One thing I can't put my hands on is something I previously read about "how to answer when people ask you why you homeschool." Or how to "defend" your position to family and friends without saying too much. I know we have always had a lot of support, but when we have been questioned we would just say ... we are taking it one step at a time, and this is what is best for our family right now. If you have any insight on this, PLEASE comment!
Things get a little crazy at times, but we LOVE homeschooling! We enjoy the flexibility! We love making it all we need it to be and leaving the rest! We don't do any extra activities at this point. Since our children are 7, 5, 2.5, and 4 months - I have no desire to be out on the go a lot! We barely make it to the grocery and to get diapers when we need them! LOL! I haven't brought myself to go back to using cloth diapers! Yes, I did it at one time, and I may return to it to save a little cash, but for now ... I am helping fill the garbage dump! Needless to say, we like to stay home ... with a once a week trip to the library, to the store every other week or so, and to church every week - we are DONE! We have enough variation when family comes to visit or it is time for a check-up at the doctor! When Shelby was small, we would sometimes do an extra activity in the summer, but we don't do that every summer.
A little of our homeschool history. We set out, before we ever had children, planning to homeschool. I taught and we decided we didn't want our children in that setting. We homeschool for many reasons. The main one at this point is the peer influence. The other big reason is the academics. That last one scares me to death, but I know that I am starting young and I am learning with them. I don't have to jump into teaching algebra and chemistry! When Shelby was young a friend told us about a book The Well-Trained Mind. This book has been a big guide for our homeschool planning. Even with that influence, we decided to use Sonlight for out material for Shelby's kindergarten. Shelby was ready to start when I was expecting Jack! I was not in a mode that I could plan and collect materials for teaching. The Sonlight curriculum was just what I needed! We planned to take two years to complete kindergarten with Shelby. We were able to do an abbreviated schedule and take time off to visit family, sickness, and the birth of Jack. Sonlight had it all laid out, and we loved it! I still use some of it to supplement what I am doing, but it really got us off to a good start! Sonlight helped me to push some skills I would have never thought of at such a young age! It was amazing what we were able to read aloud as a family when Shelby was 4 and Grant was 2! What a special family time! Now we follow the classical approach that The Well-Trained Mind teaches, and we are progressing nicely! We had a big "vacation" in the fall for circumstances that we couldn't help, but that is part of the reason we homeschool. We are catching up and we are back in the swing of things! We are so blessed with the gift of teaching our children.
Below is something I got from a blog that I mention later! Some of it is funny, some of it is true, and some of it I would have left out, but ... here it is: What is a teacher?
Friday, February 18, 2005
A teacher is someone who can...
Give a hug without getting arrested.--
Bandage a knee without calling the school nurse.--
Change a lightbulb without calling the custodian.--
Make the children wash the bathrooms.--
Have a relationship with the principal without getting fired.--
Teach a child's mind while capturing their heart.--
Teach what they believe in and believe in what they teach.--
Meet the child's need and not worry about meeting the state guidelines.--
Commit to a lifetime of work without pay.--
Pray! in class, out loud, with the children and the ACLU can't say a word.
There is is only one that can fill that job description .. A teacher is a mom
"Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and do not forsake your mother's teaching." Proverbs 1:8
Spunky
Ok ... below are web-sites and blogs I have found. Some I have used a great deal. Others I have only found on my quest to find more information in the last few days. I am not sure what all you will find on these site, so please don't think that I agree with it all! I pray that this helps some of you as you get ready to homeschool!
Sonlight
http://www.sonlight.com/
National Home Education Network
http://www.nhen.org/newhser/default.asp?id=228
http://www.brandonstaggs.com/biblical-reasons-to-home-school.html
Home Educator.com
http://www.homeeducator.com/FamilyTimes/articles/8-4article2.htm
Love to Learn Place
http://www.lovetolearnplace.com/HomeSchoolFacts/reasonstohomeschool.html
Google search – Reason to Homeschool
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=reasons+to+homeschool&spell=1
http://homeschooling.about.com/
http://homeschooling.about.com/od/gettingstarted/p/homeschool101.htm
The Well-Trained Mind
http://www.welltrainedmind.com/
Blogs:
http://www.spunkyhomeschool.blogspot.com/
http://www.homeschoolbuzz.com/
http://susan.peacehillpress.net/blog/
http://whyhomeschool.blogspot.com/2006/02/introduction-to-homeschooling.html
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/KeepingtheHome/90805/
Encouragement and Friends
http://girltalk.blogs.com/girltalk/
http://helpmatefirst.blogspot.com/
http://blessedmomoffour.blogspot.com/
2 comments:
A friend e-mailed me a response, so I wanted to share it ...
You have a blog! No wonder you don't have time to
email me, directly. HAHA! My other two close friends
just blog... I read their blogs on occassion. I'll
bookmark yours, too. It gives me insight. I just
release through excessive emails. Wondering if it
wouldn't be better to just blog and post and then I'd
perhaps save time. HA!
I am happy to share. I was NOT an advocate of h/sing
at first. I was the "what about socialization" person.
I just thought that extremists h/sed. I also thought
they horded munitions (firearms), lived in communes,
and/or were such conservatives that their beliefs got
in the way of their educating their kids.
BOY! was I ever wrong!
I h/s for a lot of the same reasons as Christi. I
taught/counseled children. After attending a meeting
at a LLL conference in MS, I was hooked! A leader, who
I knew a bit, said openly that she just needed a
library card, a pencil and some paper... and she could
successfully homeschool. I was like a new convert in
the assembly. I will never forget that moment that my
heart was touched.
My parents completely understood. They struggled with
each of us with school in unique situations. We were a
military family and moved a lot. THat presented
problems alone b/c of constantly being behind or ahead
in schools. My brothers had academic problems. I had
social problems. It was never easy. My mom didn't have
the confidence to homeschool us. She said she didn't
think she could do it. I think my parents support us
for a variety of reasons, too. I think their favorite
is b/c they get to buy neat things for the kids at the
school supply stores... globe at sams... and an
abacus... and some other things.
BUT, they have more flexibility about when they get to
visit and see their grandkids. THey can call them
during the day and chat. They can pass through town
(my dad, with work) and get some love passed around.
It's just neat.
My inlaws have been curious to watch. They have at
times "quizzed" my kids about what they knew and how
they could "perform" certain things to prove I was
teaching them. It was ridiculous.
Some family continued to compare the cousins and
schooling sort of issues. Honestly, I just smile and
listen, but don't get involved in that sort of
conversations anymore. If I'm asked directly, then I
answer directly... but I just have a confidence in
what we are doing... My oldest is 10.5, now, so we've
been doing this a while.
He didn't read early, but he could multiply at 7. He
didn't write early, but now writes his own movie
dialogue to film with his brother and friends.
I think having you and your husband together on a
subject is most powerful. Get a plan. Let him respond
at times when it's appropriate. Not that your voice
isn't worthy, but oftentimes, when my husband says
something in his shortened version, people listen and
it's just different than my voice and my reasoning. I
think for his dad to hear it from his son... and not
that I was manipulating and bossing his son in our
lives... then it was taken differently.
I guess we had struggles from the beginnning. Things
we had to explain or be judged wrongfully and
hurtfully for... Nursing beyond a year. Cloth
diapering. Cosleeping. Having a room of mattresses on
the floor so the babies didn't roll off too far...
Dismantling the crib and making a variety of other
things from it... It was all good! I guess we've had
those "comments" from others... Homeschooling was no
different, really. The same well-meaning, but
"ignorant to the facts" people were the same folks we
had to talk to about this.
So the proof is in the pudding, so to speak. In time,
my children have grown into fun, smart, cooperative
(okay, not all the time), and confident children. They
are so fun to be with!
Our lives evolve around activities like scouts and
church and sports, but they aren't dictated by the
school calendar. We do school about 5 or 6 weeks with
a break. We do school at night, if something fun
happens to come up for the following day. We do school
in July and take breaks in the fall when the weather
is nicer AND Daddy can take off time from his Job. He
has an intense summer, so we LOVE the fall and winter.
We also go on vacations in November and February when
it's so awesome NOT to have the crowds!
Folks are impressed that my oldest knows some latin.
He understands Harry Potter spells b/c of it! He also
knows some of the prayers we say in church in Latin.
Our pastor thinks that's cool!
My children love NOT having to get up early and ride a
bus. They see the neighborhood kids leaving before
daylight and getting home WAY later than when they've
gotten done with their school work.
I think my point, in general, is to educate yourself.
Read alot and find a network of support with friends
(and family) who understand your decisions. Pray! This
is the most powerful defense of all. In quiet example,
you can move mountains, I believe.
Defensiveness doesnt help. Quiet confidence is
powerful.
Be courteous. Say things like "I understand your
concerns, but as I've been reading (share titles if
necessary), I've grown to understand the importance
of... family, socialization, peers, being home with
mom longer... etc)."
I know it's a strategic move, but it's always nice to
appeal to the opposers feelings and/or arguements, but
nicely say that you understand where they are coming
from... and that for the time being, you and your
husband are making these decisions for the sake of
your family unit.
THEN, when you get those rubs and brushes they aren't
so offensive. Protect yourself with the Holy Spirit,
being yourself and gracefully flowing in the family
you are building. It's about YOUR family... not about
the world around you!
I hope that helps. I know I get so WORDY!
KP
Hey Christi,
I didn't know you had a blog - I've added it to my favorites now.
As to how I respond when people ask why I homeschool, it depends on if they are just curious or being ugly. I try to be friendly and give them an honest answer without saying anything negative about others' choices. I won't say that the schools are bad, just that right now I'm able to provide a great education for my kids. I can't see into the future and say that my kids will never go to public school, so I don't ever want to say anything bad about them. Now if someone is just asking me about it to be confrontational, I ignore them. If it's someone close to me who disagrees with my decision, then it's a matter of setting boundaries and letting them know that it's not up for discussion. On the Well Trained Mind boards, they talk about passing the bean dip - basicalling setting boundaries and changing the subject. So if someone would start trying to convince you to send your child to school you might reply with, "We are happy with what we are doing, thank you. Would you like some bean dip?" Avery's Godfather (Steve's Uncle) is a psychologist in the academia world and thinks that homeschooling is the worst thing that I could do *to* her. Needless to say, I really try to avoid talking to him at all, but that isn't always possible. And he is interested in her life. So, what I try to do is talk about her outside activities like dance, piano and art. It makes him feel better that she has some of that all important socialization *snicker* and I can brag on her without actually discussing her schoolwork.
Hope this was some of what you were looking for. If you want to ever check out my lame blog, it's at http://home.earthlink.net/~twogmensan/
Krista
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