want to ask homeschool parents please

[rumkem]

what is the reason(s)? and when did you decide to do it?

i myself had very good experience with my schools. i am hoping the same for my dd. however i haven't found anything inspiring in my area.

my partner went to one of the best gramma school in his day and hated it...

Hi

i have been home educating my son who is 6 for 7 months now, i took him out of primary 2 and right now we are doing well although much more relaxing going on in the summer months and educational trips.

i decided to home educate as i could never swallow the idea that school is a part of childhood and in my mind it was more like school uses up childhood, my son was away from me 5 hours a day coming home tired, grumpy and whingy and i didnt like this at all.

another thing is that i dont feel that the school curriculum is that interesting or educational if that makes sense, i think there is so much more out there for children to learn and in a way school kerbs that, even just going along with your child's interests is very educational as they learn so much.

we dont do a 9-2 timetable but more like an 11-1 and then an outing or activity in the afternoon if we like, and i try to make the learning fun and interesting for my son, I do still use workbooks etc but alot of parents get by fine without them

anyway I hope that helps or you could maybe ask more questions and i could reply to those

take care
puddinmama

what you say is pretty much what i think. apart from school curriculum, i also feel like school and its environment shape kids to conform...

pondering...

when? during pregnancy of first child we said our children would go to school only if they want to.

So far they haven't

why? so much waste of time. education much more effective and efficient when it follows a child's interests and is just-in-time. child-led learning is best of all for efficiency. It's the time to do it too - it's exploding in the UK, so there are more than enough social and group educational opportunities, fabulous RL and online support...

why else? because I hate living according to an institutional timetable. Because I love being able to learn out in the real world every day rather than mostly in a classroom. Because I love being able to go to museums, zoos etc etc when they are quiet midweek. because my children get freedom of association. Millions of reasons

ps we usually call it home education in this country, since school is, very often, the one thing our lives look nothing like

GOD I so want to do this my DD1 doesn't like going to school though she is "fine" when she gets there. It takes so much out of her. By end of year she is a stressed nervous wreck. In reception she was signed off with stress by end of year. As she is getting older she is better able to cope but still doesn't want to go. Finds it stultifying I think. She is a pleaser at school (as was I) and I think finds it exhausting being on best behaviour and "working" all the time. She has just turned 7 btw. Her sats were apparantly very impressive etc etc etc but the poor thing is shattered. I was similar as a child though I was lucky enough to grwo up in Ireland where a) teh school day is much shorter and b)the holidays are much longer.

I similarly hate my job in an office, being stuck behind a desk all day makes me want to die (slight overstatement ) and I have sworn that the one piece of career advice I will drum into her is NEVER to get an office job. SOmehow it has taken me until this thread to realise that school is the kids equivalent of an office though her school is nice and everything (though HUGE)

I wish I had the balls to take her out, give up my job and educate her myself bowever it would mean selling the house due to not being able to pay mortgage and moving into tiny rented accomodation, going on benefits due to no salary, and eating tesco basics for the rest of our days

DD2 is still in nursery and DD1 is so envious. I dread to think what will happen when DD2 hits reception and realises the reality of school

where there's a will, peanutbrittle, there is always always a way.

Go talk to this lot:

here

Hey there Rumkem,

I posted a reply on your thread the other day. Nice to see you here

We took our 2 boys (9 and 12yrs) out of state school 4 years ago and have never looked back.

The freedom it gives is priceless and we would never send them back, unless they choose to go at some point (can't see that happening though)!

They have learned, and continue to, at their own pace with no pressure to hit targets or deadlines. I would recommend it, or at least giving it a go, to anyone.

Nothing is set in stone and if you find it's not for you then you can go down the school route.

Keep asking here if you need any more info and take a look here for loads more.

hello kaytee
you mentioned HE North London group. can you direct me to them or their website please?

thanks all
your replies gives me a courage to think that i might be able to do it. my doubt is whether or not i myself can do it. it seems to take a lot of sacrifice and strength. i will be doing it alone. my partner likes the idea but he will not take part... i need my own time. i have pretty much been on duty all day all night for the last 4 years. i yearn for some break. of course i can't just dump her in school for the sake of 'me'. however my dd's beaming happiness and eccentricity seem to be enough reason for me to carry on having little time for myself. i havent' regret so far and i find it has been worthwhile.

have you ever had one of those moments that you feel arkkkkkkk!! and turn to a wall to make a face? (hope someone understands what i mean

We home educate and have done for a while albeit in spates ds1 was home educated 2000-2002 ds2 was home educated 2001-2002 then 2004-2008 and ds3 is 8 and has never been to school.

We chose or were pushed into doing it initially because schooled failed ds1 he was bullied by a teacher.

Then Ds2 became quite ill and school was just too much for him -we home edded him until he was ready for secondary school and he went from being SEN at primary to being top-middle set in secondary .

Now with ds3 we have absolutely no faith in primary schools and we will home ed him until either he wants to go to school or we feel we are failing him by not sending him.

Ds3 is very well adjusted hes a popular well liked child with great social skills he is welcome in all his friends homes and is generally a good kid he has a thirst for learning and a taste for adventure and the levels he reaches now wouldnt be met at school for us its enough to know he is happy.

I had a fabulous time at school and enjoyed every second of it dh was a bit of a bad un but he too enjoyed school.

Our main reason was schools' neglect of our ds's needs (he has Asperger's) despite growing evidence that he was emotionally falling apart. There was no intent to support him and all the work we were doing with him at home was being undone by his time in school.

Things finally went pear-shaped just before October half term last year and we withdrew him then, and haven't looked back. His needs are different to most children's and he's having them met properly at home.

Streaky I think school is like that for most kids- if you have dc that are happy at school and you are happy to send them then really thats a blessing but for the growing majority of people theres feelings of unease,and generally school begins to affect homelife too.

Your dc are only children for the shortest time and its so important that they 'enjoy' being children.

A good school is definitely the right place for any child to be,among his peers with his needs met and with a caring teacher- you see I dont think just anyone can teach its a calling a gift if you like,but sadly for many kids this isnt a possibility,and as times have changed so have our expectations as parents, and now we have access to lots of info that previously was very difficult to gain access too we are questioning whats right for our dc and making informed decisions.

I know my dc have thrived from the time they spent being home educated and as a family we have enjoyed these times- unfortunately we cannot forsee a time when ds3 will ever 'slip' into a school setting as the other dc have done and we are now having to make decisions regarding his secondary education.

If you have ever seen the film blast from the past that is our ds3 with a much better social life.

Rumkem,

here is the north london yahoo group

Just sign up to join and you should be able to find some local groups/events/families
near you. I know there is a regular parks meetup so look out for that info on there. It's really helpful to meet up with people who are already home edding iyswim.