Oct. 10, 2007
How Long Should You Homeschool??? Posted in Things that make you go hmmm...
This blog brought up this question. How long should you homeschool for? For our family, we are lifestyle homeschoolers. I can't image ever sending my children to public or private school. I was wondering what everyone else thought about this question. How long are you planning to homeschool? How is homeschool apart of your life? Is it a sit at a desk everyday and follow a planned curriculum or is it a fly by your pants and see where it takes you? Or are you somewhere between? How has homeschool changed your life, your family, you home, your relationships??? Inquiring minds want to know!
I know for me, I think our family is a lot closer. My two boys are 6 years apart. Normally, they would not get to spend much time together and never really get to know each other. They are great friends. They play together all the time. I am in that somewhere in between state. I don't have rigid lesson plans or follow one type of curriculum, but I do need a little structure. My oldest would make a great unschooler, unfortunately, I would not! I could easily get lazy and not keep up with things. But I do try to let him have time to explore subjects that he is interested in. I'm not worried about if we only get a few hours in, because I know he will spend a lot of time in educational pursuits without me. I have had to be very flexible because of our crazy life. So many times Prince Caspian has had to take his work with him somewhere. Considering he has ADHD, that is really something that he can do his school work in the car with a babbling little one, in the doctors office and he has even done school work in an OT office and early intervention classroom full of toddlers. We have come a long ways. This is our life, and I love it!
Please share how you school and whether this is a long term thing or if you are planning it short term. I would love to hear how others see their school future. Thank you!
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Comments
Oct. 10, 2007 - Very thought-provoking post!
 Posted by andijeane
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This post is a great idea! We plan on homeschooling through high school. We love the opportunities that this gives us to serve the Lord and minister to others as a family. We feel that we would be much more limited if our children were in a public or private school.
~Andrea
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Oct. 10, 2007 - Untitled Comment
 Posted by brooke
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This is an interesting topic! I have said from the beginning that we don't know how long we'll be homeschooling. For us, I feel like our life could take a different turn and I want to do what ever it is that God wants us. It makes my heart ache to think about sending them to school, but I would if God asked that of me.
We do use a semi structured schedule. Unschooling sounds wonderful, but I would be too lazy and lax. We use Sonlight, Handwriting Without Tears and tons of reading. So far so good. Our homeschooled children are almost 7 and 4. I too believe it is a lifestyle and I feel a calling. We love it and I can't imagine it any other way!!!!
Blessings!
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Oct. 10, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Posted by MiryClay
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We're in it for the long haul. I am learning to be more relaxed....Maybe lazier (shhhhh, don't tell anyone). I find that as my two are getting older and have more busier schedules, that it is just plain hard to follow a set curriculum. I guess their activities outside of schooling are educational and will be beneficial to their lives in general. My kids are extremely close too, and very respectful to others.
Blessings,
Lori
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Oct. 10, 2007 - You asked...;)
 Posted by MOMflippedisWOW
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We didn't come into homeschooling as a first choice but after public, gifted & private failed. Then I tried hs'ing at home sitting at the table as if still in school. Not fun with only one student. Then Grandma had a stroke and the world went sideways. Daily lessons fell to the wayside as everything was re-arranged to accommodate Grandma.
I had joined many different hs'ing groups to learn; gifted, mensa, Florida, unschooling & RU to name a few. We now unschool and my son learns more then ever and is so happy with unschooling that I doubt I'll ever go completely back.
I have found that with unschooling, the student won't be exactly on page with most students as they don't necessarily study the same things per grade level. I still bought the A Beka curriculum's through fifth grade and will be encouraging him to read through them just because of the above fact but otherwise, I'm not concerned.
As for returning to a brick and mortar school? I've told my son that anytime he wishes to return, he can and he can be pulled right back out if he so chooses, too. So far he has no desire to ever return.
Vicki
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Oct. 10, 2007 - Untitled Comment
 Posted by msmarla
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We are somewhere in between as well. We use traditional curriculim, but have gravitated towards more read alouds and researching subjects that interest us, and less of the workbook pages. The kids have some workbooks, they mostly do independently.
I can't imagine ever putting my kids back in school. I even wonder what I would do if HC is elected and manages to make it illegal :( scary thought
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Oct. 10, 2007 - <i>Untitled Comment</i>
Posted by tumbleweeds78
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We plan to year round school, with a two week break in August to prep for the new school year. If the Lord continues to bless this part of my life and make this our means of educating our children then thats the plan...yesterday I made the motto suggestion about progress not perfection so I guess that would apply it to our schedule, I think to often we get warped with time that we forget life is based on progress not ok we have to learn this by this such and such day.... I am not sure if my comment even remotley answers your post for the day, but I hope I gave a hint at what we are doing.lol
PS: we homeschool at the table (with a big wipe board) and on the couch and sometimes outside.
Edited by tumbleweeds78 on Oct. 10, 2007 at 9:55 AM
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Oct. 10, 2007 - Untitled Comment
 Posted by crazybusy
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Our plan is to homeschool all the way through, unless something unforeseen happens.
Love, Alyssa
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Oct. 10, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Anonymous
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Lord willing, till the end!
Betsy
http://thehomeschoolway.blogspot.com
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Oct. 11, 2007 - good question
 Posted by jenn4him
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I never say never, but in my heart of hearts, I would love to go the long haul. It depends on our circumstances. If no further major economic "injuries" occur, then I can stay home. We are at the mercy of the Lord.
We are truly eclectic. I love Charlotte Mason. I incorporate her ideas in our nature, composer and art studies. We unschool spelling and science. We do Abeka for my oldest's math & his language arts. Saxon for the younger two's math. Abeka for the middle's LA. Explode the Code for youngest. We use Beautiful Feet and Sonlight for History. And we spend lots of time at the library looking for interesting books!
Jenn
Edited by jenn4him on Oct. 11, 2007 at 7:39 AM
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Oct. 11, 2007 - Untitled Comment
 Posted by noahsmom
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We are for life home educators as well. We do AmbleSide with a few other things thrown in if we come across something we would like to do. We have a checklist for the week, but since we mostly "fly by the seat of our pants" it doesn't always get done on a M-F timetable ....thanks for asking:-)
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