Topic : Homeschooling

I think that doing something like that is  a great idea. I know several people with ADHD, and am considering the possibility of having ADD myself. I have found that music helps a lot with those sort of things. Playing an instrument can help, or just putting on music in the backround. I know thast I almost always have music on all of the time. It may not work for your children, but I think that it may help, and thought I'd just give you the suggestion.

Hello Everyone,  

I am so happy to have found this message board.  My 13 year old daughter had asked me if she could be homeschooled a few years back.  I really didn't know much about it (homeschooling) then and thought she was just trying to get out of going to school, homework, etc.  However, recently we went through a major life change and I enrolled her into a new school.  It was difficult to hear some of the stories she would tell me about what what going on at school.  For example: Some of the teachers would use her as a bad example in front of the whole class (in reference to her lip piercing), some of the boys would step on the backs of her shoes while walking to her next class, her so-called 'friends' would (on occasion) slap her in the face!!  What's up with that?  Then, there were the boys who she was 'teamed up' with in another class who would tell her, "Go get me a piece of paper, bitch."  And then she told me that a girl had offered her marijuana in another class!  Thankfully, my daughter has always been anti-drugs. Anyway, I did some research, found a homeschooling organization in my town, went to a meeting, and the next day....pulled my daughter out of public school.  Oh my goodness!!!!  What a relief.  I have my daughter back!  No longer do I feel so distant from her.  We are much closer now....it's just what I had prayed for....a better relationship with my daughter.    

  

Hopefully, I'll be able to homeschool my 3 year old son all the way to graduation, too.  

We have decided to put my daughter in a private school this year (kinder) as she wants to be with her friends but am still thinking about homeschooling as I realize that private can be expensive and depending on if my daughter is being challenged enough or not, we may choose that route but I refuse to put my kids in the public schools for various reasons, the schools in my area are not top rated, they are actually very low on the scale and unfortuanelty, kids seem to be the cruelest of all but of course they have to learn it from some where and chances are, it is in their homes, sad, but true!............it is good that you have found the solution for your daughter, I believe kids deserve to be happy in every aspect of their lives and if they are not then something needs to be done and I believe their learning atmosphere is one of the most imporant things in a child's life. Good for you for searching out the right option for your child, That's what I like about this country, is the fact that we parents have options and the fact that we know our kids more then any one else, we have the right and privelege to decide what is best for them...........Take it one year at a time and follow your heart and parenting instincts. have fun. :)

I would love to chat with you about this topic. I loved your post and almost cried because I was so HAPPY for your daughter that she will not be tormented ANYMORE. You should NEVER have to go through that for an education. She can get a BETTER education at HOME.  

 

I have a 12 year old girl and we have been unschooling for 2 years and we LOVE it soooo much. I also have a 5 year old and I will be unschooling her as well.  

I hope to see you here again.  

Sherri 

Hello again!  Thanks for responding to my post.  I would love to learn more from you seasoned homeschoolers/unschoolers (Sherri).  I just pulled my daughter out of middle school a month before school ended!!!  Goodness, after contemplating if I should just let her ride-out the last weeks of school, I decided, "WHY?"  Why put her through anymore agony?  I figured those last few weeks would probably feel like months to her.   So, here I am all psyched out.....we went to the 'teacher's store' and purchased some curriculum (sp) and then we went to the library and checked out all the books I could get my hands on regarding homeschooling and found out that now my daughter needs to 'decompress'.  So, now the 'curriculum' sits in the corner and we will start homeschooling in August or September.  In the mean time, we will just hang out, become better friends and go swimming at the YMCA.   

  

Anyway, like I said....suggestions at to your 'daily routine' would be appreciated for when we do actually start.  Thank you. 

Renee 

  

  

I also went to the library when I first took my daughter out in Grade 5. I bought her a puppy and for the first month, I read and read and read and what your daughter is doing now is what mine did then, "deschooling". She needs to find herself again and the way you two are reconnecting is so wonderful. You are respecting her needs and you have showed her that you WILL protect her.  

You sound like a great mom and the love for your daughter just shines through. My heart was breaking for her and I was going to let my 12 year old read the post as well, but I decided it was to sad and she knows how horrible school can be, even though she has not gone through what your daughter had to endure, she had to endure her own things.  

I actually have a mom that lives on my street that unschools and she has been my angel. I heard stories for years about her and her family and that her children had never been to school, so I put a letter in her mailbox asking her to please help me and she called the same day. She has been a guardian angel to me and I'm so greatful.  

You know, everyone home schools differently and even though her and I both unschool, we still do it differently, BUT we as parents doing this need some support from one another from time to time.  

If you do homeschool your 3 year old, you will just be so amazed at watching him learn. My 5 year old is doing so great. She is has been starting to read since the age of 4. I guide her along, but I don't push if I see she has had enough. She is also fortunate that she has an older sister who reads to her. Her dad and I read to her everyday and we play number games and she is a very happy, well adjusted child. She is also such a confident child and I don't want that taken away.  

you may think that you will start in Aug. or Sept., but you have already started. Your daughter will learn so much on her own even while she is deschooling. She will learn so much about herself and what her interests are now that she doesn't have to focus on just getting through a day of torment.  

I would love to answer any questions that you have.  

As for our daily routine; sometimes we have great days together and sometimes it's chaotic and that is life! We don't just learn from Sept. to June, like the school schedule. We are learning all the time.  

My greatest resourses have been the library, the internet and listening to my children. They will guide you in the direction they are interested in and you will be their facilitator. Just reading and article from The national Geographic can have you doing a science experiment, learning new vocabulary and exploring a Country you didn't know exsisted.  

Well I have rambled, but I'm excited to talk to another home schooling mom.  

I hope to talk more later! 

Sherri 

If you browse through this message board, you will find some good "free" links that can be used for homeschooling. My 12 year old who hated "school math" loves a math link we use that has math from kindergarden through to grade 12. If you can't find it, I will post it again, or another time when you are ready. I also posted a post awhile back that has some great books on it about homeschooling. if you can't find a book you want at your library, ask them if you can get it through "interlibrary loan". That means they will search other libraries for you and call you when they find the book you want. I have saved a small fortune doing this, as there were so many books I wanted.  

Anyway no matter how you and your child decide to do home schooling, it woudl be nice to support one another.  

Sherri 

I was wondering if anybody could give me some advice on how to get my grade10  child motativated to do the school work.  I can maybe get one hour's work from him a day and he has to get most of this year's English done in the next month.   He has a learning problem, information gets jumbled from the brain to the hand when he has to do alot of writing.   I am getting so frustrated and stressed out.  Don't know if I will ever home school again.

I have just stumbled  over  this website and I am glad I did.  Reading your quote brought tears to my eyes as I am close with this subject with my son.  My husband and I know, we will be battling worse  troubles if we send our son to the public middle school, dealing with issues of depression, anxiety, bullying, etc., when our children have never asked for or deserve that kind of treatment. 

My husband and I have been comtemplating homeschooling our son once he would hit the 7th grade.  He has been labled as learning difficulties, high anxiety, speech impaired, etc. when both my husband and I have this type of nature.  We are who we are and upsets us for labeling our child with these types of problems, recommending to medicate him, with the help of his pediatrician(who is deadset against it), states, nothing wrong with him.  He has been diagnosed this since kindergarden, stayed back in kindergarden because of it and he has now just finished the 6th grade.  Throughout these inschool years, he was in special education classes, being pulled out of his class and recesses to accommodate the teachers.  My son is a normal, loving, helpful child who would give his shirt off his back. and is a hands on type of kid.   I have complained to my husband throughout the years that I always felt that he had too much help.  He is unable to work independently because of this.  Now, changing schools, heading into the middle school, they are placing him in every class Special Education.  This is a very rough school, therefore we are pulling him out.  We tried a private school one day with only to pick my son up after school, he looked like he was put through a wringer.  That day I asked him, "What would you want mom and dad to do?"  His answer was with sad eyes, "Homeschool?"  That was it.  My husband are scared about this as public schools is all we know but are doing it anyways.  Any suggestions?  I have no clue where to start.  We can not afford to buy the curriculums, but I hear I can make my own curriculum, buying used books, using my library, etc.  In doing so, without buying a curriculum, will he get a diploma?  That is our main concern, to get his diploma. 

Your post really moved me. I felt that I could see those sad eyes of your son looking up at you.  

I don't buy any curriculum. We make our own based on the fundementals that my husband and I feel the children should learn in order to communicate in the world and we listen to our children and what they are interested in learning and we work as there facilitators and we help them find what they need using the library, internet, books found at yard sales and used book stores, etc.  

LEARNING IS EVERYWHERE!!!!!! 

There is a book that I would LOVE for you to read that you can get at your local library and in there you will find info on how to make a highschool diploma for your son. You will act as a private school and you will sign the diploma as the principal when you are satisfied with what he has learned.  

What we did first was to let my daughter "deschool", which means to just let her be and find herself again. For the first 6 months I read and read and read every homeschooling book I could get my hands on until I found what I liked for our family. Every family and circumstance and child in unique. Unschooling works for us because we want the freedom for our children and family to learn what we want and not what every other child has to learn in school.  

Before I get off track, the book is called, "THe homeschooling book of answers:The 88 most important questions answered by homeschoolings's most respected voices by Linda Dobson. If your library does not have the book, ask if you can get it on interlibrary loan. That means they will search other libraries and call you when then find it. It's a great "start" book.  

 

This is a wonderful journey and the advice I would give you the most, is to RELAX and everything will fall into place. Your child comes first and there is no need to fear that he will lack an education. Your son shouldn't need to be on the same level of everyone else his age and he shouldn't have to deal with marks put on him because he is not. I am 33 and I'm not at the same level of every 33 year old woman, nor do I want to me. I am ME, YOU are YOU and he is his own unqiue self and he should not have to deal with all that sadness in the name of an education that he WILL be able to get at home. Children, as well as ourselves learn all the time, everyday. It's a natural thing.  

 

If you decide to homeschool, you will need to let the school know, as well as the schoolboard. I have a sample letter that you can print out if you want it. Let me know and I'll be more than pleased to help you out in any way I cam;) 

 

YOU CAN DO THIS!  

Sherri