Hello all,
I am a former homeschooler who has been lurking here for a while. I saw
this and decided to jump in.
RF> DR> My oldest daughter (5th grade) likes school, and always has. I am
RF> DR> still not certain that being IN school is the best thing for her. 
hen
RF> DR> I first mentioned homeschool to her, she was hesitant about leaving
RF> DR> school behind. Though she is often the recipient of teasing, etc., 
he
RF> DR> brushes it off quite well and "hangs in there".
This also describes my daughter, Amber, who is in 5th grade. Last year
she had only 1 or 2 friends and was "picked on" a lot. She also seems to
"hang in there" and this year I don't hear as many complaints about
"everybody hates me". She goes to a Christian school (Pensacola
Christian Academy - home of A Beka Books) and loves it. She also does
not want to go back to homeschooling (which we did up to 2nd grade) even
though she is still a curious child and loves to read and learn in
almost every subject especially science and history.
RF> CG> getting quite a bit of flak from my older two.  My two older
children, RF> CG> however, are ultra-sensitive and hate having any
attention drawn to RF> CG> them.  This includes being called on by the
teacher for an answer or RF> CG> going to the blackboard to solve a math
problem.  I was just as
Although Amber is not shy, she also hates to go in front of people in
this type of activity. Her father and I were shocked as she won the
spelling bee last year between grades 4-6. She was extremely nervous,
but she did it. This survival gift has pulled her through many times,
starting with a premature birth at 27 weeks.
RF> CG> oldest isn't doing as well as she could, but I haven't the
patience to RF> CG> sit with her all day.  She spins circles around me
just sitting down!
I would like to try to homeschool her in 7th-12th grades, as the school
she attends is an excellent school academically - I love their books in
the upper grades- but I am not sure we can afford it. However, at age 11
she is not as easy to discipline. She makes a lot of excuses when she
doesn't want to obey. I have to really steel myself to keep her from
overwhelming me. As I also enjoy learning with her, I find myself in
more of a fellow-student position instead of a mother\teacher. Her
father is a good disciplinarian, but he is at work all day. She talks a
lot.
RF> This is why some kids have trouble learning.  If you hate something
you RF> don't use your potential........you just do what you have to and
not RF> much more.
This is one of the issues I am dealing with now. In a classroom setting
I know she is bored with so much seatwork and repetition. However, some
of her math learning was accomplished this way, and a lot of other
factual information. At this school they learn a lot more than I ever
did. I am not sure about it. She is still inquisitive with me, asks a
lot of questions, which I am glad of. She looks to books for answers to
questions. However, I wonder if she needs a challenge. She is getting
all A's (except penmanship) now. That makes me wonder.
Could wanting to school your children RF> CG> at home be part narcisstic
in that, this way a parent can spend more RF> CG> time with who they
helped bring into this world and have fun learning RF> CG> together,
too? Just a thought.  All I know is that I have the best RF> CG> times
taking my kids places and doing things with them, either here at RF> CG>
home or out.
I can see how this is true for me. It even gets worse at age 11. Even
though she still likes to pretend play, she is changing and leaving some
of her toys behind (Barbies, ponies, etc - sniff, a tear wants to form
here). Also she is an only child. She has lately discovered science
fiction (esp. Anne McCaffrey, Star Trek novels, etc.) and since most of
these are at adult (or young adult) level, we can share those.
Well, I'll close for now.
Debbie Vietzke
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