| Author | |
Bella
Forum All-Star
Joined: Nov 18 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 571
|
| Posted: June 16 2008 at 5:53pm | IP Logged
|
 |
|
There are so many reasons for homeschooling, and I have found, after six years of doing it, that my reasons have changed. We began our journey to HS, before I became Catholic-actually, before I was really even a Christian.Two years into it, my DC and I became Catholic. That has changed some things, but not everything. We are, again, at a time to reevaluate our decisions. I would love to hear all of the reasons why you bright, faithful Ladies decided to take the plunge! 
Lack of good schools in your area?
To implement an Educational Philosophy that slapped you in the head, and tugged at your heart?
To increase family togetherness, and family bonds?
To avoid the negative social/societal influences that is present in all schools?(And what-by your defintion, would that be?)
You're out in the middle of nowhere? 
You think your DC have a better chance of getting to Heaven,being educated at home, with you in your family setting?
You think you can give your DC just as good-if not better- an education,than if they were *in* a school?
Any of these? All of these? Any other reason? Not trying to be nosy, just really curious.
Thanks for sharing!
__________________
Peace and Blessings,
Bella
Wife and Mom to my sweeties!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
folklaur
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2816
|
| Posted: June 16 2008 at 6:32pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Mostly these reasons:
Bella wrote:
Lack of good schools in your area
To avoid the negative social/societal influences that is present in all schools(And what-by your defintion, would
You think your DC have a better chance of getting to Heaven,being educated at home, with you in your family setting
You think you can give your DC just as good-if not better- an education,than if they were *in* a school?
|
|
|
But...with some extra thoughts thrown in. DH & I were just talking about this. Yes, we are Catholic Homeschoolers. But, really and honestly and truly? I am not really motivated by religious reasons to homeschool. I shelter my kids from things that I think are innappropriate, but then, I also know I am much more liberal in what I will allow them to read, watch, and listen to than other very conservative homeschooelers that I know. But they have nowhere near the "freedom" that I see a lot of the public schoolers have (I don't think it is freedom, actually, I think there is a lot of parental irresponsibility going on.)
Also...I think that the public school system is broken. Very broken. I have no idea how they will fix it. But it is broken and we believe, especially at this time, that we can do a better job. So, even when I don't feel like doing it, I feel kind of responsible for doing it. I don't know how to explain this really well. But, like, before I knew about homeschooling, we just looked for the best school we could for them, even if it was going to be financially difficult or a sacrifice, we did our best to give them the best we could. Now that we know just how broken the public school system is, we just don't feel we can overlook that. We didn't know before what we know now.
I am NOT saying that there are not good teachers in the PS system. There are, and I happen to know some personally. But I think they aren't as good as they could be because the system itself limits what they are able to do.
I also know - now that I am a homeschooler, now that I have more knowledge about it all - I have a somewhat rebellious attitutde towards the idea that someone is going to tell me I "HAVE TO" send my kids off to school.
Negative social influences - ooh, boy, these can be everywhere tho! So often, homeschoolers have a false sense of security when it comes to this, imho, and the idea that if they are just with other hs-ers it will be okay. But - my kids attended a 1 day a week public school enrichment class with all other homeschoolers. My son came home just the same way he went - but my dd6 -- wow, she is one who we would have to watch like a hawk in ANY school setting. (How I got an extroverted-popular-cheerleader-type is totally beyond me. The rest of us are contented introverts, but not this little firecracker. Her attitude after just one day each week was different. So I think some is personality and some is environment) But, yes, I do think having your child away from your influence all day every day is NOT a great idea - especially after sending dd18 to high school for band. I could go on about that for awhile.... 
I want my kids to be kids, I want my ds9 who is autistic to not feel scared or threatened.....
We homeschool because we think it is the right thing to do. Even when we don't feel like doing the right thing.
hope this made some sense, I may come back after I have thought more about it....
good question!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Willa
Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 28 2005
Location: California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3881
|
| Posted: June 16 2008 at 6:34pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
All of the above!! The schools in our area are pretty good, but we don't have Catholic schools nearby, and couldn't afford them if we did.
That is a great list of reasons you wrote out 
I started homeschooling with anxiety -- my husband really wanted to try it from the beginning, but for a couple of years my oldest went to Catholic school.
I started noticing subtle problems -- nothing really obvious. Religion didn't permeate the curriculum. There were a lot of consumeristic influences -- the school was expensive, so most of the families were quite prosperous, and I knew we couldn't and didn't want to keep up with all the "new things".
Liam was stressed -- sometimes he had to stay in from recess because he did his work too slowly. At home, it would take hours to get his homework done. He was extremely bright, but the sheer amount of formal academics was way too much.
After his little brother was born, the family seemed so split in all different directions. At the same time, our Church started Perpetual Adoration and I signed up for a weekly hour. The graces from adoration infused courage, I believe -- I started actually reconsidering and thinking it might work better to homeschool.
I think the education we give the kids is much better than the school equivalent. It's not very formal -- we don't spend very many hours "on task" but the learning seems to sink in better.
Certainly I don't think we do it perfectly by any means. But my goals are more approachable by homeschooling than by any other schooling method within our local reach.
About going to Heaven -- there are no guarantees. Homeschoolers can certainly be sinners just like everyone else. I believe that a close devoted family is a help towards heaven -- you can have that without homeschooling, but in our local circumstances, a child going to school simply wouldn't be home with the family very much. My fourth son is going to high school next year -- and it will be almost like sending him to college -- we will barely see him 
__________________
AMDG
Willa
hsing boys ages 11, 14, almost 18 (+ 4 homeschool grads ages 20 to 27)
Take Up and Read
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
K&Rs Mom
Forum Rookie
Joined: April 14 2008
Location: Michigan
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 58
|
| Posted: June 16 2008 at 6:35pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
We've only been doing this for about 2 years, so our reasons may still change a lot. The initial reason was that all of K's friends were starting preschool but preschool is VERY expensive so I wanted to feel like she was getting some kind of education even though we wouldn't be sending her. That nudged this snowball down the hill....
Now, our two main reasons are social and academic. Every time I talk to my sister or some friends and hear what their kids have learned on the playground, I give thanks for our being able to homeschool.  I went to Catholic school for a few years (K-3rd) and know they aren't immune from this kind of thing (not to mention very expensive), so that's not a solution for us. Also, my children don't seem to fit clearly into a particular grade level - they are at different levels in different areas, which is better served by homeschooling.
__________________
Aubrey
Mom to K (7.5yo) & R (5yo)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JodieLyn
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 06 2006
Location: Oregon
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 12234
|
| Posted: June 16 2008 at 7:06pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
First and foremost.. we homeschool because my dh's work schedule is the antithisis of the public school schedule.
My dh actually came home and asked me once if his job was a "hardship" for me.  How to answer that honestly, but without giving a negative twist.. because it is hard for me.. but a "hardship"? where did that come from?? But on the flip side I also didn't want to sound like I was happy to have him gone as much as he can be. Turns out that this was mentioned in relation to someone he works with (they have essentially the same job).. who has only 2 children, both in school, and a wife that works. I was able to point out how the fact that we homeschool means that when he's home, the kids are home, I'm home. This other family deals with all sorts of financial issues with babysitters and how you can't lose your space with a babysitter just cause dad is home on a day mom normally goes to work.. and so he's home alone while mom is working and kids are at school or babysitter and he's working on the weekends and such.. and his days off aren't solid enough to depend on for childcare.
Secondly would have to be the bureaucracy of the school taking precidence over the child. The number of times that the child has to bend to doing things because it's too hard for the school to do what's best for the child.. or the difficulties of a child advancing while very young compared to the others.. or the problems of the older child advancing slower.. the whole rigidity of the system. I was so happy to not be dealing with that when we started teaching my oldest to read. Phonics has yet to make real sense to her.. but we switched to sight reading and she's reading at or above "grade level".. can you imagine if she'd been stuck in school as a non-reader in 3rd and part way through 4th grade?? 
And just the sheer enjoyment factor.. having a child ASK to do math?? who can resist?
__________________
Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
folklaur
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2816
|
| Posted: June 16 2008 at 7:16pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
JodieLyn wrote:
| First and foremost.. we homeschool because my dh's work schedule is the antithisis of the public school schedule. |
|
|
oooh, yes, forgot about that but it is a BIG reason here too. My dh works from 2:30pm - 11:30pm usually. If the children were in school they would never see each other, except on Sundays, and Monday nights after school was out.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JuliaT
Forum All-Star
Joined: June 25 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 563
|
| Posted: June 16 2008 at 7:29pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I have always known that I have wanted to homeschool. I was so thankful that my dh agreed with me at the time. Our reasons were all the ones that you have listed above. This year, though, I have realized that there was a more important one that affected our family on a much more deeper level.
I have known since before I was married that I needed to homeeschool our children. I have felt very deeply about this. I knew that this was God's calling on my life. I knew that if I didn't follow through with this that I would be disobeying God. I now know why I felt this so strongly.
My children all have sensory issues with my youngest having them the worst. All of my children have memory issues. My ds has a visual processing problem. I see now that in teaching my children at home, I can teach them at their own pace, in their own style. I can see now that if I had sent them to school, I would be battling with teachers and school officials constantly. I would be working with my children anyway trying to keep them up to the other kids.
At home, we can go down any path we want and take our own time in getting to our destination. We can take the scenic route if that is our desire, the destination usually is the same anyway.
I know this now, but God knew it 10 years ago and He set my heart upon this path because He knew it was the right thing for my children. Praise God!
Blessings,
Julia
mom of 3 (9,7,5)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
guitarnan
Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Maryland
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 10883
|
| Posted: June 16 2008 at 7:36pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
We began homeschooling because the Navy sent us to a place where the only English-language school was poorly run, to say the least. God revealed even before we moved that He did, indeed, want us to homeschool. We arrived in Italy as the only Catholic homeschoolers on our tiny base, and we made it work somehow. The base homeschool group, though small, was great. Our Famous Men of Rome curriculum somehow matched up perfectly with our chances to travel, time and time again. My husband was put on battle watch (plus his real job) and we did school on his work days so we could have family time on the rare days he was off AND awake. It worked pretty well, really.
What we thought was a two-year adventure became a four-year gig when we moved to rural West Virginia. Again we were a Catholic homeschooling minority - only one other Catholic family in the whole county homeschooled. My son was saved from half-hour bus rides on which boys heated pennies with lighters and dropped them down the shirts of girls (!) and other such pastimes. That alone was worth it, but we had many other chances to travel, to do benthic (invertebrate) monitoring in the Potomac River's South Branch, and much more.
Now we're finishing Year Six and still happy. My son will do all of high school at home. We have our moments - geometry and Shakespeare can't compete with video games - but my son has a healthy sense of right and wrong and that, to me, is worth a few dozen arguments. My daughter's competitive Irish dance schedule would overwhelm us if we didn't homeschool. As things are now, though, we can get everything done and still have time to spend as a family, at dinner each night and more besides.
Our reasons have grown and evolved from temporary respite to best available alternative to family lifestyle, and I don't think we're done yet. To me this is a sign that I must always be open to God's will for my family, not to my own ideas...certainly seven years ago I would have laughed at the idea of Impatient Me homeschooling anyone! I tell people all the time that the Holy Spirit is the true guide in our home - without the Spirit, I would never, ever have patience to do this.
I do think our state's public school system is pretty broken, and Catholic schools are unaffordable (for a good reason, sort of - parity of teacher salaries) for many one-income families. Having finally achieved my goal of staying home, I know I'll only go back to work full-time if economic necessity dictates. I'm thankful God has provided a chance for me to work part-time from home.
This is an interesting discussion. I know, for us, we've moved from two-years-school-in-a-box to a lifestyle we love. It's a gift and a challenge, one that changes perhaps more often than I'd like.
I hope more people will chime in!
__________________
Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Bella
Forum All-Star
Joined: Nov 18 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 571
|
| Posted: June 16 2008 at 8:22pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I *love* this! Thankyou!
I think I would like to add to the above list:
To meet our DC's specific needs...academic,medical,mental,emotional....
Good Catholic schools are too expensive-especially for a large family.
__________________
Peace and Blessings,
Bella
Wife and Mom to my sweeties!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Marcia
Forum Pro
Joined: Aug 20 2007
Location: Illinois
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 437
|
| Posted: June 16 2008 at 9:20pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
a few years ago I needed a list of why we homeschool...this is what my hubby and I made/complied. I keep it close at hand.
Why we homeschool:
-to fulfill the responsibilities given to us upon our children's baptism
-to provide our children with a comprehensive Catholic education and worldview in all areas of life and learning
-to provide an individualized education in an environment of respect and loving parental care such that each child's strengths are appreciated and raised up and each child's areas of challenge are accommodated and or remediated.
-to allow extended parental influence, particularly in the early years of character, values and attitude formation.
-to protect our children from the pervasive impiety in our culture and educational systems. in order to facilitate the development of the whole child
-to encourage social developments across contexts and ages
-to reverence the child by careful attention to their unique personhood
-to offer emotional safety so that energies can go toward froth and not fear
-and above all because we love being with our children.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
MacBeth
Forum All-Star
Probably at the beach...
Joined: Jan 27 2005
Location: New York
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2518
|
| Posted: June 16 2008 at 10:44pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
+Because it's fun, and right for our family.
+Because it allows the kids with talent that would not be nurtured in school to excel.
+Because it gives the kids time to be kids.
+Because it allows us to travel freely (at least it did until Trip decided to go to high school  .
+Because every child is an individual who needs to be nurtured as such, and the best school in the world cannot do that like I can.
__________________
God Bless!
MacBeth in NY
Don's wife since '88; "Mom" to the Fab 4
Nature Study
MacBeth's Blog
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Bella
Forum All-Star
Joined: Nov 18 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 571
|
| Posted: June 16 2008 at 11:01pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Ack! Military families! *That* was one of the reasons I meant to add to the list!
Keep'em coming!
__________________
Peace and Blessings,
Bella
Wife and Mom to my sweeties!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
mom2mpr
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 16 2006
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1550
|
| Posted: June 16 2008 at 11:23pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
All of the above.
We started for academic reasons.
We have had years that religion was a priority(for example FHC prep).
Flexibility to move and not have to change school districts--and we find homeschoolers friendly when you are new to an area
Flexibility to take time off to nurture family relationships whether it be travel to visit or having family as guests.
My children who are 5 years apart in age KNOW each other.
I don't know that I am the best teacher in the world but I thank God every day that I have this opportunity and can develop close relationships with them.
It is so neat to read everyone's responses...
Anne
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Taffy
Forum All-Star
Joined: April 05 2005
Location: Canada
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1567
|
| Posted: June 17 2008 at 9:48am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Wow! I like all of the reasons given so far!
I'd like to add one more. We started to ensure that our oldest actually got an education. He's special needs and the school wanted to have him pass on to the next grade when he obviously didn't know the material - they called it a social pass. We feel, quite strongly, that he deserves an education, he may be hard to teach but he's worth it!
__________________
Susan
Mom to 5 on earth and 1 in heaven
Susan's Soliloquy
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Rachel May
Forum All-Star
Joined: June 24 2005
Location: Kansas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2057
|
| Posted: June 17 2008 at 12:47pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Because I like it.
Because the struggles we have in our relationships will not be improved by sending them away from me.
Because the closeness of our relationships won't be improved by sending them away from me.
__________________
Rachel
Thomas and Anthony (10), Maria (8), Charles (6), Cecilia (5), James (3), and Joseph (1)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Bella
Forum All-Star
Joined: Nov 18 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 571
|
| Posted: June 17 2008 at 12:59pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Oh boy, Rachel,your post just made me . I want so badly to believe this. Thankyou for posting.
__________________
Peace and Blessings,
Bella
Wife and Mom to my sweeties!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
12stars
Forum Pro
Joined: April 25 2008
Location: California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 372
|
| Posted: June 17 2008 at 3:06pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
cactus mouse wrote:
Mostly these reasons:
Bella wrote:
Lack of good schools in your area
To avoid the negative social/societal influences that is present in all schools(And what-by your defintion, would
You think your DC have a better chance of getting to Heaven,being educated at home, with you in your family setting
You think you can give your DC just as good-if not better- an education,than if they were *in* a school?
|
|
|
But...with some extra thoughts thrown in. DH & I were just talking about this. Yes, we are Catholic Homeschoolers. But, really and honestly and truly? I am not really motivated by religious reasons to homeschool. I shelter my kids from things that I think are innappropriate, but then, I also know I am much more liberal in what I will allow them to read, watch, and listen to than other very conservative homeschooelers that I know. But they have nowhere near the "freedom" that I see a lot of the public schoolers have (I don't think it is freedom, actually, I think there is a lot of parental irresponsibility going on.)
Also...I think that the public school system is broken. Very broken. I have no idea how they will fix it. But it is broken and we believe, especially at this time, that we can do a better job. So, even when I don't feel like doing it, I feel kind of responsible for doing it. I don't know how to explain this really well. But, like, before I knew about homeschooling, we just looked for the best school we could for them, even if it was going to be financially difficult or a sacrifice, we did our best to give them the best we could. Now that we know just how broken the public school system is, we just don't feel we can overlook that. We didn't know before what we know now.
I am NOT saying that there are not good teachers in the PS system. There are, and I happen to know some personally. But I think they aren't as good as they could be because the system itself limits what they are able to do.
I also know - now that I am a homeschooler, now that I have more knowledge about it all - I have a somewhat rebellious attitutde towards the idea that someone is going to tell me I "HAVE TO" send my kids off to school.
Negative social influences - ooh, boy, these can be everywhere tho! So often, homeschoolers have a false sense of security when it comes to this, imho, and the idea that if they are just with other hs-ers it will be okay. But - my kids attended a 1 day a week public school enrichment class with all other homeschoolers. My son came home just the same way he went - but my dd6 -- wow, she is one who we would have to watch like a hawk in ANY school setting. (How I got an extroverted-popular-cheerleader-type is totally beyond me. The rest of us are contented introverts, but not this little firecracker. Her attitude after just one day each week was different. So I think some is personality and some is environment) But, yes, I do think having your child away from your influence all day every day is NOT a great idea - especially after sending dd18 to high school for band. I could go on about that for awhile....
I want my kids to be kids, I want my ds9 who is autistic to not feel scared or threatened.....
We homeschool because we think it is the right thing to do. Even when we don't feel like doing the right thing.
hope this made some sense, I may come back after I have thought more about it....
good question! |
|
|
Everything you said cactus I agree with along with evreyone else.
We are in a time where everything gets challenged, I feel if I send my dc to ps I will be working twice as hard to raise and teach them I don't have that kind of energy. When my dd was in ps everything seemed so hard on every level, she was in 3rd grade and kids were already challenging her in her faith.
The religious part is important and this is only part of what I want to instill in my dc.
__________________
Claudia in Southern California
Wife to George,
Mom to DD 14, DD 10, DD 7, DS 4, DS 2, 1 in heaven, and now due 5/11.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
allegiance_mom
Forum Pro
Joined: June 26 2007
Location: New York
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 163
|
| Posted: June 17 2008 at 3:35pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
There are no authentic Catholic schools in our area.
We could not afford the tuition if there were.
My son is working way above grade level, and would not be challenged in a traditional classroom.
To keep our family close.
To avoid prolonged daily exposure to a mob of children, with all of the attendant bad language and behaviors.
To avoid having inappropriate subjects taught to my sons.
To avoid having my children brainwashed by a liberal / politically-correct / multicultural / secular humanist worldview. (Have you ever heard of a public school celebrating White History Month? No offense to others, but we are all supposed to be equal! All races and cultures have a history.)
__________________
Allegiance Mom in NY
Wife 17 years
Mom to two boys, 14 and 8, and one pre-born babe in Heaven (Jan 2010)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Maria B.
Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 16 2006
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 544
|
| Posted: June 17 2008 at 3:56pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
As a mother, I have the ability to provide the love, acceptance, and attention my children need to grow up secure and able to develop mature relationships. I also have the opportunity to model mature love, commitment, fogiveness,accountability, grace. and encouragement for my children. The home is an ideal environment in which children can experience the growth of a mature relationship where give-and-take are learned in the context of real life. And this ideally includes an understanding of the true power of God's love.
Sally Clarkson Mission of Motherhood, Chapter Seven
__________________
Maria in VA
Proud Mom to 10 Great kids!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
SarahA
Forum Newbie
Joined: April 12 2008
Location: North Carolina
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 42
|
| Posted: June 18 2008 at 7:59am | IP Logged
|
|
|
-Because teachers seem to think they know my kids better than I do when they have them for 8 hrs/day, but how can they REALLY get to know what motivates each of the 30 kids in a room?
-Because even Catholic schools (even the supposedly "really" Catholic ones) are secularized by the other kids/parents involved (having a party on a Friday during Lent, and serving hot dogs??!!)
-Because my kids actually behave better when they're not in school (no negative peer influences?)
-Because my husband was prophetic and wanted to do it since the beginning and I'm just now heeding God's call 
-Because my children won't be perfect, but we feel they stand a better chance of becoming saints this way
-Because I'm not perfect, but God's telling me that this is what He wants, and He'll give me the grace to do it (which will hopefully help me in the journey to sainthood, as well)
-We're having so much fun on our cross-country trip, and looking forward to more trips when other kids will be sitting in classrooms! (especially working around my husband's schedule and block leave for the deployment we're expecting this fall)
-and lots of others alreay mentioned
I'll have to come back to this in the fall once I've technically "started" doing it!
__________________
Sarah
Army wife, Mama to (so far...) 2 boys, 1 girl, then 2 more boys
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
|
|
4Real Forums : Philosophy of Education
Topic: Why do you homeschool?
