Homeschool: how we started

I just finished a review of an e-book called turning points (It, along with all the other reviews I've been doing lately are found here: SimplySchoolingReviews). In the book over 25 families share what led them to start homeschooling and what keeps them homeschooling. As I read about their "turning points," I started to reflect on why we started homeschooling, my goals for our homeschool, and how homeschooling has been a blessing. It was reassuring to feel that I'm not alone with the struggles and frustrations that come with homeschooling and to be reminded and remember all the joys of homeschooling.

After reading "their" stories, I wanted to record mine.

I never would have dreamed that I would homeschool my kids. It wasn't even on the radar screen. When Ryan was 3 (2003-04), I looked into sending him to HeadStart, but we didn't qualify, so I joined a few other mom's in putting together a rotating preschool that was 2 days a week. We each took a turn teaching every 6 weeks. I enjoyed planning for my weeks, but felt frustrated with some of the other moms who would do a short activity and then turn on Sesame Street or a movie for the kids to watch. I also didn't like driving for 15 minutes to drop him off, driving home 15 minutes, then turning around an hour later to go pick him up.

I started looking into other options and decided to start a preschool in my home. I had plenty of background from college (my MS degree is in Human Development and I'd worked with Early Head Start Research observing and working with preschoolers). That was a fun year. Ryan and Tyler both learned a lot and I enjoyed working with the other kids. My goal for the kids was to have them learn everything that year that the state expected them to learn in Kindergarten, so they would be ahead. Ryan did that, and more. The only problem was, his birthday missed the cut off deadline, so he still had another year to wait before he could go to kindergarten.

I talked to the school district about having his start early (not an option), looked into private kindergarten (too expensive), and then started reading about homeschool. I wasn't willing to just not teach him anything for a year and I had enjoyed teaching him preschool. Ryan had also done well learning from mom, so it seemed like a viable option.

I started collecting information about homeschooling, reading everything I could and joining a local homeschool group and going to some of their activities. The moms I met were amazing! I wanted our family to be like that. We did hit some resistance from family members. My sister told me I was crazy and my brother-in-law sat down and step by step went through a list of concerns--- but either they've all given up on changing our minds or they've seen this is a good option for our family. :)

Initially, it was a one year experiment, then we would see from there. The first year (2004-05) went pretty good. I pushed a little too hard and experienced mom burn-out a bit sometimes, but overall we enjoyed it. There were enough blessings and positives that I knew this was exactly what our family was supposed to be doing. I also got to know other homeschooling families better and I really liked the lifestyle I was seeing.

The next year, when Ryan was officially supposed to be starting kindergarten (2005-06), he was reading chapter books and learning multiplication. Public school kindergarten was not an option, I knew he would be bored and act up and be labeled a troublemaker. (And in Idaho, you have to be 6 by the deadline to start 1st grade, so skipping a grade wasn't an option either.)

In Idaho, there are several different virtual public schools where the state provides resources and the parent teaches at home. We looked into all of them, and most looked dry and boring and tedious, but one option showed promise. I-DEA gave parents a set amount of money to spend on resources to educate their children at home. The money could be spent on books and supplies or lessons. In return, the students had to take the state tests and submit work samples. For Kindergarten the allotment was $600 and I was willing to jump through the hoops for the extra money. That year we took spanish classes and swimming lessons, and bought some really neat resources and books.

We've continued working with I-DEA and had a very positive experience. Because the boys are ahead in most areas, I can pretty much homeschool the way I want. We've already covered the things they are expected to know for grade level, so collecting work samples is really easy. The extra money has allowed them to do things we otherwise couldn't afford, like horseback riding.

There are days when homeschooling is exhausting. Especially when I was pregnant and tired. There were days when the house was a mess from projects, the kids were not getting their work done because they were either daydreaming or tormenting each other, and I was getting really tired of hearing "mom, I need help."

But, the good by far outweighs the bad. The days when they work hard to get their work done so they can build a blanket fort in the family room and read all afternoon. The days when they spend the afternoon collecting leaves to pile on the trampoline and I hear them laughing and playing and just having so much fun. The way the boys look out for the little ones and include them, and get to spend time with the family. There have been so many times when we have been able to go do something fun (and often educational) as a family that we wouldn't have been able to do with the public schools' schedule.

I love seeing them learn and watching something click-- like Ryan deciding algebra and story problems are fun and spending our "non-school" days right after the baby came reading all 7 Narnia books. Seeing Tyler finally get to the point where reading is fun, not a chore, and watching his confidence start to bloom. I love knowing their friends and being able to answer their questions.

Homeschooling may not be the best option for every family, but it is for us, at this season and hopefully for a long time. And I'm grateful for the turning points that led us to even consider it a viable option.