Back to homeschooling....

I am going back to homeschooling for my 6 and 8yo.  My 6yo spent  12 weeks in kindergarten and my 8yo was in school for 1st and 12 weeks in 2nd grade.   I was not dissatisfied with their school or teachers in any way at all.  Things that led me to bring them home are:

*They were tired and grumpy when they got home.

*They both wanted to be home schooled.

*My 8yo was started to experience subtle girl drama... did not want that. At. All!

*My 6yo would fall dead asleep by 7:30. So, this gave me about 2 hours of time with him after we got home from picking everyone up.  Then, there was homework that needed to be done for one of the kids which ate into our time together.  We just seemed to be so stressed at night.  Also, he simply did not have time to just be imaginative and play!  Kids need to have time to be kids!

*My 6yo was reading like crazy and honestly needed to be able to just come home and go at his own pace.  He is easily reading on a 2nd grade level and in 1st grade math.

*My 8yo just got invited to be a part of her gymnastic competition team which will be practicing 9+ hours a week.  She worked so hard for this and is extremely excited. If she were in school she would have to go straight from school which let out at 3:20, then on to pick up her sister at 3:50, and straight to practice by 4:15.  There would be no time for rest, no time for a snack, and no time to change. It just made sense to home school her.  She was also pretty cranky at home too.

*I truly believe that one on one teaching is much better than one in 20-25. The teacher simply cannot provide what one on one teaching can.  It just isn't possible.

*My 17yo son, 16yo daughter, and 13yo daughter actually told me that I should and need to home school them.  Why??  They were home schooled for elementary and middle school and they were sheltered from lots of things that their little minds did not need to be thinking on so early. They loved being home and easily  being done with school by noon or 1, without evening homework, and to just be kids! They had many, many books read to them over the years and told me I MUST read them to the   younger three! Yes, this made this momma's heart very, very happy!!

My 17yo and 16yo are still in school and will complete High School there.... well.. my 16yo daughter may be home schooled for her remaining 2 years, but we are not sure yet.  She is contemplating this decision as she feels like she is not learning a thing, because classes are way too large and the teachers she has just don't have time to help.   It has not been the best experience thus far. She also knows that she actually HAS to learn and master material at home. At school, it doesn't matter if you master the material.  They teach a topic/concept and if you don't get it, you make a bad grade and off to the next concept.  My 17yo is doing an International Baccalaureate program and his classes are much smaller and he is learning and pretty pleased at this point.  It is a very HEAVY course load though... which he loves:)  LOL  My 13yo daughter is at a very small private Christian School. It is honestly the next best thing to homeschooling. I really love her school!  I am hoping that my younger 3 will be able to attend when they reach High School age.

So, all and all, I am very happy to be a Home school mom again!  I felt a subtle void when they were at school, and missed them so much.  I found myself still reading books about homeschooling and even looking at curriculum when they were in at school!  Crazy! LOL  The past several weeks have been very relaxed and non stressful.  They have done very well in all their school work and we are having fun snuggling on the couch reading together again. They do hate some of the tedious, but very necessary subjects, but they are so happy that they are about to finish those in an hour! They are then off to jump on the trampoline, play action figures or barbies... or I find them all snuggled up on a chair with a blanket lost in a good book... Yes, even the 6yo!