Topic : Homeschooling

1. My kids have been in regular school their whole lives since kindergarten(they didn't go to pre-k) but they've always wanted to be homeschool everyday because they say school is a waste of time, the just sit there in class for seven hours.My kids never had a problem with school except the fact that they are very opinionated if you know what I mean,also my son doesn't do his work or pay attention in class. I waited till they were both in High school so my daughter was in 9th grade and my daughter was in 11th. I told my daughter to look for internet homeschools one day towards the end of summer and she found a great government funded program(totally free) that goes by state standards called Connections Academy. They've been enrolled for 2 months now and they love it. I don't have too worry if they understand everthing because they have awesome interactive instructional guides, plus the lessons are quick and easy.Plus it's mostly internet based (they send you whatever text books you need).

2.My kids made plenty of friends during public school so they visit each other and e-mail and call there friends whenever they want.

3.My kids have to do 20 minutes of physical activity everyday but they can't just take a walk so they usually ride their bikes or since we have a membership at a gym we usually go to a gym.

I love homeschool and so do they!!!!!!!!

Hello to all of you dedicated and loving parents who feel that homeschooling is the best thing or the right thing for your children!  I completely believe that you are all doing this out of love!...However, I truly feel that, even though they may be receiving disciplined and detailed educating by you, there is no possible way they are getting full life benefits.  There are so many life lessons and interaction from going to school than you could ever offer your children.  I'm so sorry to throw out the negative, but the reality is there.  I am not an educator or teacher but I do know of at least 2 situations I can share.

I lived across the street form a family that already had "disfunctional" family issues going on.  Once the one daughter seemed to have personal issues at school the mom switched her to another school district for high school.  This was a positive outcome!  Then, when the next daughter began having poor judgement issues and not doing well in school, the mother took her out of the public school at grade 9 (as she would have started high schhol) and made her stay home and do high school via computer - at home as she claimed was home schooling!!!   This daughter has not at all had any positive outcome.  She has had severe and emotionally painful issues occur!  Her mom assumed keeping her at home would "shield" her from the "outside world".  But it only made her rebel and make even worse choices in her young life.  Not to mention, her mom did not really support or oversee her as a daughter or in her "homeschooling". 

Next story...This family had 2 very young daughters and felt that from day one of school-age homeschooling was best.  They were kept home and schooled by mom.  By the time the girls were in 1st and 3rd grade their mom realized that they needed the life experience and interaction that school offers.  Also, she realized that they may be treated as different or not included in play, etc. even from neighborhood kids they knew.  Kids can be cruel even when they are not purposely doing so.  Also, there are so many extracurricular "things" - like after school skating parties, classmates' B-Day parties, Field trips unavailable to home-schooled children and many more things.  Your children ARE missing out in LIFE!  Also, how might they survive in the REAL WORLD once they get finished w/ your schooling???

Again, I want to praise you all for dedicatiing your time and loving your children w/the best you feel you know.  Let me end on that note!

Homeschooling is a very personal decision, and is one that should not be taken lightly.  I shared your feelings for a long time, until my sister-in-law decided to homeschool all three of her children, staring in 1st grade.  I was concerned about the childrens' social well-being and opportunities for extracurricular activities.  Since she started doing this 7 years ago, I have been proven wrong over and over again.

It takes a very special parent to have the desire and will to dedicate their life to schooling their children.  It appears that the people you know of who failed were not cut out to do this in the first place.  There are endless opportunities for homeschooled children to participate in outside activities - the parents just need to be motivated enough to search them out.  My neices and nephew are all extremely involved in basketball, volleyball, church activities, piano lessons, just to name a few.  Plus, there are homeschool groups all over the country that provide opportunities for the students to meet for field trips, group learning classes, and several other activities.  Again, the parents need to take the initiative to seek them out.

I'm sure some homeschooled children do miss out on fun things in life, but publicly schooled children miss out on just as much when their parents don't provide them with experiences.  As for surviving in the real world after they graduate...do you think these kids have been living in a box for the past 18 years?!?!  If homeschooling is done right, they fit into society just as well, if not better, than other children.  Many, many Ivy League universities have a high percentage of homeschool graduates enrolled, look it up if you don't believe it. 

I have tossed around the idea of homeschooling my children, simply because I'm disgusted at what kids are exposed to in public schools.  I have decided that is not best for our family, because I personally don't think I could offer my children as many experiences as I would like them to have.  But, there are so many wonderful parents out there who are able to do this (I have met several), and I think they deserve the utmost applause!!! 

You should look into some successful homeschool stories rather than basing your opinion on two miserably failed attempts at it.  Hopefully you will be able to see the positive in homeschooling before you pass on your narrow-minded, completely false ideas to others!

I just want to say that I was a gifted kid who hated school with a passion. I was abused by students and even by teachers, and if I ever had kids I would never send them to go through that hell. Public school is a prison. But, here in Canada there are a few schools where kids are free to learn at their own rate, even play video games, and their averages are lightly above average. So this proves in the pudding that institutionalism is not needed to teach children. Besides which, if you don't learn something for yourself you don't really learn anything. I think intuitionalism is a form of abuse and in a better world all children would either be home schooled or community schooled. Encouraging the heart, drive and respect of the individual does more for a kid than herding him/her as a part of a group mentality.

Thank you, from all the homeschooling families out there that work very hard to educate their children and keep them on track at home.  Along with raising my children, it is one of the hardest jobs I have ever done.

Keep on going and follow your instincts.  I am thankful for the internet, it is a tremendous help.  Don’t worry about socialization, you just need to find a homeschool group or two with church and you will eventually get more involved in more activities.  Look what your state has to offer online.  It takes time but it is well worth it!

Tracy