"That Does It! I'm Homeschooling!"

I did homeschool my two children for a few years because I left their abusive father and it wasn't safe for them to be in school. We truly enjoyed it and if I had it my way, if I didn't have to work, I would still be homeschooling. My kids don't enjoy the public school, they are getting tons of practise on how to deal with bullies and favortism, just to name a few. My oldest daughter is way ahead of everyone else so she does find public education very boring. She is used to expanding her knowledge to no limit, reading, researching, building... all of which she is force to confine to the rest of the group now. My youngest daughter on the other hand is behind, not because we homeschooled but because of her special needs. Last year, the school was not accommodating to her needs so I had to pull her out and she soared with her education. We are trying the public system again and so far so good.

I will be homeschooling when I have children but right now I just wanted to let you know that you can find books to help you with homeschooling at the library. Or, at least they have them in our library. Just thought that might help you.

Hi, I'm looking into virtual homeschooling at the moment. It's funded by the public school system and they provide all the materials w/o the hassle of my local school system. I'm so tired of the he needs ritalin or we have to suspend him for writing a note that he doesn't like the teacher. He's gotten into so much trouble that I just can't handle it anymore. I know he's not perfect, but when they are punishing my child and not others involved and he's being bullied than that's it, I'm not taking it anymore. He will be finishing the year, but hopefully will not be going back next year.

well we originally started because our child who was going into first grade would have had only 8 weeks of school before our impending move across country.... and then we got a rental house in the new state but knew that we would soon be moving again so did not want to enroll him in one school to pull out midyear for another school.... we would just wait till next year to enroll him. at the next house I was doing child care for a neighbor and would walk her young son to school... taking him there it impacted upon me in a major way how all these kids were being herded like cattle. It was truly awful and I was convinced that I did not want that for my child.

I home schooled my youngest daughter for junior high because she was just too far ahead of the other kids and junior high is the time if you are going to lose them you do. She was extremely internally motivated and I do believe in order for home school to really work the child has to be internally motivated or you are liable to have a constant battle on you hands. I do not think that 1st through 5th should be home schooled because they miss too much of the socialization needed for young kids. I do not think that High school age kids should be home schooled because it is just too hard to do the labs and they miss out on PE, Chemistry etc. And they need the socialization too. My daughter did High school and junior college at the same time.

I have a 3 year old, and a 2 year old, so we aren't quite at school age yet, but this has been on my mind since the day I found out I was pregnant.Right now I think we will start with pre-k in the fall and see how it goes. I know my daughter needs more interaction with people outside of our family, but her dad and I both had problems in public school. Both of us were quick learners, and prone to boredom. I managed to overcome mine with the help of a very special teacher and become a straight A student, and learn to love schooling. But, my husband wasn't so lucky - he made it throught the 10th grade. He dropped out 3 times before finally giving up completely. He tried for his GED, but by then he had such an issue with classrooms, and testing - he couldn't even finish the test. So, I am unsure about public school, but I think we will give it a shot. Im also unsure whether I am up to the task of teaching my children. They are so bright, and stubborn I'm not sure I can have the disipline to teach them, and keep up with them myself.

I dont homeschool my children but i dont frown upon those who do. School is getting dangerous with all the shootings and violence so I think families who can accomodate homeschoolings should be commended. perhaps in the future if we can afford one working spouse i may also homeschool as well.

I wrote about this when I first started homeschooling, but you know me AJ I love to talk about homeschooling or unschooling as we like to call it now, since that is more of how we do things. I decided when my children were very small and I was teaching them their abc's and 123's that I would be a highly involed parent in my children's education. I sent my kids to public school like everyone excepts you to and at first it was fine. I started reading to my kids in my belly, and when they were babies I would read to them, by the age of 3 both of my girls were reading and my son at the age of 2 started reading. I also know that technology is here today and the future of tomorrow so I invested in early childhood educational software and my children all have been using computers since about the age of 1. So when my oldest first started school, her teachers found her a big help, she would help the other students along and that was good for the first few years. By second grade though she was starting to get picked on because she was smart for her age was reading at an 9th grade level at that time and kids started bullying her. My youngest daughter start Kindergarden that year and things were okay for her, she is really shy, but has a photo graphic memory. She can describe in detail things she see for only a split second. Things were okay for her for a while as well. The year my oldest entered third grade and my youngest entered Kindergarden is when things started to get really bad. The principal of our school was accused of abusing a student so they started letting the bullies get away with bullying other students. I was a manager at McDonalds at the time and my son was going to an afterschool childcare program and a 4th grader was hitting him and pushing him down. The pricipal said he would take care of it, but it kept happening. Around the same time, I was transferred to a different store, and became really unhappy with my job. I always prefer working for myself anyways. So I decided, it was time for a career change, so my kids could be with me right after school. The teachers were really starting to make me really mad at this time. My daughter had started developing a health condition, that went undiagnois for over a year. They wouldn't let her go to the bathroom when she need to go, until I raised heck about it. My son's teacher wanted me to take my son and have him put on Ritilan because he would want to finish things he had already started before moving on to the next thing. I am all about education, and I learned in college that every person on earth learns in a different way. You have audio learner, visual learners, and tactical/kensetic learners. And my son being a tactical learner don't learn in the traditional ways of learning. Kids like him are often mislabeled as ADD/ADHD children. When his teacher told me that I need to take him to the doctor, I told her she need to reeducate herself on learning styles and if she ever stepped out of her place again and said that to me, I would sue, her because she is not a doctor and it is illegal for any educator in the state of Indiana to suggest that, it is illegal in many states. The following year I had, had about enough. The first grade teacher my son had, also told me I need to take him to the doctor to be put on ritalin. I told her what I told his kindergarden teacher. I started talking to my husband about homeschooling that night. We talked about it and thought, that it would be a good idea and decided when the current semester was up, that I would homeschool the children. Then our daughter was hositpalized. We didn't know what was wrong, but something really bad was happening to her. She missed a week of school because she was in the hositpal. I didn't bother going and getting her missed work until, that Friday. She did it and told me it was done 2 and 1/2 hours later. I thought, no way she can have this done. So I checked her work, she had it done. She went back to school that following week, and Friday came, I went to pick up the kids, like I always do and Macie walks up to me with a big welt on her neck crying, because she thought she was going to be in trouble, because a boy hit her in the neck and shoulder (she had a welt there too) and she told the teacher, they were both sent to the principal and she was kicked out of school. I went and talked to the teacher, he agreed she shouldn't be suspended, but the pricipal thought other wise, so I told him no she wasn't that I was giving him notice, and would have it in writing Monday that my kids, were going to be transferred to private homeschooling. That night, I got online and registered with the state. I had already been researching what I needed to do, I just got started earlier than what I planned. But I do not regret a day of it. My children are flourishing and learning. They are growing their minds, and their horizons. They get to explore their interest fully, and not have to stop because it time to move on to the next subject. My son started to regress educationally once he started public school, now I have him back on track and he is at grade level in all his subjects and a few above grade level. My daughters are the same way and they love being homeschool. They best part they say is not having to get out in nasty weather, and not having to worry about grades. I don't give out grades. I did at first, but reliezed learning and mastering skills don't have nothing to do with grades. We go to homeschool gym at the YMCA and my Pagan Homeschool group in East Central Indiana is starting a track and field team for all homeschooler in the area. (Religious affliations we don't want to know about) They get to go on field trips to places we learn about, and then them facts remain with them through experience. You can't beat it. I love it and will keep homeschooling till they go off to college. I encourage anyone that is unhappy with their childrens education to take matters into their own hands. After all its our respondsibility as parents to make sure our children have what they need and education is apart of that need. Great topic AJ Love ya.

I think it depends on the kid. I would've gone crazy if I'd been homeschooled! School was my chance to get away from mom and dad and be a normal kid (I'm in wheelchair and normality was a pricey commodity).

I have a daughter who is going to graduate from public school this year. She is so smart and way ahead of the others that she is going to college classes in the afternoon and high school in the morning. I have seen first hand the teachers that at the high school level just do not care any more. The teacher are disrespected by the kids and there is always fight amoung the students. The public schools are small and in disrepair. The government in my state are doing nothing. In my state the public school here says if you get a D in one or more of your classes you can still pass to the next grade. I am not happy with this. However, they offered my daughter special classes to help her excel. I wanted to home school my daughter but I just did not have the patience to do so. My girlfriend homeschools her children and they are on a higher level of education than they would be if they were in public school. I cas see the difference in her children's education and what the kids in my daughter's school is. If I were just starting out with a family, I think I would definately do the homeschool thing.

My husband and I have discussed doing the homeschooling. Right now our daughter is in a pre-kindergarten class. in Aug 2008 she will be in full day kindergarten. She likes school. Gets to ride a bus mornings a week. Right now the public school environment is good for her.But we are leaving it open as an option. Missouri has some wonderful resources, I've found. And should issues arise with her education or social environment we would really consider it as an option.