Homeschooling Compromise

[Earthcup]

I'm busy trying to "cook up a baby" with my husband and one area where we disagree is schooling.

My husband was the smart geek in the Iron Maiden shirt who PO his teachers and got straight A's. He was bored through most of school and he and his friends would sit in the back of the class working on D&D and such....

I was sort of a failed homeschooling experiment. My mother pulled me after 4th grade and then promptly never taught me, never even provided me with the books I needed. Thanks to a geeky nature and a teacher friend I borrowed a few books at age 20 and got college level scores on my GED. (long story on why I waited so long to get my GED)

My husband feels it would be best for our kids to socialize with other kids in school, even though we didn't really make friends in school ourselves. I feel that a child given the opportunity and materials will learn much better and faster. After all I used every resource available to me.

I've talked to my husband about letting me teach our kids during the summer but he thinks it's "horrible" to do that to a kid during summer vacation. I'm wracking my brain to think of some other way to compromise.

Maybe he just needs to be convinced of the merits of homeschooling?

*confused*

[BrenaSidhe]

How abouts voluntering at your childs school as a teachers aid, voluntere for any and all events, field trips, help organising plays... Join the PTA...
I've a friend who does this and absolutly loves it, she tried home schooling her 2nd child and failed miserably, this for her was the perfect comprimise...
She's at the school every day, some of the time she helps in the classroom, has helped in the gym, somtimes grades papers, and other times even gets to do some paid reception or atendance work...

Something to think about anyways...

[FlyingBear]

From what I understand of homeschooling, if done right, there are lots of opporunities for a child to be socialized. Feild trips, weekend gatherings and work shops, play dates and so forth. I think the question of the involvment of the parent has a bigger effect on what gets done.

:floating:

[Imbrium]

I think flying bear summed it up nicely. I've seen great things from homeschooled children, but it's been because their parents were deeply involved, and had alternate means of socialization for their children. In fact, one of my friends homeschooled kids were amazing! Everything from great manners, to computer skills.

On the other hand, if the parent just keeps the kid at home and does nothing....well, you know how that goes.

Because I'm going to be moving around a lot, I'm preparing to homeschool my kids on an 'as needed basis' to make sure they don't get the worse end of a bad school.....something you might want to talk to your husband about. Because sometimes socializing is a good thing, but only if the school has kids worth associating with. I'll pluck my kids out of school rather than wrestle with teachers about bullies or moral depravity or drugs, because not every school is going to be a good place to learn. I'm not trying to sound overprotective here, I'm speaking about extreme situations, or no-win situations. Both my husband and I had to contend with bullies. I was fine, but my hubby was nearly killed when the kids that were bothering him held his head underneath a truck tire and tried to run him over. Nothing was ever done. As a result, I'm staying closely involved with my son, who is in a public school, and teaching him as much as I can about how to deal with the world at large. But if push comes to shove, I want to be prepared to pull him out if I think it is necessary.

Anyhow, just my 2 cents. I hope you and your husband can come to a mutual understanding.
:floating:

[fahawk]

Homeschooling can work if the parents make an honest effort to be involved, provide tools for learning (books, materials,) and are there to answer questions.
Children are naturally inquisitive, and want to learn, find out the answers. But I do believe they need a person to guide them on this path.
Setting up a period of time each day for one on one, is really helpful.

As for socialization..I do not believe all that occurs in the school system is positive socialization.. and don't we as adults socialize with people of all ages, on a daily basis..not just those of our exact age??.

Like everything important, it does take time on the parents part..but it can be a positive learning exp. for both the child abd the adults..and can be enjoyable..not every day willbe easy..but nothing in life is.. :)

As mentioned, if not homeschooling, , then do be involved in the child's school, be there, know what is going on...