Homeschool.
It sounds so, neat.
So fun.
So Rewarding.
And hard.
It's been an internal battle of right and morals vs. myths for months.
Who am I kidding?
Almost the last year.
I've even started a Pinterest board for all the Homeschool ideas I've seen and found.
It's amazing what is out there!
I'm at war with myself trying to figure out what is best for my children.
Isn't every parent?
I had read this post by the Bohemian Bowman's, last week, and resolved to call my children's public school career quits.
I was in TEARS as I spoke with hubby about it.
That night, we resolved that we would keep our son in preschool this year, to help him with focusing issues, and his emerging perfectionist.
He collapses into a fit when coloring because it's not perfect.
I don't know how to help him understand it doesn't need to be.
We also discussed keeping our daughter in the dual immersion program for a few months while I gained ground on how to tackle this thing called "Homeschool".
It would just be a matter of time until we pulled her out.
And that was that.
Or so I thought.
Then, I met her teachers face to face, without my daughter.
It was Conference night.
She has 2 teachers.
One for Chinese the other for English.
I really adore and respect these women so much.
They are all business, but they care SO MUCH about my little girl.
Not as much as me though.
But enough to change my mind.
Lord only knows what else she will learn on the playground....
Kids are getting info on being an adult so much earlier now.
They are not even kids!!
But, I realized, I'm NOT ready to homeschool.
There are days where I cannot even imagine having my wild monkeys home all day.
But then there are days {and moments} where I cry at the thought of neither of them being at home with me.
{like right now...}
What I can do, is I can help her as much as possible.
I can try to teach her who are good friends you want to keep around forever, and who are the bad ones that will teach you trash.
I can volunteer my time at her school and show her that I do care.
All while taking care of my misgivings and learning more, just in case.
So hubby and I had another talk.
We will keep her in public school as long as she is doing the dual immersion program.
The moment that it ends, or that we find a valid reason to pull her out, we will.
As for my son, we'll probably do the same thing.
If he does not get into a dual immersion program, then we will begin homeschooling him.
Until then, I will enrich their lives with extra activities and learning opportunities at home.
We will have "field trips" on the weekends.
Fun dinner conversations.
Life skills opportunities.
Devotions over breakfast.
Prayer every morning and night.
I will leave encouraging notes and Bible verses in her lunch box to help her get through the day.
Most of all, I want her to know that we care.
That we love her.
That no matter what, I think that this is best for her, now.
While their at school, I'll be jogging, sewing, scrapping and trying to better myself and build a business.
I'll also be going back to school.
To become a teacher.
I think.
Cheers to another school year!
4 comments:
So much going through my head right now! First, let me say, bravo for the conviction, and the wrestling and the determination to absolutely do right by your kids! My kids were (are? they're full grown now!) preacher's kids. Which, for us, seemed challenging (and perhaps isolating) enough for two little lives. We were in France until my daughter was in 6th grade, and then in the north east (Boston area) after that. Our choices for them came from a desire to help them be "in the world, and not of the world" and to help them learn that there's no ill/pain/corruption/sin etc. that exists that is more powerful than God. Nothing "out there" to be afraid of, just stuff to be handled, choices to be made. And we've been blessed with two faith-filled, kind young adults. What I believe more than anything about parenting, is that it has to be gut level (till it hurst) honest. That we have to make choices for our families that are right for our kids and our little clan. And then, after that, we should wholeheartedly accept/respect and support the decisions of our friends and loved ones even if they are VERY different from our own...cause this is the hardest job in the world, and we need love and support along the way. What I hear in what you write, is that honesty. And that diligence to search for the answers that meet the needs of your particular kids. Sorry for the uber-long comment ~ but I'm just so inspired by what you wrote and the spirit with which you expressed it! God Bless!!
You are such a good mom, and it's great to see teachers out there that still care.
My roommate is a teacher, and he cares. So many others don't-and I think a lot of that problem comes from our society treating teachers like garbage. We need to fight back and help everyone realize that these are not only our children-but our future. These are future Presidents of the USA, future doctors, lawyers-but most of all our future neighbors, future spouses of our children, future friends-we really need to invest more in them.
I have often wondered what I'd do for my kids when I have them, and there's a very large part of me that thinks that I can do better by them than public education-but that's not because of the teachers, it's because we don't fund schools-because there are so many people in the classroom and the poor teachers are frazzled.
But I think the stronger part of me feels like they need to learn to be out there and be social with other kids/people. They need to learn how to be functioning members of society.
If you can instill in them a self love so strong that they never sell themselves short with the wrong friends or the wrong morals-they'll succeed. They need to realize that they are worth so much more than the people who bring them down or who try to create badness in their lives.
Knowing you and Dave, those kids will have just as strong a spirit and they will succeed. ♥
Also, I know the school system is always looking for volunteers, that might help give you some more input on what is happening with your kiddos there!
Awesome write up! All things that I know we'll have to consider sometime. It's definitely something to wrestle with. I can see pros/cons for both sides of the argument.
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