OK, so I'm going to get a little serious... just because I can, and I need to write this down for myself.
So we decided to homeschool... blah blah blah. It was kind of forced upon us given everything that happened, but it was also something that our family NEEDED... desperately. We didn't know how badly we needed it until we were pushed in the pool and had to start swimming.
Some people think what we're doing is "so hard" and they couldn't imagine themselves doing it. I don't blame you there. I never saw THIS one coming. In fact, we have a good number of kids at the TaeKwonDo school who are homeschooled and before Addi started Kindergarten this year I told their mom's the same thing. That homeschooling would be "so hard" and that there was no way I could ever do it... especially with the way Addi wouldn't let me teach her anything before she started Kindergarten. Trying to teach her was the biggest headache and made me hate everything.
But here we are... homeschooling. And not looking back. And not looking for alternatives. And realizing, THIS is what we are supposed to do... and we plan on doing it forever.
Some have told me that I'll should re-evaluate each year about sending my kiddos to public school... but can I be quite blunt??? I don't plan on re-evaluating. I don't see any reason why I would ever think, now or in the future, that public school is the best place for my children. I just have too many reasons that we homeschool now, too many reasons why I won't send them to public school, too many reasons why I think being home is the best scenario for our family.
In my mind, the commitment we've made to homeschooling is a BIG ONE. I don't want the instability that comes from me re-evaluating every year or so. I don't want to "try out" public school again. I don't want to try out any mass education setting ever again. We have weighed the pros and cons, and in my heart I know what is best for our family. Forever. Even when it gets tough and even when we can't stand another day together because we're together so much. :)
Now, that doesn't mean that if I feel strongly prompted, that I wouldn't re-evaluate our decision to homeschool in the future. No one knows what life is going to bring, and how life will change, how the world will change, how our family dynamic will change. I'm not close-minded. But I have to go into homeschooling believing this is what we'll do forever. If I always think there is some way out of it, I'll be focused on finding that one way out, instead of focusing on what is actually best for our family.
I love all of the support we've received. AND for the record, I don't think you're a bad parent if you send your kids to public school, private school, charter school, whatever. :) I think you're a GREAT parent for doing what is best for YOUR family. I love that life doesn't have to be a cookie cutter process. I love that we all have different experiences, different strengths, different weaknesses, different trials, and different blessings.
So we decided to homeschool... blah blah blah. It was kind of forced upon us given everything that happened, but it was also something that our family NEEDED... desperately. We didn't know how badly we needed it until we were pushed in the pool and had to start swimming.
Some people think what we're doing is "so hard" and they couldn't imagine themselves doing it. I don't blame you there. I never saw THIS one coming. In fact, we have a good number of kids at the TaeKwonDo school who are homeschooled and before Addi started Kindergarten this year I told their mom's the same thing. That homeschooling would be "so hard" and that there was no way I could ever do it... especially with the way Addi wouldn't let me teach her anything before she started Kindergarten. Trying to teach her was the biggest headache and made me hate everything.
But here we are... homeschooling. And not looking back. And not looking for alternatives. And realizing, THIS is what we are supposed to do... and we plan on doing it forever.
Some have told me that I'll should re-evaluate each year about sending my kiddos to public school... but can I be quite blunt??? I don't plan on re-evaluating. I don't see any reason why I would ever think, now or in the future, that public school is the best place for my children. I just have too many reasons that we homeschool now, too many reasons why I won't send them to public school, too many reasons why I think being home is the best scenario for our family.
In my mind, the commitment we've made to homeschooling is a BIG ONE. I don't want the instability that comes from me re-evaluating every year or so. I don't want to "try out" public school again. I don't want to try out any mass education setting ever again. We have weighed the pros and cons, and in my heart I know what is best for our family. Forever. Even when it gets tough and even when we can't stand another day together because we're together so much. :)
Now, that doesn't mean that if I feel strongly prompted, that I wouldn't re-evaluate our decision to homeschool in the future. No one knows what life is going to bring, and how life will change, how the world will change, how our family dynamic will change. I'm not close-minded. But I have to go into homeschooling believing this is what we'll do forever. If I always think there is some way out of it, I'll be focused on finding that one way out, instead of focusing on what is actually best for our family.
I love all of the support we've received. AND for the record, I don't think you're a bad parent if you send your kids to public school, private school, charter school, whatever. :) I think you're a GREAT parent for doing what is best for YOUR family. I love that life doesn't have to be a cookie cutter process. I love that we all have different experiences, different strengths, different weaknesses, different trials, and different blessings.