Where is everyone? It's gone too quiet in here.

[1moregirl]

Just checking in to see how everyone is doing but noticed there's been no activity here for a while. MrsG - how are you going now? Anyone else ttc?

[atomic sagebrush]

this time of year is often rather quiet! hope everyone is doing well

[Faithinpink]

Hi 1moregirl hope all is good for you.. how u holding up with the 6weeks school holidays ..im going nuts lol

[1moregirl]

Thanks for letting me know Atomic. Yes I guess it is school holidays in many parts of the world isn't it? That will account for keeping us Mums busy and off the iPad (most of us anyway.

Faith - lovely to hear from you. I have actually been loving having the kids at home and dreading them going back to school. We have had a lovely pool set up in the backyard that has a small filter and I put a bit of chlorine in it and we have (the kids especially) been living in it just about every day. Plus my 'baby' is going to be doing 4 yr old kindergarten this year (3 days a week from 9am - 2pm) so I'm still trying to get my head around that. I am thinking that I will have to do some sort of paid work for at least 2 of those 3 days that he is at kinder, otherwise I will just be sitting at home and missing my children. Sometimes I hate being conventional and wonder why we all have our beautiful children and then send them off to school where their teachers get to see more of them than we do? I know it's just what we do and it's good for them socially as well. I have often thought of keeping them at home and schooling them myself, but then I worry how they would mix with their peers and make friends and learn independence. Plus, would I be keeping them home to home school them for my benefit or for theirs? And how would I earn an income? Sometimes I think I would love to have a home with quite a bit of land so we could have lots of animals, homeschool the kids and earn an income from home all the same time. I don't know.....

[cosmosis]

I asked myself the same question for years. What's the point of having them if you send them off for somebody else to raise? It made me very uneasy, but I sent her anyway because that is what we do. I'll tell you what though, the socializing part of school is really and truly over rated. It was the socializing that didn't allow me to focus on my true potential at school and I see the same pattern in most kids.

My DD has been homeschooling for almost a year now and she loves it. She gets all her school work done by 11:00AM, takes a big nap and then gets to do what she loves which is arts, crafts, reading and of course playing with her dolls. We also get to do things as a family at times where most don't, like movies on a Tuesday afternoon.

There's alot of curriculums that are online and children can work quite independently. Its really a matter of figuring out a system that works for you and your family. I do encourage you to follow that inner voice it is VERY satisfying. <3

[djmommy]

I asked myself the same question for years. What's the point of having them if you send them off for somebody else to raise? It made me very uneasy, but I sent her anyway because that is what we do. I'll tell you what though, the socializing part of school is really and truly over rated. It was the socializing that didn't allow me to focus on my true potential at school and I see the same pattern in most kids.

My DD has been homeschooling for almost a year now and she loves it. She gets all her school work done by 11:00AM, takes a big nap and then gets to do what she loves which is arts, crafts, reading and of course playing with her dolls. We also get to do things as a family at times where most don't, like movies on a Tuesday afternoon.

There's alot of curriculums that are online and children can work quite independently. Its really a matter of figuring out a system that works for you and your family. I do encourage you to follow that inner voice it is VERY satisfying. <3

Totally agree with everything!! I am in my second year homeschooling and I love it as do my kids!! For me I couldn't send them to school, but it is not for everyone. Maybe give it a shot, you may surprise your self. My kids socialize a lot with other homeschoolers and sports and activities!

[atomic sagebrush]

some of you know this already but I also homeschool. I homeschooled my older boys (one is in college now and the other is saving money for school) and now do the younger 3 as well. We have our rocky moments but overall it's really rewarding.

Personally we never had any issue with homeschooling and socialization. I was tormented in school and it took me years to become functional and to undo the harm that was done. My older kids lived in a small town, had friends and sleepovers and all the normal stuff, and did theater. now we live very, very far in the country so it's been much more of a challenge, but they play together and with their cousins when we can. In many ways they are better socialized than I was at that same age (because I was an only child).

[1moregirl]

Wow! That is really interesting! Did any one of you have parents, family members and/or friends that questioned you about homeschooling or gave you negative opinions about it? My parents, for one, would be totally against it and would say they believed I was keeping them at home for my own selfish reasons. Plus, my other question for you that concerns me, is how do you yourselves earn an income if you are at home every day homeschooling your kids? I am a trained primary school teacher, yet I dread the thought of teaching other people's kids every day when I would much rather just be with my own. I really need to be earning money, yet I'm not sure how I could do that whilst homeschooling our kids as well. Any ideas? Plus, I question my own motives for wanting to homeschool. Am I wanting it just so my kids are staying home with me every day? Maybe this is not a good thing in that the kids and I would be too dependent on each other? How will you guys cope as Mums one day when yuor kids are all grown up and move out? I just don't know. I am in two minds really. I am worried I am wanting it for selfish reasons, since I am sad my 'baby' is heading off to 4 yr old kinder this year. I won't have any more babies at home to take care, or to keep my company every day. I do have one sister who would also love to homeschool her kids but she sends them to Steiner school instead. Anyway, I will look into it a bit more online and just see. Atomic - how did you go homeschooling your boys through VCE (secondary school and years 11 and 12)? I also worry that we would go stir crazy being in our own huose so much if I was homeschooling our kids and that they wouldn't get as much time to interact with peers.

[MrsGoodies]

Interaction with peers is overrated imho.

The purpose of 'socialization' is to be able to function in society and interact with people from all walks of life and *all age groups*..... How placing thirty 6 yr olds into a classroom teaches them this is beyond me! Are other 6 yr olds going to train my child in etiquette and proper manners when they lack these basic skills themselves? Its like putting thirty puppies into a room and expecting them to potty train each other

At least 100 yrs ago children were in 1 room school houses and learned to interact with all age groups. Now children are segregated by age until they are adults. They only do everything with their peers and are bullied by older groups and in turn bully younger groups.

The only other place this happens in society other than schools are prisions.

.

[1moregirl]

So MrsG - do you homeschool your boys as well then? Still waiting for answers to some of my questions. How can you earn an income whilst homeschooling? What if your kids enjoy school (mind do, especially one of them)? I'd love to hear some answers and get some ideas and suggestions. I Am a fully trained and qualified primary school teacher yet I'm not keen on going back to that anyway and spending time with other people's kids when I'd rather be with my own. My two kids currently go to a catholic school and it's been a great school. I just really miss them when they are at school and wonder why we all have to follow the educational convention of sending our kids off to school. I'd love to a have a huose with quite a bit of land and quite a few animals as well, a huge veggie garden and homeschool the kids and have them helping indoors and outdoors whilst learning stuff as well at the same time. I don't know. I'm a typical Libran. Always in two minds about things. In 2 minds about ttc and about the educations of our kids.