Do you school children at home and have one in PS?

I have always been ‘homeschool all the way.’ But must admit that I’ve changed, now having an 8th grader:) We are 99% sure that she will go to the local Christian school. She’s not rebellious per se, but we do deal w/teenage attitude/hormanal stuff and there are various reasons that I think she’ll thrive more at this school (it’s small, rigorous, and teachers have mentoring/relationship mindset).  My son is in 5th and school is not an option for him….he’ll also get to decide at high school level. He likes his homeschool flexibility, and honestly I see him as more thriving in the homeschool environment…he’s a more engaged learner w/many more outside interests than my dd.  So, I do see that different kids do have different needs. 

Only you can decide if public school is a good option in your area. If I allowed it, I’d be strongly on guard and would require participation in a church youth group and/or Christian group at school (if there is one). I’d contact some of the homeschoolers w/kids in PS, too, and get some input.  If my kid were a follower and rebellious I’d be very hesitant to send them to PS. But I also wouldn’t risk my relationship w/my child over it either. Is there an option to just take some classes at PS? Praying for peace for you…I know how hard it is!! Blessings, Gina

We have done this a couple times for various reasons w/ 2 of my boys. 

For one, it was OK.  He still didn’t get the help he needed, though, which is part of why we sent him.  I’ve gone back and forth about whether he should be at ps or not, while he’s been home.  He HAS been taking classes at the Tech Ctr, though, which has been great for him.  I wish more children could access this option at an earlier age, too.  This would have been a huge boost for us and him even sooner. 

My 2nd son wanted to go back to ps, having a “grass is greener” thought process as well as thinking it was fun.  Dh said he could go, against my concerns, and w/out any recourse if it should arise.  Anyway.  My son learned very, very quickly that it was NOT what he thought.  He was also bullied all yr, which we never found out about but did know about.  (We dealt w/ some fairly big anger issues for a long time.)  Also, he finally revealed to me, at the beginning of the next yr here at home, that he didn’t learn A.N.Y.thing.  *He* recognized it, *and* stated it.  We didn’t have a rigourous hs, either.  Solid, but gentle and even “behind” in some ways, letting them learn as they were able and not by someone else’s timetable.  I have wanted him to take a class for computers, but he isn’t interested in even that much.  He is adamantly opposed to going.  I do hope, though, that maybe next yr he’ll be interested in taking some Tech classes.  We’ll cross that bridge later, though.

My younger ones are drawn more because of the people around them, their friends.  They don’t understand and we need to make the decision.  They do go to the ps for Band and Lessons, something I can’t offer otherwise. 

I’ve had various educational experiences w/ my children.  We were blessed w/ private school for a few yrs when my boys were little, and then we thought maybe we should give the ps a chance.  (that wasn’t a good experience for either of my sons, even horrendous for one.  but that’s a long story, which blessedly has a good ending.)   

Based on our experiences w/ the schools, and knowing our children, I’m really not interested in the option at any point in time ever again.  Does that lock the door?  No, just clearly closes it.  It also does not include the Career Ctr option for future pursuits.  That’s a little different.

Each school, community, and district are different.  Along w/ different children and families.  Do I suggest it?  Personally, no.  I would ask what it was you were trying to accomplish by sending them, and then see how else you could achieve that same goal.  So, if it was friends or interacting, for example.  Then I would suggest finding a group or outside interest and sign them up for that.  Look at other options first, give them a whirl.

It’s funny, but my oldest was at the ps when I found out there was a hs group in our area.  I went to visit and there were several boys his age there, one he knew.  He came to the group after school, and they all hit it off really, really well.  That was the one area that I had been praying for in re: to him.  He’s a little “quirky” and hadn’t connected w/ anyone – yet.  Well, he ended up coming home that next yr, for a couple of reasons, and this one.  They have become a great group of guys.  I guess I share this to show that things can happen, and sometimes we need to get out of the way and let it happen.  It’s such a fine line, and not always easy to know what to do or how. 

The biggest struggle we had/have is needing to follow their schedules.  Of course, there are ways around it and we can still be somewhat flexible, but not as much as we could be.  Even that’s not all bad, though, because teaching him to get up and going each and every morning regardless of being rested or not is something he’ll need to be aware of.  Understanding that he can’t be busy every night of the week because of work the next morning is a good thing.  

It’s one of those “no right or wrong answers” things.  It’s so individual for each family and child and situation.  Sometimes it doesn’t work out like we thought, and that’s OK, too.  The beauty is that we always have the option to go back to hsing when/if needed.  

K