I find the many comments about homeschooling that are currently
circulating quite interesting. Many of
them are meant to be funny. People don’t
really intend to lock their kids in the basement or duct tape them to the wall….
I hope!
I spent a total of 16 years homeschooling my four kids for
varying lengths of time. Two of my
daughters were only homeschooled 3 years…from 6th to 8th
grade. One was in homeschooling 6 years…from
5th through 10th grade.
My son never went to public school.
He started kindergarten at home when he was 4 and went to college
part-time when he was 13. That year, I
homeschooled subjects he was not taking at the junior college. At 14, he took college courses full-time, and
my homeschooling came to an end.
Although it required a great deal of organization and
self-discipline, I enjoyed homeschooling and felt it improved relationships
with the kids. When they were in public
school, the girls would come home with upsets and frustrations. They were not in a mood to be helped with
homework. In contrast, homeschool
allowed me to deal with any educational problems during the day as they
occurred. Frustration did not build
throughout the day. By late afternoon, instead
of walking in the door and dumping the days upsets on me, they were finished
with their work and ready to go out and play or visit with friends or have a
quiet time by themselves. Everyone’s
moods were better.
They also quickly learned that if they got their work done
before lunch, we could do other things. During
the winter months, this included regular trips to the ice arena to skate. We could also travel. We sometimes rented an RV, packed up the
schoolwork and accompanied my husband on business trips. Some days we would stay in an RV park and do
schoolwork while he made business calls.
Other days we went on educational adventures. We visited historical and educational sites
in Boston, Philadelphia and Washington DC.
We also enjoyed beaches and tourist attractions in Florida. Our son traveled with us many times,
including a “field trip” to the Alamo and the Fire-fighters Hall of Flame. When the girls returned to public school,
they sometimes commented on being the only one in their social studies class
who had seen some of the historical places they were studying.
In the current environment, traveling around isn’t possible
and get togethers with friends aren’t safe either. But, having spent the school hours with their
parents, I think most children will be ready to do something on their own.
If you are new to homeschooling, don’t put yourself under
pressure to work with your kids the entire time of normal school hours. A lot of time is wasted during a traditional
school day. Your child should be able to
complete their lessons in much less time than the length of a school day. So, give them and yourself some breaks. Let them explore some of their own interests. Allow them to learn from things that are
typically done around the house. It’s OK
for them to help with household chores.
Teach them to do laundry, to sew on a button, to cook and bake. Encourage them to plant some seeds and watch their progress.
Make use of online resources.
The material available online now seems almost limitless. Maybe you don’t understand some math concept
they are studying, but I can guarantee there is some online site that is
explaining it better than their usual teacher could. There are loads of documentaries available to
reinforce lessons in history. Let them
explore maps…. knowledge of geography seems to be woefully lacking these days.
Don’t put yourself under too great a burden with
homeschooling! During daily life, teach
your kids what you yourself know. It
doesn’t have to seem like a lesson…just talk to them. Answer their questions. Young children ask many, many questions. Don’t let this annoy you. It’s a compliment that they think you know
the answers! As they get older, they
want to debate and discuss. Don’t be
threatened by this. They may disagree
with you to your face, but actually accept your opinions.
Enjoy these days. They
won’t last forever. One day you will be
an old grandma or grandpa sitting in your retirement community apartment
reminiscing. That’s what I am doing.