Homeschool victory!

**YankeeMom** · 08-15-2008, 09:22 PM

Ok, this is our first year ever homeschooling. My kids have only ever been in public school so we have been taking the summer off to deschool a bit. My 6yo has been really interested in all the stuff we've been accumulating for homeschool. Every workbook I've brought home, he immediately wanted to do a page

My 10yo has been a bit more standoffish. He's been taught to dislike learning

So I've been trying to sneak in little bits of learning here & there, fun learning so they don't even realize they are doing it. Like reading pages in their books equals time on the computer or for my younger ds, one page equals one piece of candy corn (his fave lol). But if I suggested we start a little bit of homeschooling, I'd get from my older two that it's "still summer vacation" and that public school kids don't have to go to school yet, etc.

Well, tonight we were having a snack at the table & my 6yo asked to use the lap white board to write sentences (it's lined). So I was writing sentences for him to copy and my 10 yo wanted in on it.. Then my 13yo wanted in on it . I was doing cursive for the older two. It was great.

The best part was when my 10yo turned to me and said "mom, we really should start our homeschooling"

So I guess we are going to start on Monday. Just a little bit of the fun stuff...reading, science, history. We'll add the stuff they don't like (math) in later. I want them to like it.

I'm so excited!!

BTW, my 13yo is still not excited. But I expected it to take her the longest to acclimate...she's been in ps longer than the younger ones.

**jas** · 08-15-2008, 09:30 PM

That is great that they want to get started. I hope that they and you take to it and excell with the home schooling. My dh has wanted to be home schooled but we butt heads way too much.

**elphie** · 08-15-2008, 09:38 PM

Yay! Good for you. We are in a similar spot right now... ds, 9, had a natural desire to learn at a very young age but school robbed him of this.

We are going to start off slow as well, really we are unschooling at least for the time being. We have set up the kids playroom (they have outgrown it anyway) to be our office/library and it is full of things to encourage him to explore; books, art supplies, the computer, resource books, old school books, teacher's resource materials, you name it we've got it. It is all organized and easy to find and I just let him be. We have quiet times during the day where there are "no screens allowed" (t.v., video games, computer) and more and more he wanders into the "library" to read, draw, scuplt w/clay, and write stories. It is a real blessing to see him rediscover himself.

Incidentally, dd still attends ps because she actually loves it and thrives there... funny how we all find our place and our own way isn't it.

I am so happy that you have seen this progress and that the kids are already coming around. I think deschooling is wise at this point. Its great to hear of someone else on a similar journey. PM me anytime if you want to chat. Good luck.

**monkeywrangler71** · 08-15-2008, 09:52 PM

I'm so glad to hear of both your successes in getting your kids to renew their interest in learning. My son is 4 this year so this is my first official year of keeping him home from school. I'm really nervous that it won't work out and I get so much negativity about it from everyone, so it's nice to hear positive things.

**YankeeMom** · 08-15-2008, 09:53 PM

Originally Posted by elphie

Incidentally, dd still attends ps because she actually loves it and thrives there... funny how we all find our place and our own way isn't it.

I am so happy that you have seen this progress and that the kids are already coming around. I think deschooling is wise at this point. Its great to hear of someone else on a similar journey. PM me anytime if you want to chat. Good luck.

My oldest dd, 16, still attends public school. She does really really well there so that is where she is. Thank you so much for your encouragement.

I'm also quite amazed at this unschooling stuff. It really does work. I leave stuff laying around for them to explore at their leisure. My 10yo loves the microscope and my 6yo is interested in all things weather and is obsessed with maps and the globe. They pick out educational books at the library about weather, how things are made, and animals that interest them. All with no prodding from me. The only prodding I have to do (and I've backed off recently) is getting my 6yo to read. The candy corn has been a great motivator lol.

My 13yo is still "too cool for school" but I know she just needs more time.

**StartingOver** · 08-15-2008, 10:00 PM

CONGRATULATIONS on this milestone. Take it one day at a time, and all will work out. You've got their curiosity piqued, you are off to a great start.

**Cricket1** · 08-15-2008, 10:03 PM

That's wonderful news! I'm glad that they're excited to learn. Your dd will come around. You'll be an awesome teacher.

**Starlight9803** · 08-15-2008, 10:17 PM

That's great news. My DD was a little leery of homeschooling until she discovered that it only took her a few hours to get all her work done (where school was much longer), so that meant she had lots more time to do what she wanted to.

**angelbumpkin** · 08-15-2008, 10:18 PM

Good luck on your homeschool journey.

**nuisance26** · 08-16-2008, 07:26 AM

~That's exciting to hear! I'm unschooling my kids too. It's so much more fun to discover that my dd can spell some 3 letter words and that my ds can read a variety of 2-5 letter words instead of sitting over a textbook trying to cram info into their heads and then question them to pull it back out. I like the fun way and I'm sure they prefer it too. You're doing great, Heather!~

**thriftstorequeen** · 08-16-2008, 08:08 AM

We sent our kids to school, (public and private) and homeschooled. They are all doing fine. It is so cool to see the ones who weren't homeschooled teaching their kids at home. I LOVE the unschooling plan! When you really get down to it most of us do this everyday. We are always teaching our kids something. I think the learn so much by just watching us. If we have a love for learning they will see that and want it too. My favorite story about homeschooling that I like to share is as follows: We couldn't find a science program that we like so we put that on hold. We had our kids tested at the end of the year and they were way ahead, grade level wise in science. (they did well in the other subjects too!). You see I love nature and science stuff and I was aways talking about these things without even knowing it. What I'm trying to say is that most things are caught not taught. Keep up the good work all, in the end it all pays off. I have five wonderful children all grown and raising families of their own.

**Darlene** · 08-16-2008, 08:25 AM

Seemed like yesterday the thought of you homeschooling wasn't even part of your families dynamic.
Glad you took the plunge and happy learning to all.

**Parksfamily5** · 08-16-2008, 10:32 AM

Good Luck with your homeschooling journey.

**hollyhill** · 08-31-2008, 07:54 PM

Originally Posted by YankeeMom

My oldest dd, 16, still attends public school. She does really really well there so that is where she is. Thank you so much for your encouragement.

I'm also quite amazed at this unschooling stuff. It really does work. I leave stuff laying around for them to explore at their leisure. My 10yo loves the microscope and my 6yo is interested in all things weather and is obsessed with maps and the globe. They pick out educational books at the library about weather, how things are made, and animals that interest them. All with no prodding from me. The only prodding I have to do (and I've backed off recently) is getting my 6yo to read. The candy corn has been a great motivator lol.

My 13yo is still "too cool for school" but I know she just needs more time.

The great thing about interest led learning is how much they retain. It all goes in and stays there.....

I dropped "schoolish" learning a long time ago..... after doing several workbooks and then bringing up topics that were covered a few months previous and finding them remembered very little ugh (thats why they go over and over and over the same stuff in school).
Now all learning is tied into what is relevant to them and yes it does increase in complexity.....
my athletic Gr.11 is studying all the metabolic cycling and first year biochemistry because she is interested in it.....

So as your son explores learning with the microscope he will retain that information and it will lead to new interests and discoveries (or not. And he may go off on some other learining exploration.....). After years of this natural learning you will be amazed to see what it adds up to. A fabulous education.