Homeschooling

I'm homeschooling Kylie this year and cannot decide what to do with her next year. I feel like there a gazillion reasons homeschooling would be better for our family and yet I don't enjoy actually homeschooling. Well, that's not fully true, it's just hard when Emeric requires constant supervision and energy and attention and trying to still find time to sit down with Kylie. Between therapy and doctor appt's and everything else going on it's stressful.

I was reading through some reasons others gave for homeschooling and was encouraged though:

-not being tied to a school schedule

-There's freedom of scheduling, ability to teach your child your values and morals (and religion, if that's your priority), individualized lesson plans, higher meal quality, avoidance of bullying culture, easier dress code

-There's also the issue of freedom from the negative influences of the peer group. I think it's profoundly unnatural for children to spend their days in the company of 20-30 other children exactly their own age, and I think it brings out the worst in every age group.

-- The kids can eat when they're hungry, not just when the school says it's time.- They don't have to ask permission to go use the bathroom.- We have a field trip every Friday, while the local schoolkids are lucky to get one or two a year.- We can go camping in the middle of May, without "missing school."

-We like the freedom it gives us to do what we want with our days and not be tied to a school schedule. We like that activities are individualized and that the kids can follow their interests. We like being able to spend more time together. We like that they are able to be involved in more real world activities. We like that their days are not scheduled to the point where they don't have time to just sit and think or daydream.

-For us, for now, homeschooling is the better choice because our children aren't spending their days with a peer group that would exert more influence over them than we do. It's true - I'm actually keeping my kids out of school becuase of the dreaded socialization And the amazing ability to live a schedule that works for everyone is pretty wonderful. I love that we can tailor our children's educations to their interests and speed of progression.

-Homeschooling allows my children to see learning as something that happens all the time, everywhere. Not just between certain hours, in a certain building and of certain months out of the year. It allows us to move through material at a pace that honors my children's interests in and love for the subject matter. When something sparks their passion, they have the freedom to dive as deep as need be to quench their thirst for knoweldge and understanding. Homeschooling allows me the privilege of witnessing and even participating in that joyful and miraculous process with them. Homeschooling fosters and supports my own personal development and brings us together as a family, strengthening our bonds of love and trust.

-Not having to get up early! And no, you do not have to get up and "go to school" to lead a meaningful, productive life. I was homeschooled and graduated with honors from college. Just because I didn't learn to get up early and sit at a desk did not mean I never learned responsibility, determination and drive.

-freedom-flexibility-parental oversight of the curriculum-meeting a child's individual needs and encouraging their natural strenghts-letting a child work at his own pace without being compared to other children-family time

I don't intend on starting any debate about homeschooling vs. public schooling. I'm just sharing opinions from lots of people that homeschool and all of these same people said, "I don't feel like homeschooling is necessarily the better choice but it is for OUR family". Key word being their family. They all understand that what works for one family might not work for another but I think all of their points are valid and are the same reasons I have felt like homeschooling is the better option for us.

I still have no idea what we'll do next year at this point but I'm hoping that anyone that homeschools or is thinking of homeschooling finds some encouragement in the thoughts of other homeschooling moms!