Home Schooling Next Year - No Support!

I had this exact, same problem when we decided to homeschool our oldest (who is just finishing 2nd grade). Last year (his 1st grade year) was our first year. I love it! However, while my side of the family was fine with it (I have lots of cousins who are homeschooled), my husband's side (namely mom-in-law)was *not* thrilled. (She works as a teacher's aid in special ed-go figure!) At first, she would tell me what the 1st grade teachers were teaching at her school, almost as if she expected me to panic. The thing is, we were right on target, if not past where she said they were. I think she finally caught on that homeschooling was a good thing when our son started reading EVERYTHING, I mean, things that even third and fourth graders struggled with (this was last year, and he's only improved)I think it's due to the fact that he gets one-on-one that just *does not* happen in the public school.

My husband and I were determined to homeschool our son, so we really didn't care what others thought. Although, at first, I just wanted to prove my mom-in-law wrong-and I did! LOL!

A good cirriculum is Bob Jones University. It's so easy to follow along! Bascially, it tell you what to do and say and what pages the child should do in the given subjects. This is a Christian-based cirriculum, but still has lots of info, even if that's not your religion.

Well, I applaud your efforts! I know I could not do it myself, but have considered it. Public school can be a huge disappointment, but we work with what we have here.

If your family does not support you, find a group who will. There are tons of organizations for this now because it is becoming so popular. There are plenty of other places for your children to get their social needs met like church, sports, etc... and I know their are support systems out there for homeschooling. The internet is filled with them!

Perhaps your family is just concerned that you may become overwhelmed with all the responsibility and that you have(soon) FOUR very young children. Parenting is not the same experience for everyone, though, and you have to do what you feel is best for your children. You know them best. Stay strong!

Good luck!

I am a 64 yr. old grandma- my oldest daughter chose to home school her four children- the two oldest now are in high school and are mostly A students. The younger ones were enrolled in school for 2 years and chose to be home schooled again. It is much easier for my daughter, and her children have had many experiences that being in school would have hindered. I just say "Listen to your heart".
L. Bradley
The Hair Gallery of Bend

I just started homeschooling my son this year. You just have to decide what is best for your children and family and go with it (even if others are negative). It may help to talk about it in ways that can help to create some understanding (even if you don't get a response or get a negative one). For example, I would talk about how great it was for my son to be able to work at his own level. He is able to focus easier at home and get a lot done quickly. After awhile, other family members may start to see the positive as well.

Kandice,

That is hard. I applaud you for your decision, I know I'm not the right personality to home school. The old Edmonds-Woodway High school has been turned into the Edmonds Homeschool Resource Center. I don't know if you will be able to use this or not, but this is my bit of support for you. :)

Here is the link: http://www.edmonds.wednet.edu/schools/programs/ehrc.cfm

Hope this helps,
Melissa

Hi there, I'm a public school teacher and a huge advocate for public schools. However, I think it is great that you want to do what is best for your child. Every parent should feel comfortable where their child attends school and with what they're learning in the classroom. I had my own prejudices against homeschooling until I attended a board meeting where my district's homeschool network made a presentation. I was amazed at the program the district had set up to help out kids that were homeschooled. Also, since it's district aligned the kids were at or above grade level. So, I agree with the other posters. Get as much information as you can, share it with family and friends and then be happy with your decision. If things should change and the homeschooling doesn't work for you and your family that's fine you just make the adjustment. Hopefully all will go well and it will be a positive experience for you and your child. Good luck!

If my daughter were to tell me she was thinking of home schooling but did not tell me enough information about how she was going to do it, I'd be concerned and she'd feel that my concern was disapproval. Actually we did experience a situation similar to this one. She wanted to put her daughter in a religious based private school. I asked her if the school was certified and who are the teachers and what are their credentials. She immediately became defensive. My granddaughter did not go to the school because she didn't do any reasearch and then couldn't arrange transportation. Turns out good that she didn't go. Her sister's son did go to the school for a year. They then moved and discovered that he had not been taught enough to go into the next grade level. A couple of state mandated subjects weren't even offered at the private school. His mother is now home schooling to catch him up.

I have seen several messages on this site and done some reading about home schooling. I'm aware that there are organized groups that home schooled kids use to make friends, gain in social skills and take classes such as PE. The parent or the person the parent hires to home school is not alone and relying only on their own knowledge and skills. I just recently heard of a family in which both professional parents worked who hired a nanny sort of person to also home school.

Perhaps if you gathered together some information and gave it to your family they would be more supportive. When you have a plan for how you will home school give them a copy.

Don't expect them to immediately agree with you about home schooling. Remain calm and self-assured as you talk with them over time to answer their questions. Don't react to their negative comments. I know that will be difficult. It was for me when they were coming from my daughter.

I think that you are right in not having brought up the subject again. Wait until you have more information, written by educators as well as parents who homeschool, for them.

My family almost always reacts to a new thing with a negative attitude. What has worked for me is to give them information hoping that they will come around but not expecting it. Arguing is fruitless. What will help is if you remain independant in your decision, wanting them to agree, but knowing you can do it without their approval.

I'm wondering how not having support from your family will make home schooling hard. Will they treat you and the children any differently? Are you expecting someone from your family to help you with it? Do they "preach" to you about their views? If any of these or any other obstacles are in your way, you'll want to find ways to overcome the obstacle without expecting your family to help. You can then tell them in a humble way that you have made certain arrangements and will be home schooling. Don't ask for their opinion. In fact you might say that you're not wanting their approval. You just wanted them to know that you are prepared and they will know that when you've given them a copy of your plans.

Bottom line: No arguing! Have confidence in your own plan so that you do not need their approval. If needed don't talk about the subject at all. And most importantly remember that love makes all things possible. Know that they love you even when they're angry or disapproving. And you love yourself and them in this circumstance. Love may help you make decisions that will make home schooling easier and gain your parent's approval.

I am a math instructor at a local community college and some of my best students are home schooled students that have gotten beyond the skill level of their parents in Math. I have considered home schooling myself, but don't think that it will be possible since I will have to continue working to maintain finances. The idea that my child will be able to move at their own pace is what makes homeschooling an intriguing option. In school I was always bored moving at a pace that was too slow for me so I just seemed to float on through, but my husband on the other hand was a little slower in some topics and was removed from class to help him with those. He always hated being pulled out from class because of the stigma as well as missing other things that he would have to make up later. These are some points that you can hopefully share with your family to help ease concerns, but this is ultimately your decision and you have to trust that you know what is best for your child.

If I have noticed any skills lacking with home schooled students it is some of their social skills, and the ability to work well in group situations. I think that if you go in knowing the weaknesses, and have solutions than homeschooling is a great option if you can do it. We have a cousin that is homeschooling her 4 children, and they have a great group of friends that they work with. Once a month they get together for a field trip that one parent has planned. They have gotten to do so many neat things as well as giving the children some group time to work on social skills in a group setting.

Hope this helps, and that you enjoy homeschooling your children. Another thing I know from my cousin is that they get some special membership at the library so they can keep books longer and check out more at one time. Also I believe they get a discount at Learning Palace to help buy homeschooling supplies.

Have you heard about www.connectionsacademy.com ?
It's actually a public school program that allows you to "homeschool" but with the help of a teacher. your child is assigned a teacher that you keep in contact with by phone and email and they design all of the assignments specifically for your child and email them to you. They also grade everything for you and you can connect with them if you need help teaching certain things. As the parent, you're actually considered the "coach" and not the teacher...you just guide your child's teaching but the assigned teacher does most of the work.
The best part? It's free because it's a public school program!!!
I'm planning on using it when my oldest turns kindergarten age.

It might really help you out.
Good luck!

S.
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Hi,

We homeschooled our children and our families were mystified as to why we would ever do such a thing. Luckily, we had supportive friends and we were committed. Eventually, our families came to see the good that was coming out of it and it just became the norm. Our oldest is 18 and graduated now and all the kids are doing well.

We did end up putting them in school during High School and have had nothing but problems. I can't tell you how many times I have contacted teachers and counselors. It is so frustrating dealing with the school district. I'm so thankful that I avoided it for so many years. If I had the time I would still homeschool them but due to family circumstances (one of our children is disabled and needs constant care) we are unable to devote the time to homeschooling as needed.

Good luck - it is terrific to keep your kids at home. It was so fun and my kids are very thankful. My oldest said that once he went to school he stopped learning. Luckily he was way ahead of the game before we put him in school.

C.

Hi KJ,
Give me a call if you'd like to chat about this by phone.
###-###-#### This is exactly what I do for a living.
I work with many homeschoolers to give them academic support through tutoring in small groups or one-on-one. Whatever you are running into with your relatives can be handled by giving them more information about homeschooling-both the legal aspects and the wonderful opportunities that homeschooling allows.
They would probably feel better if they knew how many homeschoolers there are in this state (about 20,000) and if they knew how great homeschool kids turn out later. They do get accepted at great colleges, in fact most of them go through the Running Start program in their high school years which means they graduate from high school and get their 2 year degree from a community college at the same time. (that means two years earlier than kids in the public schools. It's a great way to go and I can back you up and help you get their support. You can also visit the WHO website which stands for Washington Homeschool Organization.
L. Lawson of Lawson Tutoring and Homeschool Enrichment.

It's completely normal for relatives and friends to be alarmed and critical of homeschooling. Until we look into it for ourselves, all we are likely to hear are the negatives and horror stories as represented on commercial news. There's really not much substance to those stories, but that's all most people have to go on. So don't be too put off by others' alarm. They are lacking in a bigger picture that you can help make available to them. And that will take time, experience, and results.

You have control only over what you do and think (and of course to some extent what your children do and think while they're young). If other people's opinions make you feel shaky about your decision, I strongly suggest joining a local support group (you can google these).

I also suggest subscribing to one or more homeschool magazines that will support you and answer many of the "how to cope" questions that will arise for you, not only about how to deal with other people's opinions, but how to address various problems you will likely encounter as you undertake this new adventure. My husband and I advertise our science and math curriculum in several of these magazines, and I find that LIFE LEARNING and HOME SCHOOL ENRICHMENT are two well-produced magazines that operate on very different philosophies. HOME EDUCATION magazine is another that we like, that serves a very diversified audience. These are great sources of support and inspiration.

As producers of hands-on science materials, our home-based non-profit, TOPS Learning Systems, is widely used by both public school teachers AND home schoolers. We have had much contact with practitioners of both groups over decades, and I have high respect for both. And there are problems and tradeoffs with every approach (actually, home schooling breaks down into many individual approaches just within this one movement).

Let me encourage you to go for it – homeschooling could be the most wonderful thing you can ever do for your kids. And let me encourage you to keep an open mind. Not every approach works for every child. If at some point you find that homeschooling isn't working for you or your children, I hope you will give public or private school a second look. A different year, a different teacher, or a different school can make a world of difference.

I homeschooled my oldest all the way through graduation, my other 2 until 8th grade. There are lots of resources available for disagreeing family members. It's almost 10:00 and my brain is nearly off, so I will send you a link to a wonderful website that can quell all of your fears and your families too:
www.hslda.org
They are a legal support group for homeschoolers. They helped put into place many of the existing laws that allow homeschooling. They have been helping homeschoolers for over 20 years.
Let me know if you have more questions. I can answer you when I am awake!
B.

I am with you all the way!! I have decided I would rather teach my children what I think it is important for them to know rather then throw them to the wolves of the public school system(not commenting on the teachers..rather just the system itself). My mom and sister have been pushing the whole getting my three year old into preschool next year thing with me. I have been just telling them I am thinking about it. Finally I got tired of it and told them I didnt need them to look into anything for me because I was going to homeschool him for preschool and everything else! They both are just flabbergasted that I would even try. They think I am just trying to keep him to myself and not let him socialize...I plan on getting him into a tumbling class or something for that but I would rather be in control of his learning...Really what is it too them anyways, right?? Its not like we are asking them to stop what they are doing and teach them!! Anyways I support your decision and I think more parents should back up moms and dads who choose to do this!! Good luck and Good Teaching!!

Check out www.homeEDdirectory.com. This is a home schooler directory.

There are SO many people home schooling that you can find all kinds of help and support. Half the people in my church home school. You just make sure that you get a ciriculum and stick with it. There are so many curiculum available, the choices are overwhelming. Be very consistent and it has to be top priority. Our Priest's wife home schools and she is working in conjuction with Montessori, and other educational areas as well.

I encourage you to go ahead with it. The public school systems on their web sites also have resources listed for home schooling. Find other parents who are doing so. It's been something I've always wanted to do, but time constraints stop me.

I love the idea of homeschooling (and I'm a public school teacher)! There are so many things that I philosophically disagree with sometimes in public school. I wish I had the resources/opportunity to be able to homeschool! Kudos to you! Also, don't worry too much about your family not giving you the support you need. You and your husband are the best judges for your immediate family. Hopefully they will see all the benefits in the future. Good Luck to you!

Check out this page, http://www.jaredstory.com/homeschool.html - 11 reasons home schools are better than public schools.
My family felt the same as yours and my husband barely supported me, but after they could see the diference in the behavior of my children (some were stressed out and others were bullied), they relaxed and accepted it. My sister, who had bad mouthed me the most, even homeschooled her son a few years later.
My kids turned out well too. My oldest got an Associates Degree, my second is finishing up a Master's Degree and my youngest daughter is about to get her Bachelor's Degree.

Hello,
I have three boys and have been homeschooling all three for five years now. I love it. Support is a must from your spouse and it helps when your family is supportive too, however that often isn't the case.
My family was very unsupportive of the idea for the first few years but, they are all slowly becoming more supportive each year that goes by. As they see how well my children are doing and as they hear the problems other kids are having in public school, the more supportive they get.
Homeschooling mom's tend to get a lot of critisizm. You will hear about everywhere you go. Everyone has an opinion and everyone thinks they have the answer.
Just hang in there. It will get easier. The fruit of your labor will begin to prove them all wrong. I also want to encourage you in the homeschooling process. It's not easy at first, but really stick it out. It gets easier each year as you establish a routine and your child begins to realize that this is school and you are the teacher.
As I said before, I've been homeschooling for five years and this was our best year yet. I really felt like we finally got it down this year. So the key is to make a long term commitment and stick it out. You will see results that are worth all the hard work, crtitisizm, and headaches.
Best of luck to you. Should you have any questions please feel free to ask. I would love to share support and ideas.

Hello! There are many homeschool co-ops in various areas and also homeschool groups. You can google and get connected to other homeschoolers in your area. If you live near Tacoma/Steilacoom, I know a great lady who helps family such as yours get curriculum together, etc. who has a lot of experience. Let me know if you live in that area.

It's good to hear that you and your husband have worked everything out in regards to homeschooling. That is really what is most important. I have been homeschooling my four children for four years. I wasn't sure at first but we settled right in and I have not regretted it since. Neither have my children. You will get people along the way who will be critical and even offensive about what your doing. We just ignore the critics and chalk it up to their ignorance. You know what is best for your children. Hold your head high and know that what you are doing is noble and very worth while.

It sounds like you have a 1st grader, a kindergartener and a pre-schooler with a new baby on the way. A very busy house and schedule normally, now add challenging to the list when you throw in the 5-6 hours of class time you will be doing each day. Maybe that's why your family is concerned. They're supporting you, but you don't see it as support. You will be juggling 3 active kids plus a newborn, it's almost like too many balls in the air at once. Is your husband going to be there during the day to help with all these activities? Homeschooling is great for some kids, some family situations. The foundations for reading and math are laid down during kindergarten and first grade and it's essential to all their future learning that this be a solid foundation. You said that you are displeased with the school. Is it a teacher, or curriculum issue? Did you speak with the principal or school counselor? Could it be there is a learning disability that has been undetected, and once identified accommodations could be made? Kindergarten and first grade are challenging for parents, it's separation anxiety, on defense for any problem our kids might have, too much homework perception... lots of things. That's one reason PTA is a good place for parents to meet and discuss what's happening in a particular teacher's classroom, to see if it's your child or the teacher, the curriculum or the building administration. Your family is just being protective of all of you. With a new baby on the way, they are concernd that you may not be able to provide the kids the type of education they need at this very critical stage of their development. Their concern is genuine and appropriate.

Hey there! I know the struggle with that decision....and everyone seems to have their opinions about it. I would just stick to what you know is best for your children, and I am sure once you have been doing it for awhile, your family will adjust. I have found that people see homeschooling as shutting up children in a home without any social interaction, and that is not how it has to be. And did you know about Home Choice Academy and Home Connections? They are publically funded schools for homeschool children....they offer classes (free) that can pick up the slack if you don't want to teach everything. Anyway, there is lots of support and groups out there for homeschool....I am currently looking into all that myself! Stick to your guns. You are their parent.

It is definitely tough when your normal support becomes the "enemy" (antagonistic). It can make you feel pretty alone in a big world. However there are many support groups around that will offer assistance, (like La Leche for nursing moms.) Check on the internet, perhaps even through home school supply companies to find a group in your area. There is a huge population that choose this route. YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

As for your family, once you decide this is what is BEST FOR YOUR FAMILY, tell them plainly, and ask them to remain neutral. They don't have to like it, but that you'd appreciate it if they wouldn't make it any harder on you. If you have had an other wise positive relationship with them, they will "let it go". When you were "thinking about it" they stood the chance to discourage you, which would give them more "power" in their arguments. But now that you have made your choice, they can choose to be a positive part of your life. If they remain hostile & critical, then you will naturally spend less time with them, as we all move away from things that are not very comfortable.

Stand strong & trust yourself that you are doing the right thing, & they will see the light soon enough.

God Bless you,
A.

Hi, You might want to look into Connections Academy. It's a public charter school where the children are schooled at home with support from a certified teacher. They provide curriculum and a computer. For little ones, little of the work is done on the coumputer, but the lessons are there for you. Your family might be more supportive if they knew it is a public school with an established curriculum that matches with the state benchmarks.

Just do what you think is best for your baby. I know it is hard bc my family did not support me staying at home but I did. It was a bit of a struggle financially but we are able to make it with out any family help. Good Luck!!!

There are support groups throughout the state for home schooling, along with education plans, through the state. I am not sure which department handles it, but I have a friend who home schooled her children all the way through high school and she told me about it. You could probably access information on the webstie.
P.

There are great Home School Support Groups. I have friends that have Home Schooled in Vancouver, and they loved it! Even though one of them Teaches for Vancouver Schools! Find some like minded people and get your support from them. I sure wish I had been able to Home School, I think my kids would have been better off.

Hello,

I have now been homeschooling for almost 8 yrs and when I started I received the same response from my family. We had always been close but when I mentioned homeschooling you would have thought I had suggested sending them to boarding school or shutting them in the basement for the rest of their lives. I think the best way I found to deal with it was to only bring it up gently and slowly. I started with mentioning the curriculum we would be using. Talking about the books that we where reading. Mentioning the milestones the kids accomplished. I had the unfair advantage of my children starting before they where able to read so that gave me a lot of milestones to cover but in your case I would make sure to mention the joy and confidence I am sure you child will gain from accomplishing things in his homeschool education. Also, since EVERYONE is obsessed with socialization join a homeschool group of some sort. CCHE, for people living in Vancouver, has a website yearly memberships dues are only $18 and with it you get a monthly newsletter of things happening in the area. For me it took time for my family to come around because they where not exposed to homeschooling that actually involved educating the children the only example they saw was a woman whose children never spent time at home to learn so they thought I would just not bother to teach my children anything. This might also be your family's fear, if so seeing tangibly the accomplishment of your child will really help. Hope this gives you some ideas. Take care and know you are not alone. Contact me anytime.
Vida

I don't Home School my children, however, I am a firm believer of doing what is right for your children. You have to do what is right for your children. If your family is disapproving, don't bring up the subject anymore. If they ask, or if they start talking about it negitively-ask them to keep thier opinions to themselves. As long as you and your husband are on the same page, that is all that matters. These are your children, and you are raising them-not the grandparents and other relatives. I have had to remind my mother-in-law of this time and time again.
My son is 6 (December b-day)-he had a rough start and was at Childrens for the first 3 months of his life. Was sent home on oxygen, feeding machines, etc. He has overcome alot in his life, and is now a normal child (who is very active). When we were talking about kindergarten, he got really upset. When we talked to him about it in late July, he started to cry, hyperventilate, and took us almost 45 minutes to calm him down (we talked to him about it at lunchtime, so we know he wasn't tired). This was more than a tantrum, he was visably upset. He simply, was not ready. Our friends in the education field (3 teachers and a principal) agreed that he was not ready, and keeping him home for another year wasn't going to hurt anyone, but if anything, he would do better in school. He's small for his age, and given his medical background, we and our friends felt this was fine. Everyone in our family supported us, except my mother-in-law. She thought he needed to be evaluated, tested, this and that. She would say this in front of our 6 year old, and she said this ALL the time. My husband had to stand up to her and tell her that WE are his parents, not HER. He told her to keep her opinions about this to herself and if she didn't, she wouldn't see her grandson's anymore. I couldn't believe he said that, but he did. She kept her opinions to herself.
We have discussed kindergarten with our son this month, and he is fine with it. He wants to go to school. He has learned his A,B,C's and numbers at home. He counts EVERYTHING he sees, and is more ready than he ever was last year. We made the right decision, because he is our son, and we listened to his needs. You are making the right decision for your children because you are listening to thier needs.
In every community I've lived in, I know there has been a Home Schooling community. Find them, you will need the extra support.

I am a mom of 2 homeschool kids K and 2nd gr. We have been homeschooling for 3 years. We, like you, received some negative reactions from extended family when we originally made our decision. Now, after three years of observing our children blossom academically, emotionally and socially, they "get it" and have even volunteered to help us! The homeschooling community over the past ten years has exploded and there are a lot of supportive programs you can turn to. Most school districts have some sort of support program (this is a good option if expense is of concern) and there are many private programs as well. Remember, YOU are the parents of your children. It is enough that you and your husband are supportive of each other in this decision, for you know your children and your family values better than anyone else. You are a team apart from any other extended family. We have met many wonderful teachers and families w/in the homeschool community that understand who we are, why we do what we do and have helped us in supporting our endeavors. Best of luck to you and enjoy your children!

hey there...
my name is A.. please email me directly at ____@____.com and i'll give you my phone number cuz i'd like to chat with you rather than type. is that ok?

I am glad you've reached a conclusion about homeschooling. I just wanted to offer you some encouragement!

My parents started homeschooling me and my 6 siblings following when I was in 2nd grade, 22 years ago. They were virtually alone too in those years. There aren't many in their 30s who were homeschooled. My husband and siblings were homeschooled all their lives and he and I had no questions about homeschooling. It's the only way for us!

Good for you for doing it! My mom started out with that tutoring way, but now she knows what cirriculum she prefers, buys it and uses it.

In Salem, we have a huge support group with used book sales, organized sports and the like.

Good luck!

I will be starting homeschooling also this year when my 5 year old starts kindergarten. I too am not impressed by what goes at alot of the public schools lately. Also I believe my daughter will greatly benefit from having all the one on one attention where her education is concerned. Plus extra time spent together as a family will be nice too. Besides who better to teach a child than there parents, the people who know them best. It seems that homeschooling is growing in popularity. It takes a good parent to do what's right for their children despite adversity. Remember they are your chldren. Relatives might want to put in their two cents worth but in the end you are the parent.It's your decision that matters. I've found that the website A to Z Home's Cool is very informative. Best of luck.
H. T.

I started homeschooling when I was in the Sixth grade, and continued for a few years. I enjoyed learning in that environment, becasue it is totally hands on learning, plus you don't have the strick curiculum, you can learn much more than you would in schools. I went back to school later on for the social interactions, that I feel are neccessary to develope as well. I just though you might like to hear from the point of an adult who was homeschooled my a very diligent mother, who taught me very well. I hope that you can make the discision that is right for you and the children and let your family have thier doubts. It may not just be the public school, but the other older children that make it bad, i don't know, but I will say best wishes on this. I hope it works out for you like it did for me.

There are many homeschool support groups on yahoo groups. Do a search for homeschool in your city. Hope that helps.

My family thought the same thing, but they live far away from me. It really came down to the fact that I felt in my mind and my heart that I was doing the best thing for my kid. To make it easier on my self. I started with a virtual acadamy. This is still considered public school, I didn't have to pay for the curriculum and the supervising teacher organizes field trips about once a month. You can also group up with some other families and do play groups etc. We go through WAVA for our virtual acadamy. You can check it out at WAVA.org. There are a lot of options out there.
I ended up sharing some of the lessons with some of my family so they could see the great curriculum that was involved. Also if they are putting a lot of pressure on you, keep a list of all the positives around you so that you are not side tract to their peer pressure. I love having my daughter at home becuase it gives me the control over what she learns and how she learns.

Hi KJ!

I am a former home shcooling mother and am considering taking my son out of school due to problems with the school as well. When we first started out we didn't have any support either and felt very isolated. How we managed to turn the negative concern that our family felt around was to have the kids do a days worth of school with the family members around. It was a great way for them to see that we didn't just play all day and the kids did in fact get structure and a great education. Also, if you haven't selected a curriculum yet, I strongly suggest teh Abeka system. Great curriculum with tons of reinforcement through out the entire curriculum. You can find it at www.abeka.org and they will mail you whatever you order. You can buy the entire years worth or pick and choose what would work for you. Good luck next year!!

D.

Deal with your family with lots of patience and lots of conviction! Arm yourself with statistics like more than 85% of highschool drop outs are gifted. Collecting such facts may not convince them you are right but it will make them stop discussing it with you at that moment. Over time they will see the amazing work you are doing with your kids. You could also keep work to show when people come to visit.

One of my good friends is a teacher and grandmother. When her daughter started HSing the granddaughter she was very disapproving. I had her subscribe to the homeschool free stuff newsletter to get those wonderful stories. I also became all excited and exclaimed " how wonderful they have you around! A certified teacher that will let them know when she sees something missing with lots of ideas!" She relaxed then and realized that she could help if there was trouble.

And my final story.. When I was 15 I asked my parents to let me homeschool or do correspondance. They responded "if your going to homeschool you might as well drop out". So, I droped out as soon as I turned 16 and was legaly allowed. I then got a job, started college, and moved out. I had never enjoyed the public school system and had never done well. And yet I had all A's in college!

I did it for a while with my daughter. It's your life, just do it and let them get used to it. It might take a while but when they see you as structured and your children as learning and possibly learning at an advanced level like lots of home schoolers do they will lighten up. There will be a lot of support for you once you are in the home schooling community too. You'll be surprised how many home schoolers are out there!!

If you really are that passionate about doing it and are ready for the commitment it would take on your part then if I were you I'd be absolutely deaf to what others say. Personally I am not a huge supporter of home schooling simply from the socialization standpoint but if someone I knew decided to do it I would support them 100% because first of all it is their children and their business and secondly it isn't my decision to make regardless of what my personal opinion is.

As far as the school goes...don't give up and they will at some point support you rather than oppose you but you must understand that there are many factors that would cause them not to want parents to home school. Seeing their side of things, acknowledging their side of things and trying to work in cooperation with the school while standing up for your own rights would most definitely be the best way to go. Resistence creates opposite and equal resistence. If you show you want to work with them rather than do what you want to do inspite of them it just might change things completely.

Good Luck,
C.

I don't home school my children, but have met quite a few people that have through various sports that my children play. All of these parents seem to really enjoy the bond they are forming with their children and find the experience rewarding. I'll bet you could look online to find a local Home Schooling Group of parents to get some support. I know that many of the kids plan outings/field trips where they meet up with other families that also home school. Good Luck

Ok I understand about wanting families support, but these are your children and if you want to homeschoo them, whether they approve or not, is your decision. If I could I would also homeschool. Unfortanatly my husband and I both have to work to make ends meet, but I do not like the public school system, and would like a decent education for our children. They have programs for parents who decide to homeschool who will offer plenty of support, and answer any questions you may have. Good Luck with homeschooling, and simply let your family know that whether they approve or not, you are doing this because you want the best for your children, and the school system just isnt it.

I am by no means an older, wiser mom, but I will tell you this, something I have been learning along the way of being a mom to my two boys. there is more than one way to raise a child, and if it isn't truly hurting them, than it's okay.

Homeschooling isn't for everyone, myself included (I am not that disciplined to be my child's primary) and so a lot of people think it isn't for anyone. You will find that attitude is a lot of issues and people as you go along. I had to deal with it with my birthing decisions and vaccines, etc.

So, if your kids are thriving, just smile and keep doing what you are doing.

If this were my family, they would probably be less than supportive as well. They always seem to think that there are no other social outlets for children other than a school. My kids are not in school yet, but if we have not moved by the time they are, we may be homeschooling as well. I think that all you can do is just go with your decision and proove to your family that it isn't destroying your kids' lives. I would make sure that they do have social outlets, by way of homeschool coop's, church groups, sports, music... whatever it is that fits into your life.
On the other hand, homeschooling is tough. You do have to make sure that your children are academically learning what they would in the schools. Many kids go way beyond their levels with home school, though... because frankly, Public Schools are geared to meet the needs of all students, and often end up leaving advanced children behind, because of sheer boredom. I homeschooled 6 children, as part of a mission project in Africa for 2 years. It was not easy... especially with the older ones. (Mainly because I had forgotten everything about advanced math by that time.)
I say if you know in your heart that this is the very best thing for your children... you should do it, and your family may fall in line later. But know that they may be looking extremely critically at you and your children, and trying to find fault. Hang in there, though... they are your kids and it's THEIR future, not your family's that you should be concerned about.

You can google home schoolers in your area. A lot of families at our church home school, you can start there as well.