Topic : Homeschooling

I homeschooled for a year . When we moved my two older children wanted to try the school in our area . My son is now begging me to homeschool next year . My youngest child is begging me to attend homeschool next year as well. They are not challenged in school so I think I am gonna send them back to cyber/homeschool ,

I loved your post and just wanted to add that changing a child's diet can 100% help EVERYTHING. We have so many chemicals in our foods, toothpastes, cleaning products, etc and it's affecting our lives in such a negative away.

Do some research and see how many cases of EVERY childhood ailment there was in 1940 when people ate and cooked at home and there were not a gazillion cleaning products with skulls and cross bones on them to warn us of the danger. I would love to see produce that is not sprayed with raid. Actually the stuff they spray the produce with is 100 times stronger than raid. And this we have to feed our kids? Time to get back to basics? Yes it is!

Sherri lynn

I am so confused... We went to public schools and although we had our ups and downs we came out pretty well I'd say but I'm not sure that public school is the best thing for our children?!.  I have a friend who desided to home school after her daughter was being bullied and picked on in GRADE 1.  At first I thought she was crazy.  That she would make her antisocial and undereducated but the more I have resurched it the more drawn to it I have become.  Home schooled students actually score higher on SAT's and they can be excepted into top colleges.  They cost the government less money and they have been proven to be more social then students who attend schools. Yet I still wonder if home schooled students are really prepared for the REAL world?  And what if I as a mother fail as a teacher?  My first son is in kindergarten and his inosence in my opinion has been mutilized.  When he started school friends were friends it didn't matter what sex they were and now there is a deffinate split between the two.  The personalities and ideas that he has brought home are shocking and sometimes even disheartning.  Do I keep him at home and educate him away from the harsh realties of this world in hopes that he will never experiment with drugs and that I will be able to select his friends for the years he spends at home or do I turn him over to the thrashings of the world and hope that I've given hime enough direction and disaplin to make good desicions? 

Your post was great and you are researching and informing yourself and I respect that alot because alot of people talk out of their butts, without doing a lick of research on the subject.

when I first started home schooling, I was also soooo worried about everything. That gets better as you see just how much your child is learning and in a much better environment. As for making it in the real world, I have a question for you to ponder. Are all children who attend school prepared for the real world? Wouldn't your child, if home schooled be more prepared for the real world when they are living in it on a daily basis, as opposed to sitting in school all day. They will see you dealing with "real life" situations all day long.

how much did you learn in school that you use on a daily basis right now? Do you think if you went back to highschool right now, that you could do the work, or if you would want to knowing that you will not use it once you are no longer there and you are in the work force.

I totally understand your fear of not being a good teacher, BUT as mom's don't we fear alot of things for our children? We want the best for them, right? so, you keep doing your research and then you have to take a leap of faith and trust in what you believe will be the best choice for your child/family, whether that be school, or homeschooling.

your child does not need to learn to live in a harsh world at the age of 5. Why do we need to prepare them so early? Let them live with us and learn to deal it with us, not away from us where we can't guide becuase we can't see what is going on.

I am homeschooling my 12 year old for 3 years now and my almost 6 year old has never been to school and still has that wonderful inosence that you are talking about. She is such a free spirit and I didn't want her to lose that. she loves art and can doodle all day long. That led into her printing out her alphabet and then spelling and reading. She has a natural love of learning because with her nothing was forced.

I'm here if you ever want to chat further on this subject.

You already passed as a mom and will not fail becuase you love your child enough to research what may be best for him.

Sherrilynn

If you are already feeling discouraged by the public school setting/system I think it will very likely only get worse.

I agree with what the other person said - we don't need to prepare them for the sick , cruel world at age 5 - they aren't anywhere near ready for it. With that being said I sent my kids to public school early on. Like everyone else, I was afraid they would be behind if I didn't send them. I have a lot of regrets. I started thinking about homeschooling a few years ago and since I lacked confidence and support I didn't  do it. After years of aggravation and knowing things weren't right for us I decided to start for next year. ( long story on why we aren't starting now) I felt so overwhelmed even a few months ago, but I'm finally ready to take this on and it feels great!

I know some kids who thrive in public or private school and I know of a lot who don't.  I always feel so bad for the ones who are misreable there and must feel trapped.

The ADHD discussion was going on at the Homeschool Debate board. The food they eat was metioned. I don't think most people buy into that. It got pretty intense ;-)

What steps do you take to prevent exposure to the chemicals? Do you buy certain cleaning supplies? Eat only organic foods?

I have switched to all natural cleaning products. Most I make myself. I use things like vinegar, baking soda, and some products I buy, like dish soap and laundry soap and they are all natural. Instead of using fabric softener, I use 1/2 Cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle and it works great.

I do buy organic foods, but not all organic because I like a large selection of fruits and veggies. I have a juicer and I make lemon juice and have it in the fridge and I wash my fruit and veggies by soaking them in a few TBS of lemon juice and then enough water to cover them and soak them 5 min.

We also don't drink tap water. We use distilled or reverse osmosis. We have a filter on our shower also.

I have lots of plants in the house.

I don't want to be fanatical, but I do want to make those easy changes that can affect my families health and some not so easy changes, like telling my 5 year old she can't have junkfood everytime she is out and sees another child having it. Fortunately she loves many halthful foods, so I will tell her I will buy her blueberries as a treat and she loves that because this time of the year they are expensive and we don't get some things often.

My daughter was not diagnosed with ADD, but she is a very hyper and emotional child and when she eats healthy, there is a world of difference that can't be denied.

we are became vegetarians in Sept. and the only dairy we eat is a little butter and not one of us has been sick the entire winter and that has never happened. Not one sniffle.

I also went to the "great scholl debate", but there is too much debate for me, lol. I'm past the debate stage and just want to do what works for my family and learn what works for others.

What kind of natural cleaning products do you use? Do you make any yourself?

Sherri lynn

Doesn't the vinegar make your clothes smell? LOL!  I'm not saying that to offend you.

I honestly don't do much about the natural stuff...other than think about it ;-) I do use vinegar and baking soda for different things rather than chemicals. I know some people use certain brands of  natural cleaners but most seem pricey.  I hate using anyt chemicals around my kids.

I also thought about being a vegetarian a few times..it never lasted long. I just didn't know enough about it or know what to make. 

Do you have other children...other than the daughter you mentioned?

I know what you mean about the debating. I enjoy the conversation most of the time but I don't have the patience to hammer away at something when I know the other person is certain they are right. I don't pretend to know everything there is to know about any given subject and  I like it when someone gets me to look at something a different way. Not everyone is open to that and a lot of people think they know more than they do. Of course there are things I am firm on.