The following has some of reasons of why I have chosen to home school. I don't LOVE long posts so sorry this one will be long. Some of my reasons are personal, selfish and might make no sense, but they are important to me. Most of these are not reason enough to keep my child out of the public system. But together they are and don’t forget my number 1 reason is I feel the Lord has guided me to this decision. With the Lord behind me I know what I’m doing is for the right reasons. I don’t know how long we’ll home school but with the Lord’s guidance I’m sure we’ll know in the future what’s best for our kids.
At the beginning of the school year I was starting thinking about Homeschooling. It seemed like every time I turned around the subject would come up. My cousin talked to me about it, a girl on my Daughter’s soccer team is being home-schooled and there were other things that made me think about it. I talked to running buddies and a few others about it. When it came down to it I felt like the Lord was leaving the decision up to me. I decided for now I’d leave miss S in school and I felt good about that decision. I decided last fall that my life was too stressed. I left her in school and she's loved it. I don't regret that decision. I do wish I would've done more to challenge her but then again, I've been busy. As the year progressed there have been several times that I’ve thought about homeschooling. Miss S broke her leg and went from being totally independent to being almost totally dependent. We spent tons of time together. Which has led me to my decision now, to home school. I know that it is what is best for our family. Knowing what I know now, I can’t send my kids to school.
My husband’s reasons are clearly political, though I fully support him in those reasons and agree with him. We kept our daughter home on Earth Day because it a political based day. We’re not against taking care of the planet and we feel it is important not to waste. But we’re not going to run out of water, unless the Lord decides to have a drought, He is in charge. I could go on, but you get the idea. Schools are getting filled with political and sexual garbage. Ideas that young children don't need to learn about at school, that we as parents are responsible for teaching. We want our daughter to know our country’s history and constitution.
The year has also been hard in volunteering. I don’t mind helping but I’ve really bitten off more than I can chew. I know how much teachers need help (I taught Kindergarten for 5 years and currently teach preschool), reliable and consistent help. Parents can help a teacher do things they can't. I’ve been in my daughter's classroom almost every Friday for two hours. Though I’ve asked for some Fridays off because I’ve needed them. However I should ask for a lot more Fridays off. Next year I was planning to help only every other week. I just don’t have the time to raise my children, teach and plan for preschool and give a ton of volunteer time. I tell others that I feel I have to help out and they ask why? They tell me I don’t have to, which is true. But I feel a strong need to make sure I know what is going on in my daughter’s classroom. To help out and be involved. I’m also on the PTA board; unfortunately I’ve only been to two meetings. I will be helping with field day. A big project that thankfully most the work is already done. But it’s another example of me trying to be involved and not having the time to do it.
Another thing I’ve had a hard time with this year is I feel like miss S started out really high, not because she is gifted, but because she had 3 years of preschool, her birthday was November 1st and I was her preschool teacher. Now at the end of the year I know she’s learned tons, but she’s not ahead like she was. The first several months were extra hard because of all the review her class did. Homework has been hard because most of it is too easy. I don’t want miss S just doing busy work, I want her challenged. I try and challenge her as much as I can, but I don’t always have the time to do that either. I’ve realized that it’s my fault she wasn’t challenge this year. I didn’t expect her teacher (who we LOVE) to challenge her or keep her far ahead. That is my job and I didn't do it. Every year is going to be the same thing, we’ll work during the summer she’ll start out high and she won’t be challenged. Her teachers won’t know her and what skills she already knows. They’ll continue to review so that all the kids catch up. I’m just not willing to accept that. She doesn’t have to be the smartest student, but I do want her challenged and since that’s my job she might as well be home with me so I can challenge her and do my job. I can continue her learning and not worry about all the wasted time at school. Waiting for other students, waiting for lunch, etc.
Another thing that I can’t handle is sending her to school all day, seriously do they need to be out of the home that long? I know this one is selfish but I love my kids and I love being around them. I’m not perfect I do need my breaks and my alone time but most the time I enjoy my kids. I quit teaching Kindergarten and started teaching preschool in my home because I could not handle letting my child go to a sitter (and I had great family sitters). I had a hard time this year letting her go to Kindergarten, and I couldn’t imagine sending her all day to First grade. Thankfully for now I don’t have to deal with that. Are Mom’s supposed to have so much separation anxiety? I’m O.K. with her going places with out me, for short times and I’m O.K. with lots of situations, but not going to school.
When I’m not working I want to be with my children. If I go on a field trip I want my kids to go too and I did pull miss S out of school to go to the Ogden Treehouse. I called the school one day and told them she wasn’t going to be at school that day, they asked if she was sick and I said no, I just didn’t want to send her. I felt a little guilty but why should I feel guilty at all for wanting to spend some quality time with my daughter.
Bottom line, I know my child, I know where she is and what she needs to learn. I don’t have all the answers on how to teach her yet, but I have a I’ve been spending hours trying to organize everything and I still have tons to do, but I’m getting there. With the Lord's help I know I can teach my daughter the things she needs to learn to succeed in life.
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