mastered.
Taught the kids self discipline and responsibility.
We created our own calendar. (started Aug 1 ended 180 days later)
Taught them to be comfortable/confident in their own skin.
Didn't have to worry about biased teachers, bullies, junk food for lunch, wardrobe, asking the schools permission to pick up MY kid, snow days, etc.



> Cons?


For us the cons were?

We should have done more activities outside the home (4-H, co-op, etc).
I kept AMAZING records, but I know those who didn't and it really hurt their kids later.



> Do's?


Invest yourself into the children.
Love deeply.
Find a teaching style / approach that works for each child, individually.
Be flexible, but firm. 
Be consistent.
Keep detailed records. Books used, authors/publisher, grade given, dates, classes, extra books read, etc. DOCUMENT EVERYTHING. It's better to have too much information than not enough.
Set the bar high. Expect them to achieve great things. And they will!!!
Remember, each child is an individual, with individual gifts and talents. Then form their cirriculum and activities around that.



> Don'ts?


Lose your mind and the contents of your wallet at a home school convention! Plan ahead.
Expect all kids to learn the same way, or be passionate about the same things. They are individuals.
Worry about what anyone else has to say. They are YOUR kids.
Be lazy or lax. 
Be strict and rigid.
Don't forget to enjoy the children. This time will fly by so fast you will wake up one morning, and your house will be empty......and that's not a good feeling.



> Complete this sentence:
> 
> "If I had it to do over again, I would..."
> 
> Thanks for the help!!


Started sooner.
Joined 4-H sooner
Joined a GOOD co-op
Have had 7 more kids.
Never bought a game system (X-box/PS3)
Spent more time in the Word.
Worked outside the home less, and laughed more.
Have taken them fishing.


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## cindy-e (Feb 14, 2008)

TriWinkle said:


> Who here does? Why did you start? How do you like it?


We do. Advised by an educational psychologist to do so. Love it.



TriWinkle said:


> Pros?


Kids can learn at their own pace. I had a kid who tested out of high school math at age 12 but was behind in english. NO way would he fit in a traditional "grade level". They get to excel at the things at which they are good, and get individualized attention for the things with which they struggle.



TriWinkle said:


> Cons?


You are taking ALL of the responsibility for the education of your children on your own shoulders. There is no where else for the buck to stop. So be sure you want that responsibility and that you are prepared to do a good job before you decide to do this. Homeschooling works for many people, but there are some who do it and should not!




TriWinkle said:


> Do's?


Do the job. every day. Educate yourself about what you believe about education, get a vision for what it should look like for your kid, and then execute the vision faithfully. All the time. Invest in it with your time, and where ever required, with your money. But do the job. 



TriWinkle said:


> Don'ts?


Don't overschedule your child. there is a lot that they need to know. How to live and conduct themselves when they are left to themselves is one of those things. Children cannot learn what they are not given time and space to think about (and in the younger ages, to pretend about). 
Don't, don't, don't neglect the arts! Just don't. Your faith feeds the spirit. Academics feed the intellect. Literature, story, poetry, visual arts and music feed the soul. the soul must be nurtured and fed. These are the things that bring joy to children. 




TriWinkle said:


> Complete this sentence:
> 
> "If I had it to do over again, I would..."


Read more. (and we read a LOT). Read, read, read, read, read. Read to them. Read with them. Listen to them read. Reading is important. Many concepts can best be understood or explained through metaphor. (For example: "I feel like I just got hit by a truck." "He just ripped my heart out!" Literature gives children the language of emotional health!) Literature is about life, and ideas, and belief. It is formative. It does matter that they read. It matters what they read, contrary to popular belief, because we are not trying to raise brains, we are trying to raise compassionate, reasonable humans. 




TriWinkle said:


> Thanks for the help!!


I hope you find this helpful. I have been doing this for 14 years now. I feel pretty passionate about it. I think most who do it feel that way. YMMV. But the above works for me. 

FWIW,
CindyC.


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## halfpint (Jan 24, 2005)

Who here does? Why did you start? How do you like it?
I've home educated for 19 years now. There are many different reasons that we started. We love it.

Pros? My children all like each other, get along well and support one another. My older two as adults are best friends. The other two were sought out for colleges, as well as jobs, causing people to call us for our younger ones to work as they become older. We were able to travel with my husband when his job required travel away from home frequently for 1-3 weeks, allowing my children to visit many different areas of the country as well as historical sites and exhibits. Children had time for both a sport and music and pursuing special interests, and didn't waste a lot of time on assemblies, waiting in lines and such. You know if your child 'doesn't get it', and can rework lessons until they understand, but can work through things quickly when they don't need the remedial work in the books. 

Cons? For us there really weren't many; it is very time consuming and takes a lot of dedication, and my children have friends all over town so visiting with their friends is not usually just a walk or bike ride away (although the are friends with our neighbors, just not as close as some of their 'best' friends). 


Do's? Enjoy your children, be diligent, pray constantly, confess your wrongs to your children (apologize sincerely). Play games and read a lot. (I always silently laughed as my college age boys would still come down to listen when I read aloud to my younger ones). Keep good records. I keep a running log of each childs activities (including hours and contact person), which was a big help in college & job applications.

Don'ts? Stress out too much. Keep using a curriculum that is not working for you.


Complete this sentence:

"If I had it to do over again, I would..." Relax a lot more.

One of the best benefits for us is the lack of labeling following a student throughout their school career. When we decided to home educate, our 2nd was still unable to read, and we were told by the school counselor and his teachers that he would never be college material. He didn't learn to read until after he was 9. But he graduated from college Summa Cum Laude, and will graduate with his Masters degree in December and so far has all A's in the program. Had he stayed in school, that label would have followed him through and I doubt that he would have excelled.

Dawn


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## TriWinkle (Oct 2, 2011)

Hey guys, thanks for the feedback...I really appreciate it...I'd have participated more, but I got sick (on my birthday of all days), so I've been laying low, but I am reading.


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## lorian (Sep 4, 2005)

I just finished writing an article on the advantages and disadvantages of homeschooling.
I will post some of it here, but it's kind of long so you will have to go to the link if you want to read it all. I've been homeschooling for over 20 years and I can say I've never regretted a moment of it! Some of my children have graduated and I still have one at home (age 9). Homeschooling Steps

As a 20 year homeschool veteran, I&#8217;ve Iearned a few things about the advantages of homeschooling. I&#8217;ve served my time in the trenches and enjoyed the mountain tops. I have met hundreds of homeschool families over the years and seen children grow up and start a second generation of homeschooled children. Are you wondering if homeschooling is right for your family? I can assure you with confidence that you can homeschool and the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.

To homeschool is to be a pioneer, you&#8217;re going against the grain and leaving the comfort zone for seemingly uncharted territories. Just as the pioneers of the old west were regaled with conflicting stories of the the western territories (streets paved with gold or certain death for anyone who dared to try&#8230;take your pick) so are those who dare to dip their toes into the homeschool waters.

Some typical conflicting views of homeschooling:

&#8220;You will have the perfect family life, all your dreams for your children will come true.&#8221;

&#8220;Your children will be light years ahead of their peers if you just follow this program.&#8221;

OR

&#8220;The authorities will take away your children for neglect! You&#8217;ll be turned in by your neighbors, you&#8217;ll be ostracized from society!&#8221;

&#8220;Your children will have huge gaps in their education if you do this.&#8221;

You want to know, &#8220;what are the real advantages to homeschooling my children?&#8221; Is it worth the sacrifice? How can I know everything will turn out okay, that my kids won&#8217;t be total morons when I&#8217;m done? Understanding the benefits of homeschooling is the first step to starting out.

The 10 Advantages of Homeschooling

Passion for education and motivation for life-long learning

In the homeschool environment the home educator has the ability to communicate a great excitement for education. If you are excited your children will be excited. It&#8217;s that simple!

Homeschooling, like the doorway to Narnia, is the gateway through which children are awakened to the wonders of life. A serendipitous frog spotting at a local pond can spark a whole month of inspired amphibious learning. Growing tadpoles, library searches for books on amphibians, frog art with clay and National Geographic videos: these are the stuff of memories. Compare this with a 2 page textbook reading on frogs in a institutional setting. Which child will remember what he has learned about frogs? You see, in homeschooling, memories are made, relationships are built and &#8220;school&#8221; is not boring.This is what homeschooling is about. Homeschooling is a LIFESTYLE in which the whole family loves to learn.

Because of it&#8217;s exciting nature, home-education teaches the child to be self motivated in the learning process. By the time they reach high school they are making choices about what to study, seeking out mentors, and have a true understanding of their strengths and weaknesses. This self motivating attitude is a gift that remains for a lifetime and it&#8217;s rewards are never-ending.

All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education. -Sir Walter Scott


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## lorian (Sep 4, 2005)

Here is part of the article on the Disadvantages of Homeschooling: 

I&#8217;ve been doing a lot of online research to see what is being said about the disadvantages of homeschooling.

What I&#8217;ve found:
1.Most of the articles about the disadvantages of homeschooling are spun, ad nauseum, from one source; a poorly written article authored by a person that has never homeschooled, never interviewed and never met a homeschool family but has a disagreeable opinion of them.
2.Articles written by young adults that lament, &#8220;I was homeschooled for a year and hated it.&#8221; Or, &#8220;My parents were horrible people, I sat at a table for hours every day with boring textbooks and my life is now ruined&#8221;.
3.Articles written by people who have no interest in homeschooling and know less-than-nothing about the subject but thought it would make a profitable website.
4.Articles that have no ability to communicate anything but hatred for homeschooling and its proponents due to severe prejudice against it.
5.Negative articles that talk about the usual homeschooling myths: socialization issues, inferior teaching methods and reduced college prospects.

I have been homeschooling for over 20 years and have personally known over a hundred or more homeschooling families. I have observed their strengths and weaknesses and how their young adults have succeded (or not) in society.

Although I believe that the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages in homeschooling, the following list is what I concede to be reasons not to homeschool.

Serious reasons to consider not homeschooling your children.
1.If you struggle with mental illness, have no control over your temper or have abused your children in the past and are continuing to do so&#8230; get help first. Don&#8217;t homeschool. They would be best served elsewhere until you overcome your issues.
2.If you don&#8217;t want to work hard during the learning curve. There is a substantial front-end amount of work that goes into preparing to home educate. It drives me nuts when people say that homeschooling &#8220;didn&#8217;t work&#8221; for them, that they only tried it for a year and used a cyber school to boot. You have to know WHY you are homeschooling, you need to understand HOW to homeschool and WHAT the best materials are. Finding a place to connect with the homeschooling community is also vitally important. If you aren&#8217;t willing to put this time in, you probably won&#8217;t make it in the long haul.
............... Homeschooling Steps


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## PNWKatie (Aug 4, 2012)

TriWinkle said:


> Who here does? Why did you start? How do you like it?
> 
> Yes, I do. This is the "second" time. I have a son who graduated public High school this last summer but home schooled (unschooled) for two years for 5th and 6th grade. I enjoyed the time with him, and he enjoyed not going to school. When he did go back, we'd done enough that he hadn't missed anything. I am now homeschooling my two youngest who are just turning 5 and 6. They have never been in public school and don't really get it. They just know they have school at home and last year the older one had "play school" a few hours a week while I had some one on one time with the youngest.
> 
> ...


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

TriWinkle said:


> "If I had it to do over again, I would..."


have never let any of my children ever set foot in a public school at all, not once, not ever.

have relaxed a lot sooner, and not worried about doing "school at home" instead of homeschooling.

have thrown away almost every text book I ever purchased, and chose to spend that money on good literature, good non-fiction books, educational games, and fun project materials.

made sure to have always chosen a homeschooling church full of homeschooling kids for our family to go to together. We went to a church for a few years that had no homeschoolers, except us, and it was the greatest mistake of our lives.


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

BTW, there are no "cons" to homeschooling. Just raise your children. Read to them. Learn with them. Play games with them. Don't worry about trying to be a School in your home. Just homeschool. Let them learn by doing. Let them learn from playing games with you. Let them follow their interests and dreams. Just enjoy your children. They are curious and will learn. That is just what kids do.


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