My house is a homeschooling house. I realized last night that we have been homeschooling for 15 years now. Wow! I must admit, I didn't always think I was going to make it this long. I can remember the first three years right around Christmas time thinking that if I didn't send this kid to school, I'm gonna kill him! In all honesty, it wasn't the poor kids fault. I was stuck in my teacher mindset, trying to do school at home. Things sure have changed in 15 years.
There are way more people home schooling now. I don't know if that is good or bad. In the old days..^.^... people who home schooled did it for very distinct reasons. Now people do it because it is the thing to do. They "try" it like they do a new pair of shoes and stop if it gets to uncomfortable. I started because we moved to a school district that had some pretty scary kids in it. As we became more fundamental in our religious beliefs and political views, we had to keep them out. The worst thing I ever did was to put the oldest into private school for his high school years. I regret it to this day. I know I won't ever put any of my other kids into school settings.
The curriculum choices are huge now. In the old days...^.^... there was Abeka, Bob Jones and Lifepacs. Booorrrriiinnnggg. Now there are almost to many choices. We have loosened way up on curriculum and don't do nearly as much book work as we used to. We don't use any one curriculum, but we do have favorites. I love Saxon math and Apologia Science. There is a series of Scholastic workbooks that teach the basics well that we use throughout the fifth grade. After that it really depends on the child and their interests and their learning styles. I have artistic children who have varying interests and we pursue different avenues as we come to them.
I have to say that I really love the way my children are coming out. They are sweet, smart, articulate people. Their favorite things are all wholesome. Their friends are all nice. They love God and have a heart to do His will. They are super funny, every last one of them. They think beyond themselves and their own needs and desires. This is so amazing to me.
There are way more people home schooling now. I don't know if that is good or bad. In the old days..^.^... people who home schooled did it for very distinct reasons. Now people do it because it is the thing to do. They "try" it like they do a new pair of shoes and stop if it gets to uncomfortable. I started because we moved to a school district that had some pretty scary kids in it. As we became more fundamental in our religious beliefs and political views, we had to keep them out. The worst thing I ever did was to put the oldest into private school for his high school years. I regret it to this day. I know I won't ever put any of my other kids into school settings.
The curriculum choices are huge now. In the old days...^.^... there was Abeka, Bob Jones and Lifepacs. Booorrrriiinnnggg. Now there are almost to many choices. We have loosened way up on curriculum and don't do nearly as much book work as we used to. We don't use any one curriculum, but we do have favorites. I love Saxon math and Apologia Science. There is a series of Scholastic workbooks that teach the basics well that we use throughout the fifth grade. After that it really depends on the child and their interests and their learning styles. I have artistic children who have varying interests and we pursue different avenues as we come to them.
I have to say that I really love the way my children are coming out. They are sweet, smart, articulate people. Their favorite things are all wholesome. Their friends are all nice. They love God and have a heart to do His will. They are super funny, every last one of them. They think beyond themselves and their own needs and desires. This is so amazing to me.
We still have crazy days. They are brothers and sisters and can fight like cats and dogs and hardly a day goes by that someone isn't mad at someone else and tattling and breaking something. But when I look at the big picture, I am glad we are a home schooling family.
Agreed, agreed, agreed! I don't always love homeschooling, and it's not easy, but I am and will forever be thankful for the choice Rob and I made. I am positive that our children are more well-rounded socially, emotionally and academically than most private and public- schooled children.
ReplyDeleteI thank HaShem that we are able to give that to our kiddos... :-)