Thoughts on Home Schooling....

Next Monday our two boys start school. I am terrified. We will have a first grader and a kindergartner, not so much worried about the first grader as I am the kindergartner and yes at a public school, which makes my fears all that more multiplied. However more and more hubby and I are considering home schooling. Private school is just way too costly unless, by some stroke of luck we hit the lottery or inherit a vast fortune from some unknown relative. And there really aren’t that many around us anyways. So private school “pickings” are slim.

So, that leaves us with the thought of trying home schooling. Everyday more and more I look in to it. Costco I have found actually sells curriculum. I have also looked at the A-Beka, K12 and other curriculums. There are so many out there that it’s all mind blowing and confusing as to what is the best. My neighbor is a home educator and has had the thought of starting her own community co-op, she is more then willing to help hold our hand through this undertaking. However I do not give myself the credit I deserve to undertake such a monumental task, when I was in school I was a mediocre at best student, my parents failed me in the fact that they did not seek help for me in the subjects I was failing at so miserably. So how could I ever expect to teach my children anything?

I have been fortunate with strong family support on the subject, my niece who was in all AP courses has volunteered to help with Math and Science, Hubby also is a wiz at math and English-so those subjects will be covered. But there are those who are giving me “The look” you know those doubtful eyes; my mother for one asked if I was “Qualified enough” to teach. Several friends have said “Why would you want to do that, your just getting your life back” and the selfish side of me tends to ask the same questions. With both boys in school all day I will have time for things I haven’t before, shopping or lunch with friends, house cleaning, the gun range…  I worry about the 5 year old and his attention span and how in the heck do I keep him interested in learning.

But then the other side of me kicks in and thinks about all they are teaching in the public school system these days, and the things that my then kindergartner last year came home talking about. I think about how I do not want our children raised in a government controlled environment when 2 out of 6 hours are spent actually learning. I can’t stop remembering the public school teacher in New Jersey that taught the “Obama” song to the kids and video taped them singing it and how disgusted I was at that.  I think about how we can have a more flexible schedule and do more camping, going to places that are educational and have them write reports about their “field trips”.  I also think about how bad the economy is and just wanting to keep them “closer” to me. A good friend told me not too long ago that California dictates the curriculum for the rest of the country-and that alone is enough to scare any conservative parent in to home schooling. However, with the financial events of these last few weeks, we may not have a choice.  Maybe I should start stock piling school books and notebook paper as well….