returning to home ed after 2 yrs in school, do we need to de-school?

[dandycandyjellybean]

In many ways, school has been an excellent learning curve/emotional development ground for our ds, 9. He is an only, and although he was not at all socially inept, especially with older kids and adults, school has helped him mature emotionally. Perhaps because he has no siblings, he found it hard when kids said/did unkind things (cue major meltdown), whereas perhaps with several siblings you learn early on to 'give as good as you get' and take things in your stride more. Forgive the generalisation, I am just trying to give a bit of background. The school experience has helped him recognise that there will always be some people, kids and adults that we will never please, and also how to be a good friend, etc.

We never intended for him to go to school, but visited our local school as a 'school trip' and he decided he would like to give it a try. He has really enjoyed his time there, but as a family, with him being most keen, we have decided it is time to go back to home education. He has had quite a lot of stresses over the nearly 2 years, 3 teachers in that time, with the only one who really 'got' him being a temp who was only there for 3 1/2 months. He has experienced bullying, and cyber bullying from school 'friends', and a few other things.

So, background done, do you think that beyond the 6 weeks school holiday we need have a longer period of de-schooling? My gut instinct is no. Although we autonomously he'd before school, and will continue mainly in that vain afterwards, there will be some structure to our days, probably just a 'getting up' time and a no technology till our 'formal' work is done for the day, a very small amount of formal work - first thing just to keep up the idea that we all have to do stuff we don't want to, or stick with things until they are finished.

However, I've always been of the mindset that if you are going to h.e. why try to recreate at home the thing you are getting away from. And with this in mind I don't know if we should re-embrace completely autonomous, ds led learning, which worked extremely well for us in the past. I'm not sure if I've been a bit sucked into the 'school' mentality.

Confused!!!

Would really appreciate long term home edders input, but everyone else as well of course.

[ommmward]

Welcome back! I remember your MN nickname :)

I would have a deschooling period, maybe until beginning of October, because he may well need a decompression period. That needn't mean that all commitments go out of the window - you may well be insisting that he is up and dressed at a certain time - but just hold off the school-style work. Otherwise he loses his whole summer holiday, too, which is a bit mean!

[dandycandyjellybean]

True, ommmward. Remember you too, always helpful and wise! I hadn't thought of it in those terms, losing the holiday. Really good advice. Cheers, bud.

[ommmward]

:)