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marianne
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| Posted: Jan 19 2008 at 3:43pm | IP Logged
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Has anyone else experienced an increased pressure from family/friends to enroll your kids in school at 6th grade or for middle school? We've homeschooled since preschool for my oldest, and I haven't felt this much pressure since the year we didn't sign him up for kindergarten. Last night, I was at a birthday party and all the moms were going on and on about how wonderful the Catholic school is here (6-12th) and then someone looked at me and asked if we were going to continue homeschooling. All these eyes were just staring at me in disbelief. How could I turn down this wonderful Catholic school? HOW can I teach all the more complicated subjects once he's in middle school?
I'm really not too worried about it, but is this a common time to get more questions about your choice to homeschool? I know 9th grade will probably be worse!
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Martha
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| Posted: Jan 19 2008 at 5:32pm | IP Logged
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hmm, yes and no.
no one seems to mind us hs-ing through middle school, but there's been a lot of assumptions about us sending them to school for high school, which I have zero plans of doing.
a lot of talk about how I'm getting him ready for high school. at first I thought they meant just upper grades, but no, it slowly hit me they mean high school in the big house, as in big brick school house buildings. 
right now I just ignore it.
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mellyrose
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| Posted: Jan 19 2008 at 6:07pm | IP Logged
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I'm not anywhere near that point yet, but I have a friend who has chosen to homeschool for the middle school years specifically. She feels that those years are some of the most difficult, and most important for them to be homeschooled. Her children have attended public school K through 5th or so, then are home at least 1/2 time. (she's able to have them attend a handful of classes at the public school, and then homeschools them for the remainder.)
I think DH assumes our kids will move away from homeschooling around that time, but we haven't talked about it in awhile. I admit I haven't thought it through much -- I try to decide one year at a time.
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mariB
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| Posted: Jan 20 2008 at 11:02pm | IP Logged
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Our response is always, "We are taking one year at a time." Even though we know we're in it for the long haul, I just don't feel that I owe an explanation to people that have their mind made up against home schooling anyhow.
As the years have gone by family members have come to realize the tremendous benefits of homeschooling...which is wonderful:)
Another response we have is "Yes, there are private schools, public schools, and now homeschooling.. . We happen to have chosen homeschooling and it really works for us."
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Becky Parker
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| Posted: Jan 21 2008 at 5:52am | IP Logged
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I like Marianne's replies! We got pressure at 6th grade, and now that my oldest is in 8th we're getting LOTS of pressure about highschool. What concerns me a little is my dh is thinking highschool might not be such a bad idea. 
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JenniferS
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| Posted: Jan 21 2008 at 7:36am | IP Logged
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We pretty much reply the same as Marianne. However, we really don't get much about middle school. It is high school that seems to really worry everyone else around here. So, we take the "year by year" approach to our answer.
Jen
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Lara Sauer
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| Posted: Jan 24 2008 at 6:22pm | IP Logged
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Hi!
My oldest is now 15 and in HS, but around the time he was getting ready for 6th grade, I do remember the questions starting up again..."You're not going to homeschool him through high school, are you???" shock and horror evident in their tone.
One response was, "I really don't get my kicks from teaching phonics! The subjects we'll be studying will finally be interesting to me! And besides, at 14 he will just be getting really useful to me...imagine...I will be able to go the grocery store without taking all the kids!"
My other favorite response was, "Well, I'll finally be able to put that college degree to good use!"
Good luck!
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Mari
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| Posted: Jan 26 2008 at 6:35am | IP Logged
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It's so good to read this. It is difficult for me to believe that my dds are still happily at home.
My dH (French) wanted eldest dd in a creche at 18 months old. Even my parents keep hinting at the fact that it is about time ... about time that what? - about time that someone more responsible/more loving/more capable/more professional/other reason (take your pick  ) took over????
Why do they think that I am not up to this? Is it becuase they didn't do it themselves and I should be following the same pattern? I don't know. When I try and talk about what I am doing there is a sort of polite silence (as if they are just being patient and that I shall soon grow out of it...)
Oh yes - and I have forever heard -it's okay for now but what about when they really need to start learning serious stuff  (I thought serious stuff was happening from birth and before... )
The thing is, I have an open mind about school (if it is a good one for the needs of my dds and there is not one accessible to us here in France so it will have to be back in the UK) - it is still a big budget question. But it is not easy to discuss this with others because they are not neutral about it (they would just see positive sides in going to school and none of the positive sides of being at home).
From now on, I am going to keep along Lara's line: well, I can finally make use of all those years of art and music and that masters degree in engineering.....and joining the dds for some sport will keep me on my toes. 
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Topic: Pressure to enroll in 6th grade?
