Why I Homeschool. . .

*I never edited this post nor did I stop and rethink anything typed. I sat here for an hour reading posts on Facebook and email messages and watching the news and my mind was full so I did what came naturally - I wrote. I judge no one here...I'm simply speaking my mind and trying to explain why I choose to homeschool. My main point in this is that suddenly many are thinking homeschool is the answer because bad things happen and the truth is that while they do, you can't keep your child safe forever. At some point you do need to let them go with the knowledge you've given them and hope and pray they know how to handle things. Sadly there are situations where they are not in control and it can happen anywhere as we've learned this year: school, the mall, a movie theater, their own neighborhood. You need to do what YOU think is best for your child after putting all of the reasons out there. And that is what was going around my brain before I wrote the following:

Photo by WolfC ~ http://wolfc-stock.deviantart.com

With the horrible tragedy in Connecticut this past week I've had people commend me because I homeschool. There was also a shooting at a local highschool just minutes from my house. I've had people ask me how I do it because they're curious now after these horrible events. It's funny how so many rolled their eyes or asked why I would do this to my child and now they're wanting to 'do it to their child' but for very different reasons.

On Friday when the news was saturated with images of crying parents and frightened children my son and I sat and watched. Yes, my 7 year old was with me because as horrific the situation it is reality and you can't live in a bubble. Details were of course not gone into. . .even I didn't want/need them but the main parts were brought up and his only reply was, "Well I'm glad I'm homeschooled so I don't have to worry about that."

The irony is that the night before I sat at a party with other homeschool moms talking about WHY we homeschool. Sheltering our kids from reality was never brought up. As horrible as this was I don't want my child living in some bubble thinking the world is rainbows and lollipops. I don't want him afraid to go outside but he needs to have a sense of reality for lack of better word. Not everyone is your friend and not everyone can be trusted. We grew up being told not to talk to strangers for a reason just as now-a-days kids are told not to put every picture on Facebook text everyone and anyone and such.

Homeschool has taken on many different forms. My son attends a cyber charter school so I'm not teaching him, just assisting and doing homework with him just as though he were actually attending. The difference? The curriculum is more challenging, we can take more or less time on subjects, we can do more with his learning. . .it gives us a freedom with his education while still challenging him and meeting requirements. I still smile when I think back to how he was helping a friend with her homework last year - she was a year ahead of him.

I homeschool my son because I want a better handle on his education. I want him to learn and be in a situation where he IS learning not where he's in a classroom with 20 other students and has unanswered questions. If he is having trouble with something we can go over it. If he's finding something easy to grasp we can run quickly through it. If I choose to teach my child something different than what the schools feel is appropriate I may do so. If my child wants to eat a turkey sandwich or peanut butter cookies or have a piece of cake I will allow him unlike schools pushing processed lunches, banning snacks due to allergies/federal guidelines.

I homeschool my son because I want him to have the same morals, manners and behavior that was expected of me. I may lay the foundation but a day with other kids certainly can change that especially in a world where parents don't care if their children use foul language. Children now-a-days scare me. They're a different breed in some instances. They're mini adults with their electronics and schedules just running around doing what they want while parents are forced to work and let them raise themselves.

I homeschoool my son because I can. I had planned to work full time once he was in school but after meeting other homeschool families I wanted what they have. I wanted their close knit relationships. We don't have the biggest house or newest vehicles. We don't eat steaks every night and wear designer clothes. We make sacrifices so that we can do this and I'm thankful for my husband's support.

I know that many families achieve what I desire for my son and send their children to school. I know that sending them to school doesn't mean they're doomed to be awful and horrible little children but I just want to be a part of his life. I want to do all I can to make this time mean something. I want him to learn and be able to do things he wouldn't be able to otherwise. He's able to be in a theater group and do amazing things for local charities. I see too many children raised by teachers rather than parents.

I homeschool my son in the hopes of raising him to be the best he can be not to keep him at home in a bubble and afraid of the 'big bad world' or too naive to know what the real world is like.

Jammies all Day and BonBons? I wish!

I love how people give you 'the look' when they find out you're homeschooling your child. I love that the assumption is that you sit around all day watching Lifetime while your child does whatever. In some cases, learning IS hands-off like that: when you go to the park or the beach or a center but usually Mom is IT.

Today really put the idea that homeschool moms not just sitting around in jammies eating bonbons all day in my head. I got up at 9 and started laundry. From there I started going through my son's school books. He does cyber school so most of the teaching is online from an amazing assortment of teachers on everything from science to math to reading and more.

After organizing 'homeworks' that need to be scanned into his teacher (yes, he has an actual PA certified teacher grading his work and overseeing me) I sent them over. I then went over his workbook to make sure we had everything completed.

He received some of his physical education materials last week so I printed out that form so we could keep track of 'gym class'. We went rollerskating last week with a local homeschool group (yes, we DO socialize our children) and just last night the family went bowling. Playing Wii Sports also meets the requirements so the little guy LOVES that he can play Wii for school. He was also playing golf in the back yard for a half hour and did cup stacking the other day for about as long.All of this needs to be documented to make sure he's meeting requirements.

I then went into his art and Spanish class folders. Yes, in first grade he not only has an actual art appreciation class but also Spanish.

Some people don't take it seriously and that so bothers me. He IS going to school and he IS learning and no I'm NOT taking the 'easy' way out but rather I'm putting MORE effort in because I'm not just doing homework with him at night but I'm also there all day while he's learning. I'm the guide who helps read assignments to him and who preps for various activities throughout his day. I'm the nurse when he doesn't feel well. I'm the lunch lady when he's ready for a sandwich. I'm the one watching him when he's playing outside and playing along in between other mom/wife stuff. Easy? No. Worth it? Yes.

Why? Honestly I just like being a part of his education. I like being there helping him learn and I love the curriculum because it doesn't limit him. If he gets stuck on something we can take the time to go over it. If he's finding something too easy we can get through it a bit faster. He doesn't get bored with school because it's constantly changing and he honestly enjoys it.

I could go on and on but another time. For now we need to get ready for tomorrow's spelling test.

To School or Not to (go) to School

The idea of homeschooling was never on my mind when I was pregnant or even when kiddo was 2 and 3 years old. I always imagined getting him ready and sending him on the bus to start his adventure but things changed a bit and as is usually the best way to react ~ we rolled with it.

I first heard about PA Cyber School when kiddo was 4. It was Summer and a friend mentioned that she was enrolling her son for preschool. I had always done 'some' kind of school with kiddo when I was a SAHM and even when I started working part-time so the idea stuck with me. Our district didn't offer K4 and while the local church did I was turned off by them. They advertised weekly on Craigslist and a woman who must have worked there talked to me at the park one day. She said that I HAD to enroll my then 4 year old in a program so he would be properly socialized. The theme of socialization would come up many times over the next few years to the point where I cringe as soon as someone's mouth starts to form the word.

I left the playground that day slightly bitter because her 'properly socialized' child was running around like a maniac and practically eating mulch while my poor kid who was home with his parents all day was playing nicely and having a grand time. Apparently ignorance was bliss in his world since he had no idea what he was miss. Sarcasm fully intended there.

Having thought it over I decided to enroll kiddo in the PA Cyber Charter School. Why not. It was a free education. If I messed up it was 'only' K4 and it would be nice to have a curriculum to follow. Surprise surprise we loved it. I was amazed by what kiddo was learning and doing and it turned into a fantastic experience.

Soon it was time to start thinking about kindergarten and we went to the local school to meet teachers and sign him up. Kiddo was excited and as we sat there watching him color along with the other paste-eaters I was happy that I had done K4 with him - he would certainly have no trouble going to school. Then we got his schedule.

Kiddo managed to get afternoon kindergarten! Awesome for him not being a morning person. He'd leave before 8am and get home around noonish. I just had to check with my neighbor that it would be okay for him to hang at her house until I got home....that's when the 'fun' started.

First, hubby and I realized that getting kiddo TO school would require sending him to before-school care. Ouch but you do what you have to. Ugh. With nothing offered by the school we thought of our neighbor who's become a great friend and our kids get along amazingly. We found out that the bus would not pick him up from our neighbor's house to bring him to school because it was considered a 'very busy road and all bus stops along there were no longer". No kidding it's a busy road - that's why I don't want him WALKING it to get to our house in the morning so he could catch the bus. We couldn't expect her to walk him down every morning since she watched other kids and she didn't have to worry about getting her kids on the bus. We didn't know who we could depend upon to be here a few days a week to make sure kiddo was up, dressed and waiting for the bus. Afternoon kindergarten would NOT work after all

So I inquired about morning kindergarten. After a few phone calls I was finally told that it 'may' be possible to switch him to morning then I just had to worry about getting him home since I could change my schedule to get him TO school. The fun began again because this time the issue was getting him home. THERE WAS NO BUS.

So with no solution in sight to get him to school the homeschool option seemed perfect. And that neighbor didn't have to worry about the school bus because SHE TOO sent her kids to the PA Cyber Charter School.

Another awesome school year passed and kiddo did amazing. He was doing homework of peers a year ahead of him, many people who met him complimented his behavior and said he was 'really smart'. His grades were well above average and I smiled because I honestly felt he learned more than had he gone to traditional school.

But what about socialization? Oh yes, my poor child was lacking in that respect. Playdates, hanging at the neighbor's and a theater group helped with that and I dare anyone to show evidence of his lack of socialization skills.

So here we are again with another school year starting and where is kiddo going? Yes, homeschool again. I really need to stop calling it homeschool though. It's not the traditional sense of homeschool. We do classes online and he has a teacher who grades his homeworks/tests. I hate the eye rolling response I get from so many people. I hate the look people have when they ask kiddo about where he goes to school and he replies, "I don't go to school. We do school at home.". I honestly love the individualized attention he gets. If he needs help we can go slow, if he's good we keep going. Weekly homeworks sent to his teacher keep her updated on his progress as do the Dora/Dorma (Diagnostic Online Reading/Math Assessments) he takes every few months.

I feel like he has so much more opportunity and it's not like it's the easy way out. This method of education requires my participation big time. It's more than just sitting and doing homework with him at night - we do workbook pages together and projects. He'll also be taking a language this year, in first grade!!

I'm thankful that my husband is on board and happy to have so many friends who think of this form of education as perfectly fine. I see school anymore as a place to just send kids off. Like the poor little things living in day care from the time they're 6 weeks old. Parents have to work. Both parents in many cases these days are forced to head out so kids see them during the week for a few hours and maybe part of the weekend. If kids are in sports they're also being run around to practices and games much of their time. So much running around and packing stuff in. What about enjoying the day and time together? What about kids being kids. School doesn't seem like the happy place anymore. It's a place where parents expect teachers to raise their kids and hold THEM responsible when kids have problems.

Too many thoughts on this topic have led this post to go WAY out there but there are some decent points, I hope.

What do you think? IS homeschool/cyber charter school causing kids to miss out or are they gaining from the time spent with parents and like-minded families/friends?