Adventures in Homeschooling

Well, today was a very interesting learning experience for me as well as for Ethan!
While sitting at the table I had quite a difficult time trying to get hime to pay attention to the letters we were working on and practicing writing. Several times I had to tell him to sit up, to listen to what I was saying, and to pay attention.

Then I felt like a really BAD homeschooling mom. ‘Cuz don’t I sound like the typical gradeschool teacher?!!

So after an agonizing 20 minutes of practicing our letters/phonics/writing, I decided to change tactics and do math, but rather that pull out the work books, used legos. . .and this was far more entertaining and interesting for him!

But ending on a positive note. . .we then read four stories and one Emily Dickenson poem about the sea. So after all, we ended on a good note. I think I really need to get my hands on a book about learning styles. Because the sitting at the desk and writing thing is going over like a lead balloon! I just don’t know how else to incorporate writing skills. Maybe I should just wait a while. We’ll see how it goes tomorrow.

I love the freedom that homeschooling brings! (Albeit we just started) but anyway. . .we were able to go to Discovery Place today just to look at the fish in the aquarium. (Ethan can’t decide if he wants to be a “diver” or an astronaut.)

We got to look at the huge reproduction of a life sized humpback whale hanging from the ceiling, as well as touch live sea urchins and look at sharks. Way cool.

Then when we went home, we “practiced” counting to 20 with the little plastic sea animals we bought in the gift shop. I couldn’t believe how an everyday ordinary fun thing turned into a lesson about the ocean, sea life, classifications of different whales and sharks as well as a little math regarding sorting and counting!! Amazing!! (Ethan wanted to sort his sea creatures into two groups: ones that bite vs. ones that don’t bite) : )

Funny how when I first began thinking about homeschooling, the picture that came to my mind was one of Ethan sitting at the table doing workbook pages while I talked about all the things he needed to know.

Nothing like a little public school education at home right!! Ha Ha

I have to say though, now that I have a little better understanding of the freedom you can have while educating at home, I am inspired!! So much for ordinary boring day in , day out, mediocre, lack-luster education!

I was able to cover a little math and science in one fun trip to Discovery Place. As well as a bit of reading and literature (since we HAD to go home and read about whales and sharks in some of our books we have on ocean animals.) Lots more fun than MY science/math classes were!!

All the while getting to spend some real quality time with my son and having a BLAST!!

Later on this evening, as we were sitting outside looking at the North Star and making wishes, he decided once again that astronaut was the way to go.

So then we had a little mini lesson on how the North Star was really Venus and that Venus was one of the planets in our solar system. Which then led to conversations about stars and the sun and space in general as well as a little Jules Verne thrown in while discussing the possibility of aliens. : )

So all in all, I didn’t really FEEL like we had a school day today, but in retrospect, I think today was a pretty good “school” day!!

So I have to say, if days like this become the norm for us, then who needs “ordinary” education!! This is WAY more FUN!!

It all of a sudden hit me today. . .oh my gosh. . .can I really do this???? Do I have the commitment, strength, energy, knowledge, time management skills, drive, determination etc, etc, etc.

PANIC!!

Ok, calm down and just breathe. It’s ONLY KINDERGARDEN!! Who cares if you screw something up (because you know you will), life will go on and the world will not end, and NO the Harvard admissions board won’t care in the long run!

I just needed to remind myself of these things before I hyperventillated.

As I sit here at 6:30 am unable to sleep, I can’t help but wonder at the world society expects our children to live in.

So many people wrapped up in day to day garbage without really noticing what goes on around them. It truely amazes me how many parents really have no real relationship with their children! For example, I watched a special on TV the other day, regarding middle school children and some of their experiences, and was truely sick to my stomach. How could these people NOT know what was going on in their children’s lives?? Some of these kids were getting assaulted by other children daily!! The response of their uninvolved or uninterested parents was that of, “you have to go to school. . .you don’t have a choice” and, “don’t be a sissy”. Well it took multiple fractured ribs and a broken arm before that parent did something about their child’s welfare. UNBELIEVABLE!! And the drug use!! Some of these children started using drugs at the ages of 11 and 12! Let alone the fact that 10 year olds are attending “sex parties”!! One child even attempted suicide at the age of 12 because all of his friends disowned him and he was so depressed he felt he had no other options!! 12 years old!!!!!

My heart is breaking for the children in our public schools!! I can’t imagine how some of these kids must feel on a day to day basis. Hopeless and helpless. Particularly if the parents are not aware of what is going on in their child’s life!! (whether by choice or by ignorance) It’s no one things like Columbine happen!

How horrible it must be for these young ones to live each day in fear, rejection and despondance.

I realize it is not this way for all kids, (there are lucky ones out there who fit the “socially acceptable mold” their peers have imposed) but this really stuck a chord with me.
(And my parents questioned me about Socialization!!. . .give me a BREAK!!)

I want to shelter my children from the ugliness of society. I know I can’t keep them from ever getting hurt, but at least I can try to instill enough character to help them along the way.

Now maybe I am being a bit dramatic, and I realize that not everyone was traumatized by going to public school. But the amount of drugs, violence, sex etc seems to be more and more prevalent. Starting in the ELEMENTARY schools!! That TERRIFIES ME!!

I want my children to stay children while they ARE children! I want them to play and laugh and learn about the world around them! I want to retain that innocence that I love so much for as long as possible.

I want them to know that they can talk to us about anything and everything. To keep the communication open and flowing always.

This may be a pipe dream, as I know the outside world too quickly finds it’s way into thier minds through TV etc. But never before have I been so very sure about our decision to keep my children at home. I only wish I could convince eveyone else that there is a better way!!

A way in which you can impact your child’s future more than any public school system ever could! A way in which you can show them all of the beauty in the world and light a fire and a passion for learning in their spirits! An appreciation for LIFE, and KNOWLEDGE and THOUGHT.

Before, when my hubby and I had discussed homeschool. . .we were kind of wishy-washy about it. Now, we have decided that our sons will be at home through high school regardless of what kind of sacrifices we may have to make. (Amazing what a little self-education will do for your decision making abilities!)

So now that I have semi-ranted, I need to go talk to my husband about getting rid of the TVs. . .as in all four of them. . .wish me luck. : )

Well, I have to say I was smiling a huge grin after Ethan told my mother that I was going to be his “first” real teacher and that he was excited about school. I think I finally got him interested in school at home. For a while there he was bummed out that he wouldn’t be “riding the bus” or going to school to “meet new friends”. I struggled with this a bit, but now that I have gotten him into some activities with other children, he is happier.

He loves going to the library and has actually started asking me to read to him more often. A far cry from a month ago when he only wanted to get an extra 30 minutes of cartoons in before bed rather than have a “bednight” story. And to my surprise he actually likes the Mother Goose poems and other poetry I have read to him this last week. (a shocker to me!)

We have been taking several trips to the park as well, so I have had fun watching the boys run around with other kids as well as explore the outdoors.

We are still warming up to the school year, and I don’t plan to officially start Math, Science etc. lessons until after Labor Day. Still waiting on a few books I ordered to come in.

I have so much reading of my own to catch up on! I really need to get a better schedule/planner in place. That should be my project of the week. : )

Well, I finally started easing Ethan in our new homeschool life! Went to the library today and checked out a few books to start reading:

20th Century Children’s Book Treasury
Mother Goose
A Children’s Treasury of Seaside Verse
The Aesop for Children

Just to get us started with regular reading!

I also am doing a unit study on Trains by Amanda Bennet. Ethan ADORES trains and I thought it would be a fun way to warm him up to the “school” thing while getting him really excited about learning.

I also found a great cub scout troop that consists only of homeschoolers, so we are excited about that. I plan to sign him up for Karate next week, and for introductory drama classes through the Charlotte Children’s Theater next week as well.

So there it is. I jumped into the water. . .well, maybe waded in is a better choice of wording. : )

Wish me luck!

Well. . .I finally told my Dad and Step-Mom about our plans to homeschool the kids, and wellllll. . .let’s just say the response was interesting! My step mom was fairly “excited” for us (and of course the socialization issue came up!) But you never can tell about her because she can be soooo two faced! She’ll sing your praises to your face about how great she thinks you are or about what a great decision we have made, and then talk trash about us to everyone else. Oh well. My Dad had no comment except for , “I don’t think that’s a very good idea”. Pretty standard for my Dad.

Funny huh? Oh well, can’t make everyone happy! Thank God they live in Ohio and we live in North Carolina!! Less drama.

I know it is our decicion as a family and I don’t have to justify it to anyone, but there is always that “seeking parental approval” thing that tends to get to me from time to time.

Anyhow, at least it is out there. A weight off my chest to say the least.