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RealTalk: Homeschooling
Posted on 10/28/14 at 9:45 am
Posted on 10/28/14 at 9:45 am
So my wife has recently started sharing that she is interested in homeschooling. At first, my impression is, no, public/private schools are fine. i did public schools, my wife did public schools. and we loved it.
a majority, but not all of the homeschool kids i know are mostly well adjusted, but usually a different personality. a few flat out weird peeps, and a couple of completely normal people (looking at you T)
her attitude is that she's just not ready to not see them all day and with my job that travels. she wants us to be together more often. she wants to be able to say "hey, let's go see the grandparents" and leave at the drop of a hat. also with my travel, they could come with me more often and see some cool parts of the US that she and I never saw growing up. With my job currently, my kids have seen more of Texas than i did by the time i was 20 and they are 7 and 5.
My apprehension is not just the "stigma" attached to homeschoolers, but i like my kids being around a lot of people that aren't like them. The majority of our friends from church are a bunch of upper middle class WASPs and i love them, but i feel that my kids meet people from different backgrounds in school. and i really like them not having a sheltered childhood like i had in that. i sincerely didn't have a black or hispanic friend in my small school till HS, and my kids have friends all over the place in that spectrum.
We're involved in plenty of activities that keep them socialized, so i'm not worried about that, because they are both "popular" in their group of friends, but I feel like we get too much control in those things, whereas in public schools, they experience much of the real world i can't offer them in homeschool.
So obviously based on my posting, we're christians, and don't believe that the earth is only 5000 years old and Adam and Eve played with dinosaurs. So no we don't want to shelter them from science and secular crap. It's fine that they get different beliefs from our own.
So if any parents of homeschoolers or critics have opinions, i'd love to hear them. I'm currently leaning NO at about 70% right now. a month ago when she brought it up i was around 99%.
a majority, but not all of the homeschool kids i know are mostly well adjusted, but usually a different personality. a few flat out weird peeps, and a couple of completely normal people (looking at you T)
her attitude is that she's just not ready to not see them all day and with my job that travels. she wants us to be together more often. she wants to be able to say "hey, let's go see the grandparents" and leave at the drop of a hat. also with my travel, they could come with me more often and see some cool parts of the US that she and I never saw growing up. With my job currently, my kids have seen more of Texas than i did by the time i was 20 and they are 7 and 5.
My apprehension is not just the "stigma" attached to homeschoolers, but i like my kids being around a lot of people that aren't like them. The majority of our friends from church are a bunch of upper middle class WASPs and i love them, but i feel that my kids meet people from different backgrounds in school. and i really like them not having a sheltered childhood like i had in that. i sincerely didn't have a black or hispanic friend in my small school till HS, and my kids have friends all over the place in that spectrum.
We're involved in plenty of activities that keep them socialized, so i'm not worried about that, because they are both "popular" in their group of friends, but I feel like we get too much control in those things, whereas in public schools, they experience much of the real world i can't offer them in homeschool.
So obviously based on my posting, we're christians, and don't believe that the earth is only 5000 years old and Adam and Eve played with dinosaurs. So no we don't want to shelter them from science and secular crap. It's fine that they get different beliefs from our own.
So if any parents of homeschoolers or critics have opinions, i'd love to hear them. I'm currently leaning NO at about 70% right now. a month ago when she brought it up i was around 99%.
11
Posted on 10/28/14 at 9:47 am to 3nOut
TLDR: I'm 28, was homeschooled K-12. I liked it, and you can try it for a year and if you don't like it, put em back.
I was homeschooled from K-12, to preface. Had 3 younger siblings, they all had the same amount, but different experiences because of advances and changes in homeschool culture and where we lived. I'll explain.
No, they really aren't. If your kid succeeds it will in spite of the schools, not because of them (unless you pay a LOT out of pocket).
Could definitely say the same for public/private schoolers in general as well, just sayin'.
We had a blast on vacations because thanks to homechooling, we always went on the offseason. Our parents figured out ways to make trips anywhere educational.
Ok, the perception of homeschoolers as being all WASPs was a lot more true in the 90s, but the pool of people who are now doing it has grown since. I grew up in a very WASPish homeschool group, but due to the fact that I was around my parents a lot, I took their attitudes more than I did my peers. As a result, I branched out more into other groups (baseball/soccer/boyscouts) and hung out with a more diverse group than most of the other homeschoolers I knew. Really what you are trading as far as socialization is the primary influence in your kid's life: You or their peers.
As a 28 yr old who has been in the military and now corporate world, I don't know how much of the 'real world' kids experience in public school... But I didn't go so I'm basing that off of what I've heard from friends.
Homeschooling is not for everyone. However, there is no harm in trying it for a year or two and seeing what you think. Most people don't do what I did and go K-12 as a homeschooler. Try it and if you don't like it, put them back.
I was homeschooled from K-12, to preface. Had 3 younger siblings, they all had the same amount, but different experiences because of advances and changes in homeschool culture and where we lived. I'll explain.
quote:
So my wife has recently started sharing that she is interested in homeschooling. At first, my impression is, no, public/private schools are fine. i did public schools, my wife did public schools. and we loved it.
No, they really aren't. If your kid succeeds it will in spite of the schools, not because of them (unless you pay a LOT out of pocket).
quote:
a majority, but not all of the homeschool kids i know are mostly well adjusted, but usually a different personality. a few flat out weird peeps, and a couple of completely normal people (looking at you T)
Could definitely say the same for public/private schoolers in general as well, just sayin'.
quote:
her attitude is that she's just not ready to not see them all day and with my job that travels. she wants us to be together more often. she wants to be able to say "hey, let's go see the grandparents" and leave at the drop of a hat. also with my travel, they could come with me more often and see some cool parts of the US that she and I never saw growing up. With my job currently, my kids have seen more of Texas than i did by the time i was 20 and they are 7 and 5.
We had a blast on vacations because thanks to homechooling, we always went on the offseason. Our parents figured out ways to make trips anywhere educational.
quote:
My apprehension is not just the "stigma" attached to homeschoolers, but i like my kids being around a lot of people that aren't like them. The majority of our friends from church are a bunch of upper middle class WASPs and i love them, but i feel that my kids meet people from different backgrounds in school. and i really like them not having a sheltered childhood like i had in that. i sincerely didn't have a black or hispanic friend in my small school till HS, and my kids have friends all over the place in that spectrum.
Ok, the perception of homeschoolers as being all WASPs was a lot more true in the 90s, but the pool of people who are now doing it has grown since. I grew up in a very WASPish homeschool group, but due to the fact that I was around my parents a lot, I took their attitudes more than I did my peers. As a result, I branched out more into other groups (baseball/soccer/boyscouts) and hung out with a more diverse group than most of the other homeschoolers I knew. Really what you are trading as far as socialization is the primary influence in your kid's life: You or their peers.
quote:
We're involved in plenty of activities that keep them socialized, so i'm not worried about that, because they are both "popular" in their group of friends, but I feel like we get too much control in those things, whereas in public schools, they experience much of the real world i can't offer them in homeschool.
As a 28 yr old who has been in the military and now corporate world, I don't know how much of the 'real world' kids experience in public school... But I didn't go so I'm basing that off of what I've heard from friends.
quote:
So obviously based on my posting, we're christians, and don't believe that the earth is only 5000 years old and Adam and Eve played with dinosaurs. So no we don't want to shelter them from science and secular crap. It's fine that they get different beliefs from our own.
So if any parents of homeschoolers or critics have opinions, i'd love to hear them. I'm currently leaning NO at about 70% right now. a month ago when she brought it up i was around 99%.
Homeschooling is not for everyone. However, there is no harm in trying it for a year or two and seeing what you think. Most people don't do what I did and go K-12 as a homeschooler. Try it and if you don't like it, put them back.
This post was edited on 10/28/14 at 10:03 am
Posted on 10/28/14 at 9:54 am to 3nOut
Most homeschooled kids I met were weird as frick but I realize that's probably not a fair stereotype. If their friends are going to public school it seems like a good idea to send them where their friends will be. I'm a youngster without kids though so I don't want to seem like I'm judging, I probably have a different perspective
Posted on 10/28/14 at 10:01 am to 3nOut
quote:
a couple of completely normal people (looking at you T)
Hold UP!
When did I start being normal? I'm outraged.
And now I shall sit back and watch folks say how weird homeschoolers are
Posted on 10/28/14 at 10:02 am to 3nOut
I only know two people (close relationship) that homeschool. Here are their stories.
1. She pretty much started wearing her tin foil hat concerning school shootings. Couple that with her going neck deep into her faith and taking issues with her children possibly being exposed to things that do not strictly align with their exact beliefs and you have a wife who made it happen after fighting with her husband for nearly a year over it. She loves it. She is 100% convinced it is what is best for her family. My issue with her doing it is that she only has a high school education, her kids were very socially active at school and a lot of that had to come to a halt. They were no longer able to participate in band, etc.. That's wrong IMO and selfish of her.
2. My next door neighbor is a graduate from Texas A&M that taught at the elementary school in our neighborhood for years. She became a SAHM and then decided to homeschool. Her oldest just went into first grade and she decided to put her in our neighborhood school. She felt that the positives far out weighed the negatives.
I'm all for it if the parent is truly qualifed AND ensures that the children are given every opportunity to participate in as many activities as possible. I also believe that once the kids insist that they go to school where their friends do....the parents should greatly consider it.
I would never in a million years consider it, but in my house getting my kids to brush their teeth proper every night is like WW3. They would end up on a news segment if I homeschooled them.
1. She pretty much started wearing her tin foil hat concerning school shootings. Couple that with her going neck deep into her faith and taking issues with her children possibly being exposed to things that do not strictly align with their exact beliefs and you have a wife who made it happen after fighting with her husband for nearly a year over it. She loves it. She is 100% convinced it is what is best for her family. My issue with her doing it is that she only has a high school education, her kids were very socially active at school and a lot of that had to come to a halt. They were no longer able to participate in band, etc.. That's wrong IMO and selfish of her.
2. My next door neighbor is a graduate from Texas A&M that taught at the elementary school in our neighborhood for years. She became a SAHM and then decided to homeschool. Her oldest just went into first grade and she decided to put her in our neighborhood school. She felt that the positives far out weighed the negatives.
I'm all for it if the parent is truly qualifed AND ensures that the children are given every opportunity to participate in as many activities as possible. I also believe that once the kids insist that they go to school where their friends do....the parents should greatly consider it.
I would never in a million years consider it, but in my house getting my kids to brush their teeth proper every night is like WW3. They would end up on a news segment if I homeschooled them.
Posted on 10/28/14 at 11:10 am to 3nOut
It really depends on the school system, IMO, and your kids. We don't homeschool, but thought about it just because you can teach at your child's speed, whether they're exceptionally bright or need more time to learn things.
Posted on 10/28/14 at 12:12 pm to 3nOut
A lot of advantages to Home Schooling. My brother and his wife do it with their younger kids. Where I never understood how it worked is what if your kid has trouble with math and you yourself werent that strong in it? (Im talking algebra and up). Or how does your kid take French, or Physics, or Chemistry that requires either knowledge or facilities you dont have?
Posted on 10/28/14 at 3:24 pm to 3nOut
I don't have any credible input here since I attended a private school, but if you do homeschool, get them into extracurricular activities such as sports. Let them figure things out the hard way too. Maturity doesn't come with age, it comes with experience. Something my dad taught me at a young age.
Posted on 10/28/14 at 9:01 pm to 3nOut
The fact that homeschoolers are over represented on the rant should tell you something...and it's not a good thing.
Posted on 10/29/14 at 6:37 am to 3nOut
High school is a social experience as much as it is a learning one. I don't think I would ever home school.
Posted on 10/29/14 at 6:37 am to 3nOut
High school is a social experience as much as it is a learning one. I don't think I would ever home school.
Posted on 10/29/14 at 10:02 am to 3nOut
Weird parents homeschool weird kids.
Normal people who homeschool end up fine, and you seem extremely normal.
Weird parents that send a kid to public school can possibly end up with a prety cool kid, thanks to outside influences..
Normal people who homeschool end up fine, and you seem extremely normal.
Weird parents that send a kid to public school can possibly end up with a prety cool kid, thanks to outside influences..
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