I have a history of learning "challenges" in my family. My brother has ADD and dyslexia and my husband also has ADD. Neither have the hyper kind, but they both just think differently than other people. They do better learning in non-traditional ways. Since I was 8 I have wanted to be a teacher and always said that if my children were falling behind in school that I would yank them in a heartbeat and homeschool. My granny did this for my brother and it was such a blessing for him. My oldest child is very bright, but has been getting bullied at school. This made me start researching homeschool again, but in a different way. I have been pestering my friends for a few weeks now about the subject and finally turned to the Lord in prayer. I have had answers in abundance. I've been reading a book called "Homeschooling: Take A Deep Breath, You Can Do This." That is exactly how I feel! Nervous, but excited. Really? *I* can do this?
I have a few friends that have given me so much encouragement. One who just started a few months ago, Christina, said that I *could not fail*. She knows me and how I am. She knows all my faults and all my strengths and said more than a few times during our conversation that it's my choice, and I don't have to do it. My daughter will be probably be fine if I don't, but there is no reason not to. You know what? She is totally right. It's something I've always expected I would have to do someday, why not start now while my children are very young (and I have less laws to deal with). Even if I do suck at it, I can always re-enroll her in public school and she won't be any worse off than when I took her out.
So we are going to try it. My husband leaves in a few months for Afghanistan, and I want them to be able to spend lots of time together. I will homeschool the oldest two kids until fall when we will re-evaluate and see if it worked for us. There are so many resources I've been led to and I truly feel so blessed that I'm not the pioneer at this. People are used to this now, I have the internet to help me, and the public school is even willing to help with curriculum. Here's hoping. Here's hoping I don't strangle my children. Here's hoping that I can make it out alive. Here's hoping that me being me will not get in the way of their education. I hope that we can all learn and be edified together. I know it will make us closer. I'm really looking forward to this time. Her last day is Tuesday (she wants to say goodbye to her few friends that she has). Wish me luck.
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Yes, you can do it! You're going to do great!
ReplyDeleteMy father-in-law says that one on one time (or one on two, for you) in school with even a mediocre mother is 100 times better than one on thirty time with the best teacher in the world. And since we've started homeschooling, I've thought so many times that no teacher could ever love Alyssa as much as I do while I'm teaching her - even on our horrible, defiant, "I don't want to do any work" days.
I'll give you some unsolicited advice: Just remember that you're not perfect, and your children aren't perfect, so don't expect every day to go perfectly. (I kind of did, and it doesn't.) You're probably going to have good days and bad days, or a great day that gets spoiled by a tantrum during the last hour. Make sure to be patient with both yourself and your kids, and to just do the best you can.
Let us know how everything goes. Good luck!
You can do it, and then you can teach me. I really feel like its something we are supposed to do some day. When we took Jesse out I really thought that was what we were supposed to do. But Heavenly Father had a different plan for us. I think maybe in the future we will do it though.
ReplyDeleteGood luck