If you just found out your best friend intends to homeschool their children next year and you want to know more and if you haven’t heard of homeschooling before or you might be thinking of pulling your children out of the local school. This morning I would like to share some advice for you in Homeschooling and Answering the Big Questions.
David and I did with Charlie so I thought you might want to know your options. Or you may be a veteran homeschooler who always taught from the textbooks, and now you would like to add different subjects or unique learning opportunities into your day.
Or there may be terms you have heard over and over, and you would like to learn more about those terms. Like unschooling or Montessori. Or SOCIALIZATION” every homeschooling parent is asked about over and over. I would want to answer some of these questions for you this morning.
Getting to the point
If you are like me, you are stunned that you will not be sending your child/ children to public school. You sit at the table and stare into space thinking what did I do? Or am I crazy I can’t teach my children? Then you look at them as they go to bed that night and you think about the hours you spent working with them on homework.
There was no, time for them to play or watch TV because they had so much homework that was due the next day. That you couldn’t enjoy being a parent and spending time as a family. When that happened in my home, I knew it was time to bring Charlie home. As he has ADHD and it was just too much for him and he wasn’t learning as he was frustrated all the time.
Now all the homework wasn’t the main reason we brought Charlie home is was being bullied. Although getting up in the mornings and watching the news and seeing all of the violence happening in schools was another factor in me deciding to bring Charlie home. Although I know, we can’t protect our children from everything I can try and I will.
For me personally, another reason I wanted to bring Charlie home to homeschool him is “God” has been taken out of the schools. You can not Pray and they do not say the Pledge of Allegiance. For me being able to Homeschool Charlie we can add Bible Study Lessons, Prayers, and other items back into our classroom, so my child is getting the type of education I received as a child. There is curriculum you can purchase that allows you to teach these topics and even lessons based on different Religions.
Also with Charlie having learning disabilities, I can offer him one on one time with me which a teacher can’t do. We can take as much time as we need to learn a subject. If something doesn’t interest Charlie, we can stop and find something else which keeps Charlie interested in learning.
I will not say teaching Charlie is all roses but it is more comfortable and smoother and there aren’t as many fights. I am able to get my work done and to take breaks when we need to. We use games, puzzles, and videos to supplement our learning. As well as Mechanics, Robotics and Cooking as this are what Charlie is interested.
For reading Charlie and I watch a lot of YouTube videos, and we use Kindle Books and Audiotapes and let people read to Charlie, and I ask questions to make sure Charlie is comprehending what he is learning. Then I have Charlie read bits of the books we listened to help enhance his reading since he hates having to read and it is hard for him to do. If he read the back of a cereal box or emails, I count that as reading for the day.
Schedule
Have a set schedule may work for your family although for ours it doesn’t as David’s hours can change at the drop of a hat. Or I might have an event I need to attend. Or David’s parents may need me. Or Charlie and I didn’t sleep well that night so we homeschool once Charlie has been up for a while, and I know he is awake and will listen to me. Otherwise, we don’t get anything done, and we end up fighting with each other.
In fact, the other dad David came to the conclusion Charlie can stay up all night and work on his videos he makes for Wrestling and then sleep in in the morning allowing me to have plenty of quiet as David is at work. I can get my job done. Then at 10 am I wake Charlie up, and he takes a shower and eats a snack. Then we begin our homeschool day which is usually 4 hours of work.
We finish school no later than 4, and I check emails until 5, and then I make dinner, and we clean up the kitchen together as a family. Then we head outside to the Park or the Swimming Pool where we have a membership and Charlie, and I walk. Then we swim some, and at 7 pm we head home. Charlie takes care of our animals. David goes to bed, and I work until 10 pm. I watch two shows, and then I head to bed. Charlie is working on his projects he is building, and we are all happy.
David gets up at 3 to leave for work, and Charlie may or may not still be up. Then I get up at 6 am and watch one show, and then I fix my breakfast and come into the office to work. There are days when Charlie is still up, and as I settle down on the couch, he comes and cuddles with me and falls asleep. For most people, this schedule sounds crazy, but it is what works for our family.
No matter what your reasons are for homeschooling your children, if they center around what’s best for your family right now, then your ideas are valid and worth pursuing. Home education is all about meeting your child’s needs. If the school no longer meets your requirements and your willingness to take the plunge and give it a try, then you might find homeschooling as a perfect fit for your family.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
