I think the hardest part about home schooling, ESPECIALLY when you are a teacher, is that it's hard to realize that the beauty of life means that not all your ducks are in a row. It's coming to realize that school, brushing teeth, bedtime stories, supper time, grocery shopping, etc, etc, etc, are all just part of life. It takes time to learn to take these things in stride and to accept that tomorrow is a new day with new joys.
Once your children are home with you all the time, then you rule the roost rather than competing with the schedule of buses, schools, teachers requirements, etc. At that point, life REALLY does become easier. I remember the morning chaos of, "Where is your shoe? What do you mean you need a dollar? Did you brush your teeth (this week)? Hurry up, the bus is here!!!!" Then I would a sigh and think, "Thank God they're gone." I hated that. When I brought them home to teach them, I would wake up and think, "Oh, today we are going to.......Hey kids, get up!!!" And the day would start off with love and excitment and when kids see that in their mother, they will follow that lead! If you have taught school, you know what I mean. You've had great days where you plan something fun and they get excited with you and it's a great day. Once your kids have a few of these kinds of days, their whole attitude will change. Kids just want to know their mother's love them. Once you start working through grammar and math, then brushing teeth becomes nothing and they'll do it very easily for you.
Are there bad days----oh yeah. But, my motto is: a bad day at home is better than a good day in a school system. Keep in mind that your goal is much for than academics. It's to build a family life---just life---that includes silliness with your kiddos, sorting clean sox to teach addition, family reading time and so very much more. With God's help, you can do it.
Jan 14, 2010 Rating
I Agree That You Can Do This by: Anonymous
I am homeschooling my very damaged six-year old grandson, and I feel the same as you do, but we are somewhat successfully working through this homeschool journey together. I only have one, and I was never able to homeschool my children, but I have seen pictures of schoolrooms used by parents who are homeschooling more than one child, and they always separate the children. You might even set up a learning area for each child in a different room. I had all these doubts about my ability to do this at the outset, but I figured that I would just start in, and keep praying. My grandson whines and cries through almost everything we do, but there are days when I feel successful, and he is definitely more successful and happy here than he would be at school. You have the skills to tailor your childrens' education so that they learn things that are directly related to their life and their future needs. Maybe you should just start with one child, and see how that goes. I pray that everything works out wonderfully for you.
Jan 06, 2010 Rating
YOU CAN DO THIS! by: Anonymous
Children should be obedient to their parents first and foremost. If some teacher has more of their respect and loyalty than you do, that’s immediate cause for pulling them from an institution and shoring up these weak character issues.
All three of your questions are simple matters of obedience. Bring them home, train them to honor and obey, and then enjoy the rewards of having children that are blessings.
Easier said than done? Of course! But oh – so worth the effort. And there are plenty of us who have gone before you and are available for brain picking, cheering on, and virtual hugs!
Jan 05, 2010 Rating
Believe! by: Anonymous
Hi Stephanie,
I was where you are approximately 1 year ago when I pulled my 16 year old daughter out of public high school. My fears, doubts on being successful at homeschooling a stuborn/hormonal teenage daughter were legion! Just let me tell you that YOU can and will be a success in homeschooling your kids! I am far from an expert on homeschooling, but the leap of faith we took has been such a blessing and turnaround in my DD's life I wish I had done it 10 years sooner. I totally understand your fears...and it is a HUGE leap of faith into the unknown. OH what a wonderful, exciting adventure lies ahead of you and your family! Successful homeschooling HAPPENS because God is on your side first...YOU are chosen by GOD to be the mother and authority of your precious children, and believe me your homeschooling will fall into place. There are rough days sure, but it all 'comes out in the wash', and the education/time/planning/sacrifices/LOVE/prayer/work and baby steps toward the educational goals you and your kids decide and work on will come to fruition.
BELIEVE Stephanie! After a time of respite and repair from being in the system so long my DD knows deep down this is the right path, and has gotten down to business! You have the power and might of our Lord behind you...(and a lot of beautiful homeschoolers who love to support each other and their kids on this journey) You are not alone...God Bless! Jenny
Jan 05, 2010 Rating
HomeSchooling!!! by: Anonymous
hi Stephanie
theres nothing better than teaching your own kids!
its been such a joy, even in the times they dont want to do school work! i just stop and think how blessed i am for being able to teach them. the kids are always learning, even when they are playing, or just sitting around! even if the kids are just goofing around, not being serious enough with school work that day, its all part of it. some days that happens, we just take the day off of academics and read or do an art project, go for a hike, clean the house!
no matter whats going on theres always a lesson in it! and we are always learning!
i always have a lesson plan of what we are doing that day, so when someone gets done before the others i have them start on something else. i make up copybooks for this purpose or they can do some reading or finish something they need to.
by me being prepared everyday with prayer and a lesson plan lets the kids know that i'm not messing around and they are doing school work today.
and you can do school anyway you want! you can teach your kids any way you want! they dont have to sit at a desk and work all day, they can lay on the couch, on the floor, sit at a table, etc.
this is my 26th year of homeschooling and i wouldnt do it any different.
debbie
Jan 05, 2010 Rating
homeschooling by: Tina
Hi, Stephanie.
I'm writing as a former public school teacher myself who now homeschools my own children. I knew I was called to homeschool (and it sound like you're feeling called, too) from before my kids were born so I quit my job right when my older daughter (now 8) was born and have been at home since then (my other daughter is 7). You'd think I'd have felt confident, but I was scared to death I'd fail my kids (and, frankly, when we have a bad day - as every teacher does, in whatever setting...as you know! - I still have fears), for me mainly because I taught middle and high school and didn't know if I could teach young children - all the basic skills (reading!) they need for life.
If you decide to homeschool (which - as a proponent of keeping kids home for the very reasons you list - I think you should try), keep a couple things in mind. First, you will as a family need to take some time to "de-school," which means allowing all of you to get out of a school-type mentality (there's lots of writing about this topic which could help you get a handle on it). Second, your kids might buck you a little bit...but that doesn't mean you should give up if you feel called to do it; kids always buck the system (I'm sure your classroom students have issues, too, and we just walk it through with them as the adult in authority, right?). And your kids will goof off with each other at times...but that's part of the gift you'll give them (i.e., more time to re-discover their siblings). You'll just have to organize your time and space so that they accomplish their work (which they'll do in way less time than they need currently) and then you can let them "play" afterward. There are lots of systems to help with that (workboxes is one, which I use, and it's been great for us).
I could go on and on but I'm afraid I'm running out of allowed space. Please, though, email me if you want to talk more (). I'd be happy to dialogue with you about this. You CAN do it! :^)
Jan 05, 2010 Rating
It IS Possible (continued) (read the post BELOW this one FIRST) by: Judy
After a time, you'll find that the kids ARE ALWAYS LEARNING...even on the not-so-smooth days. GOD WILL GIVE YOU THE GRACES YOU NEED STEPHANIE! Will it be just like the classroom you are USED to teaching? I doubt it...but it will be WORTH IT...(You may even find that they DO start listening when you tell them to brush their teeth, ha ha!)...and a whole NEW WORLD OF LEARNING will open up to you and your children while you are getting that TIME TOGETHER and TIME TO REST AND PLAY AND UNSTRUCTURED TIME that it seems like you are desiring for your family!Homeschooling is about the LOVE OF LEARNING, rather than merely being able to recite a certain amount of given information in order to show that we've retained it. It's about TEACHING KIDS HOW TO LEARN and the JOY OF LEARNING...it takes time to settle in and find your way...especially when your kids have already been used to the outside school system (the same was true for my oldest kids). I hope you'll visit more of our pages here on Homeschool Faith and Family Life...especially the STAY FOCUSED and DON'T GIVE UP pages as they address those times when "teeth aren't getting brushed" and attitudes are "less than JOYFUL".Also, the WHY HOMESCHOOL page would be great for you right now! God bless and THANKS for visiting our site! I hope you'll come back often and I hope you'll let us know if you DO decide to homeschool...YOU CAN DO IT STEPHANIE! All in all, some days your kids STILL won't do what they are told...but that doesn't mean that homeschooling will not be a success for you...it all works together for the GOOD! Peace and JOY to you! Judy (site owner)
Jan 05, 2010 Rating
It IS Possible! (read first...before the above) by: Judy
Hi Stephanie! Thanks so much for your GREAT question! We are actually "neighbors" as I live right over the Maryland/PA state line! I have several friends who are teachers by degree and came home to teach their own children. They each have expressed that they found a whole new way of looking at education in general through their homeschooling experiences! I'd say that's true for most of us! Homeschooling focuses on educating the WHOLE person: body, mind, and soul...so "brushing teeth" and "putting away toys"....YES...even "LAUNDRY" becomes PART of our education and academics!!! Do the kids ALWAYS obey joyfully and immediately? NO! Of course not...it's a FAMILY dynamic and so FAMILY ISSUES come to the classroom with us...however, once you learn to release the "image" and "preconception" of how you 'SEE' a classroom (which has been formed, essentially, by your own experiences in outside schools) then you can begin to find your own unique family rhythm and style for homeschooling. Some of the pages on our website that refer to methods and classroom styles might be very useful for you Stephanie! You will find a plethora of support material and ideas on the internet to help you design YOUR way of doing things. Are you a planner? A schedule person? Traditional or eclectic? There's MUCH you can do to create the learning atmosphere where you'll kids will WANT to learn and will ENJOY their studies! I do believe that one of the reasons my own homeschooling experience is successful is that from day ONE, I established the fact that when we are in school, I am the TEACHER and they are the STUDENTS...being consistent in keeping this relationship a focus is very instrumental toward the productivity and success of the homeschooling journey. There IS room for a little silliness...in fact, I believe it is NECESSARY because, as you will find if you enter this venture, since all of the family issues and needs and wants travel with us throughout our learning day...sometimes LEVITY and HUMOR are greatly needed to lighten the load and "mix things up" a bit. Much of it falls upon YOU...MOTHER...calling for you to give a 100% and be tireless in being CONSISTENT and CLEAR in your expectations. The truth is Stephanie...some days are GREAT and SMOOTH...some days are CHAOTIC and NOT SO SMOOTH...but the blessing of homeschooling is that you can adapt and adjust your day to suit the unique needs of your family...new babies, illness, even BAD ATTITUDES affect HOW WE LEARN and homeschooling allows you to teach according to each family member's learning style and emotional, spiritual, and intellectual needs! This comment will be continued in a second box due to spacing constraints.
