SCHOOLING KIDS AT HOME

School is around the corner. I can feel it. I actually still celebrate the fact that I am done with high school...and it's been 16 years! But I do love to teach and to spend time with my kids, so we homeschool our three girls. I get a barrage of comments and questions when I tell people this. I will address these for you, because they are so common, that it is worth an article...or a book.

"What about socialization?"
This is by far, the most over used question regarding homeschool. I got really sick of it, the first year. Probably because I was just starting and I really didn't know what to tell people. I do now, after 5 yrs of doing this, know what my answer is.
For starters there are are weird unsocialized homeshoolers out there. I will not lie. I've met them. But, 10 times out of 10, their parents are weird. They live 300 miles from town, have goats in their kitchen, and have a bomb shelter for the Armageddon that is coming every year. "It's really the end of the world. Pastor Crazy said it's happening May 11th."
We are very social people so our kids are, too. I'm not saying I'm not weird. I'm just not crazy. It's okay to be different. In fact this will make our society stronger in the long run.
Besides, where in society, are people going to run around in groups of 30 people, that are all the same age? School. That's where.
In real society there are people of all different ages, back grounds, ethnicity's and ideas that get along and make the world an exciting place to be. My kids are as interested in talking to 65 year olds as they are to 3 year olds. They like people. I will never think for a minute that they are not socially healthy.

"Oh, you must be so patient! I could never do that!"
No, I am not. And, yes, you could. But only if you want to. I am not the most easy going Mother on this planet. Not even close. I do work hard at controlling my frustration level, though, especially where the family is concerned, but we all have a breaking point.
I do not believe that my way is the best way for everyone. I really don't. It's the right way for us, for now, but we all thrive with different influence and stimulation.
I used to crack the whip at 7am. I had crying, frustrated children by the time 8am rolled around. Clothes were half on, kids were half fed, and we were all half crazy.
I now ease into the morning. Everybody has a different biological clock. This is born in us and cannot be yelled, beat, pleaded, or scorned out of our genetic make up. That is why, that one kid that takes forever to put their shoes on, may forever do so. Is it really that bad? Start earlier, keep her on task, and don't ask her over and over again, "What is wrong with you?" It's not fair to say that somebody is wrong because they work differently than you. We all have our gifts and usually they come with a curse.
I make sure that everybody has eaten and had tea. Most mornings we go on a walk before we sit down. Children are very physical beings. They've been laying down all night long. Don't get in a hurry. You will get it all done. I have 1 teacher to 3 students. The odds are pretty much on my side.
We also make sure we take lots of breaks, when the kids lose interest. As 5 yr olds, their attention span is about 10 minutes long. I extend this with story, song, and movement. Then we go outside. The lessons always continue throughout the day. Sometimes, into the next one.

"Do you use a curriculum?"
Yes, we use a curriculum, for the most part. I started with Calvert, which turned out to be a bit too lengthy and worksheet oriented for our style. They have good books, are very expensive, and it was frustrating. It took me almost 7 hrs to school one kid!! That's like college...not first grade. (Poor girl! The first one is always the guinea pig.)
Now we use Oak Meadow, primarily. www.oakmeadow.com/ For all of our other needs, I shop local bookstores, and order off of Amazon.
Whatever subject feels lacking, we add to. Oak Meadow's math is rather vague. "Make your own math page." Okay, no. I'm getting a work book. We can group together and count rocks all day long, and it's great. But, getting a math book is pretty much essential to school. I am NOT going to make up a page of 20 questions, for each function, for each student, every single day. It's not going to happen.
A curriculum keeps you in check. Because when you are trying to run a household and be a teacher, it can get a bit tricky. One, thing that is a must is to NOT get on the internet, while teaching. And you MUST ignore your dishes! It's not very practical to make up your lessons everyday, especially at first. It can be done, but it might end up being the only thing you get done.
"Honey...um, did you make dinner?"
"No, dear. I am working on my fractions page, again. Heat up a waffle. You only worked in the hot sun for 10 hours, but I've been ignoring the housework and working on this darn lesson plan all day. I'm exhausted."
There are endless suppliers and contacts that you can find on line. Also, there is usually a homeschooling group in your area that could help you out a lot.
It always gets easier, the more you do it. So just keep researching, trying, testing, replacing what doesn't work, and using what does...until you all are happy.

"Is public school against your religion?"
No. It's totally not. Do I agree with every teacher's philosophy? Probably not. Do I think it's good for kids to have different points of view presented to them? Absolutely! Do my children miss out on this? I don't think so.
We travel a lot. We like our own schedule. Home school is a great choice for our life style. I always wanted to be a teacher. My parents are all teachers, writers, speakers, and generally very creative. It was a very natural choice for me. (Kind of like home birth. *Article to come in the near future.)

"How long are you going to do it?"
I don't know. It's what we are doing now and I don't know what my kids will be needing and craving when they are in Jr. High. Of course, that's probably the time to lock them up and throw away the key. About the time they start wondering about kissing, I will move to the top of a mountain with my shot gun. Not really.
They want to spend time with us right now. They think we are cool. They probably won't want to be around me 24-7 when they get a drivers license. Just a hunch. I remember the age. So, I will take this time, when they look to me for everything and think I am an endless source of entertainment, to be with them. I know this is a very short, precious time. The bonding is irreplaceable.

"Do you have to check in with somebody? I mean, how do you know you are teaching them what they need to know?"
Two questions in one. It's how they are usually asked, so I will keep them grouped together.
No, I don't have to check in with anyone. I am an Idaho resident and we have the most chill laws that there are, regarding schooling at home. This is great for me, but bad for homeschoolers that may not really be homeschooling.
I am completely against not doing anything with home schooled kids. If it's at this point, and after much trial and error and give and take, you are still not teaching these kids something...then for the love of God, put them in school!! Watching Days Of Our Lives and eating Twinkies is NOT homeschooling!!
Most states have a teacher, or group of them, that you check in with. There are, as I stated homeschool groups, however, that you can associate with. Look on the Internet or talk to someone who knows.
As for how I know they are getting what they need from me...well, that has been quite the evolving revelation.
At first, I was way stressed out, because I thought that I had to model after public school. I was always asking my girlfriends, "Are they doing cursive yet. Does he know how to spell 'neighbor?'"
But, kids and curriculum's are all different, and they may introduce things at different times. Some give material far before it's practical, in my opinion. Of course, every child develops at a different rate. I was a very fast reader. I expected this out of my first one. She was not. However, she was potty trained at 13 months, climbing trees at 3 years old, and drawing pictures that would blow your mind! This was not a stupid girl. She just didn't care about reading, yet. But, when it was time, and her interest peaked, it wasn't even a challenge for her. So every day if I am challenging these kids at, and a bit above their level, then they cannot possibly be "left behind."

If you want to homeschool, talk to people that do it. Don't talk to people that will put a fear into you, that it is impossible and that you may just be crazy for even thinking about it. You can do whatever you put your mind to! Isn't this what we teach our children? Go to it!
And for those of you that public school, stay involved and spend as much time with those kids as possible.(And enjoy your day of "you" time...because, at least once a month, I am completely envious of that!!)