Help! I’m Considering Homeschool
I’m thinking about homeschooling. My husband and family keep talking me out of it. I never considered the possibility before, but since putting my daughter in preschool she’s become angry. I don’t even know how to begin homeschooling. Your views would be helpful. ~J.K. in FL
Dear J.K.,
First of all, I want to encourage you. Homeschooling isn’t as scary as it sounds. So many messages in our culture come against the idea, but, especially in the early years, homeschooling is pretty simple. I didn’t say it’s easy, but it is simple.
Your child needs to learn to read.
Because homeschooling is very centered on family, I would not try to do it if my husband wasn’t in unity. Is he open to trying it? What are his concerns? As you explore this option, continue praying and communicating about it.
Another thing to consider is your state’s homeschooling laws. It looks like you have more restrictions than I do in Idaho. However, you don’t have to start any formal education until your child is 6. You may have a year before state requirements come into effect, and by then you will have found support.
Honestly, I think homeschooling during the beginning years is more crucial than later. It is a time of laying foundations.
While our children are young, we need to teach them, not their peers. Then when they are older and capable of discerning good from evil, they have a foundation to stand on.
I hope this helps. You have already been teaching your child. And no matter where she attends school, you are still her most important teacher.
Peace to you,
Renae
What would you have said?
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I think what you said was pretty good. If she could find a support group in her area that might help her too. Read, read, read. Start at the library and look up everything you can on homeschooling. Also there are some great blogs and sites online to give support and information on what type of homeschooling she would like to do. But like you said since her child in only preschool, just keep playing and having fun the learning will come with it.
.-= Rana´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday =-.
Rana,
Thank you for adding that. I agree that finding a local group is ideal, but if that isn’t possible I recommend finding some online support.
The first homeschool support group I joined was a Yahoo group. I learned so much just reading the conversations of the more experienced mothers.
It sounded great, I always stress the ‘get in a group’ part. People feel like HS’ing is such a lonely journey and they never relaize that they bump into people all the time that HS, they just don’t know it. If she is lucky enough to live in a big city or close to one, finding a group shouldn’t be hard. I have the most awesome HS group EVER, and I have been in a few. It really makes all the difference when I feel sad or confused or just overwhelmed to have people who have been through the same things help me out.
Good point about the husband being on board. My hubby was the one one who said we’d HS before we even had kids. As the kids get older, he sometimes doubts my ability to teach (10th, 6th, 3rrd, Pre-K.) So far though, he’s backing me up.
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Liese4,
I think most husbands worry. I worry sometimes, so why wouldn’t Dylan?
Glad to hear you have support.
I would also add that for the first year of homeschooling, don’t push a school at home mentality. If that means the year is spent reading, playing, doing art, learning chores, exploring, etc… then that is a year well spent.
Take time to learn how your child learns, where his or her interests lie.
Also, research what types of curriculum would compliment your family. There is a lot of good curriculum, but not all is “good” for your family. Lots of money will be saved if you spend time prayerfully considering what your family’s mission is and allow the education to reflect that.
Shannon,
Excellent point! I was blessed to have some direction before I started homeschooling and an experienced mentor to tell me to slow down and stop stressing out.
Your advice is great as I expected it would be, Renae! :) When I first started I attached myself to a wonderful homeschool mom who has become a mentor in many ways. I told her at our first meeting that I needed Scripture to support what I’m thinking of doing or else I just can’t go forward or at least couldn’t for the long term. Bless her heart, she took me through scripture after scripture that supported keeping my babies home. That has held me firm for 6 years and counting. So if she wants a list of scriptures, I’d be happy to compile them, otherwise she can start on her own with seeking God’s ideas on wisdom, learning, knowledge, education, and parenting.
And another thing that encouraged (and still does encourage) me is good books by authors like the Clarksons and Beechick, to name a couple.
Christa,
What an incredible blessing! Laying the foundation in our own minds is extremely important. I can’t believe I forgot to mention it. That’s why I asked y’all! :)
Good job,Renae! I agree with the lady who advised to READ, READ, READ. Our first couple of years were so fun–reading, crafts, playdoh, educational games,playing, discovering outdoors–just a natural extension of what we already were doing.
Amen!!!!!
I have found that while my children are very young (preschool & Kindergarten ages) the “public school… at home” mentality is crippling. For me, anyway.
The best learning at this age happens when you simply allow them to dive in to life with their hand in yours.
Good luck!!!
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I looked into homeschooling when a couple of cousins, then friends, started. I read and read. I investigated many different ‘kinds’ of homeschooling. I saw my cousin’s and friend’s kids excelling. I heard all of the great things (and a few negatives) about homeschooling. By the time my son was three, I knew in my heart we were supposed to homeschool. My ex, then husband, raised in public school, mother was employed by a public school for 30 yrs… was completely against it.
I was determined anyway. In our state, formal education was not enforced until age 7, so I figured I’d handle his schooling until then and show his daddy how great we did, being able to change his mind. We had already been ‘playing’ school and learning our letters and whatnot.
Three months before he would have started Kindergarten (public school age guidelines), his baby sister went to heaven. Dealing with my grief would have been tough for me to handle with him always around (just being honest here). We shared enough grief together (and still do at times), but kids aren’t like us. They need a break from the grief! He needed to be around happy people. I went to the local school and loved the people there. I prayed about starting him there and got the world’s best teachers in kindergarten and first grades.
By second grade (he was almost 7), I ended up taking him out of school, b/c his teacher was awful. He was in the “advanced” class and many parents put their kids back in standard classes to get them away from her. I brought my son home.
We had to ‘de-school’ for a while, but we found our niche. We have found what works for us. We have been able to step away for a while if we find something that is bumfuzzling us or charge ahead with what interests us. We have studied in depth so many different things that the standard school classes cannot do with their ‘only as fast as the slowest kid’ requirement. I remember being in school, finding something interesting, and having to move on just as soon as I was interested! I hated it and lost a lot of drive just for that reason.
Read, read, read. Pray, pray, pray. Talk and listen. Show your husband articles and real life kids who are excelling at homeschooling. He just might not understand the requirement we have to raise up our children in Christ. God didn’t give our children to the state. He gave them to us. My ex didn’t understand. I still don’t think he understands, but he isn’t around and he can’t argue with the results!