Dear Homeschool Mom,
Do you remember when your baby was first born?
He was so
adorable, and he had you wrapped around his little pinky!
As he grew, you knew that you always wanted the best for
him.
You fed him,
cared for him, cleaned him, kept his needs met…
Then one day you realized he was the age to start some
sort of formal schooling for him.
You investigated your options, and you
decided to teach him at home.
Friends and relatives were shocked. Some asked you, “Why
don’t you like public school? What’s wrong with public school?” Others asked, “What
about socialization?” Still others asked, “How will you teach him Chemistry and
Algebra 2?”
To the first question, don't bother attacking public school. A lot of the teachers are great. The person asking the question probably feels threatened by the fact that you chose to homeschool -- as if that means you are telling them they made a mistake to put their kids in public school. You're not. Just tell them this is what you and your husband have decided is right for your family right now.
The second question, "What about socialization?" ...Are they serious? Have they ever sat on the playground of an elementary school during recess and listened to the conversations and the language? Never mind; don't say anything about that. Just answer that there are a lot of outside activities home schoolers can participate in to get socialization: 4-H, church youth group, Boy Scouts/Girl Scouts, home school co-ops. Note: you don't need to commit that you are doing any of these, just that they exist. You can say you will have time to figure it out as you go along.
Third question... again, are they kidding? Your son is five years old. ::sigh:: Okay, answer that for now you are only committing to this year, but that there are a lot of resources out there for the upper grades, including group classes outside the home.
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I will never regret that I homeschooled my children. I will never regret that we were able to learn fractions using measuring cups making chocolate chip cookies. We will all always have very fond, warm fuzzy memories of hour after hour, day after day of read aloud books. Dark, wet, rainy days meant hot cocoa, popcorn, a fire in the fire place, and snuggling up while momma read Louisa May Alcott and Little Women or Jack and Jill.
The years fly by quickly. Enjoy the trip. It IS hard work, and it is best to try to be organized. Any time I had a difficult school day, I liked to tell myself that a bad day of homeschool was better than a good day of public school any day. Not necessarily true, but it helped me get through.
Priorities of God, husband, children, then other things outside the home help one to keep perspective. Setting written goals are also so helpful. Goals for mom for one day might be: make bed; wipe down master bathroom; run a load of laundry; start crockpot; do school; finish laundry; finish dinner side dishes. Goals for oldest daughter might be: make bed; eat breakfast; do school; help with lunch; finish school; wipe down hall bath. For second child goals might be very similar, like: make bed; eat breakfast; do school; load dishwasher; do school; vacuum/sweep.
The years go by quickly. My house is seldom clean, but my children have all been accepted by colleges they have applied to. I may regret that one never took Algebra 2 and another never finished Latin, but I will never regret that I homeschooled my children.
