Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Joining the ranks of homeschooling families...

After having 6 kids working their way through the public school system, I have finally decided to take the leap and homeschool [at least for a couple of years] my youngest 3 children. I am excited, and a bit nervous, but feel much peace with this decision.

Some of the factors that influenced my decision were:
1. Luke just was not excited about going to preschool.
2. Tavi would be at least a year if not 2 years behind her age group in public school, at least as far as I could see.
3. No way was Yana ready for public school and at 7 years of age she has to legally be in school.
4. Kids with special needs benefit from being educated with children w/o special needs.
5. Kids w/o special needs benefit from being educated with children who have special needs.
6. My girls need to learn about family and love and safety and security before they can learn to learn in a public school situation. I don't need to give them a crash course in therapies, or speech, or social situations. Right now they need something they have never had, a mommy to love them as much as possible! And Luke has been my right hand man for 4 years running! He likes it, I like it... the world tells me I need to "cut the cord". Well I say "PPPTTTHHHBBB!" to the world! :)
7. I just want to do it! :)

And many other reasons. I am excited though. My school will be so diverse! There will be a child of AA heritage, a child of Roma heritage, and a caucasion child. One will be "typical", one will be blind, and one will have DS. They will learn together, learn from each other, and see that diversity is a beautiful thing in both a family adn the world around them.

I have always felt the call to homeschool I guess. But I never felt ready or prepared. I am a different person from who I was when my oldest daughter, now a senior, started school. Not different maybe, as much as I am refined. Some of the stuff that didn't matter so much is gone, and some of the stuff that was buried was set free to rise to the surface.

My older children are fantastic, and they all do very well in school, some just when they want to though :)!

We are blessed to live in an area where the public school system is very nice! My decision is not based on what I believe our local school system lacks, but on my desire to teach my children, and the fact that at this point I feel what they need can only be offered by being taught at home.

One of my hopes is that in educating at home for a few years, Tavi will no longer be behind her peers, but caught up with them or even surpassing them. :) I know it is possible! She is one smart cookie, but just has a lot of catching up to do, not to mention just figuring out the brand new world and life she is now living!


Tavi hates Yanas feet resting on her, and Yana just can't sit with someone w/o her feet being on them. :)


She loves her thumb. She doesnt' suck it, just rests it in her mouth and sometimes bites it.

7 comments:

  1. Nice to have you as part of the gang, friend. You'll do GREAT!

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  2. Welcome to the jungle friend! I agree with everything you said! I always cringe a little when adoptive parents put their kids in school right away if it's not necessary... Yana and Tavi need YOU more than they need PEERS...and you know what, Luke does too! Only support here my friend!

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  3. I think that you made the right choice they do need you, they need to feel safe and secure and love. before they get sent out into the world of school. It can be scary for any child and especially for them

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  4. We are beginning HS also!!!! After two grown daughters through our broken Public school system in Alabama. We are home schooling our 4 & 2 yr olds! My husband and I are doing this together as he is the stay at home parent for now! Prayers for you and please pray for us!!!

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  5. Congratulations on the decision to homeschool. We have homeschooled for the past 13 years and have loved it! We are adopting Alyona, who also has ds and my older girls (17 & 19) have asked if I plan to homeschool her as well.

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  6. May God bless you on your journey...after 20 years (so far, our youngest is only 6!)of homeschooling, I can truly say the benefits are well worth the effort. Our youngest two have ADD and PDD-NOS respectively, so we are in for a challenging (and rewarding!) year, too! One word of advice...don't feel you need to recreate "school" at home. Your constant presence, with plenty of fun activities to explore will bring LOTS of learning and growth.
    Trust those mom instincts of yours...God gave them to you for a reason! :)

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  7. Congratulations on joining the rest of us crazy people!

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