“It just works”

I posted a long reply to an email from our provincial yahoo group, and since the archives are closed, I thought I’d include my reply here. It’s a to mom considering homeschooling.

Hi!

Good for you for even thinking about it. It's my understanding that
there are TONS of homeschoolers in that area.

I've been homeschooling for... 14? Maybe 15 years, I dunno, I can't
remember any more.   I have four children and the oldest two are DONE
and adults. I only have a 16yo & 8yo, both girls, left. They largely
teach themselves at this point.

His love of learning will likely be squashed on school. It happens for
most kids. If you have concerns now, you'll have more when he starts.
It's better to start homeschooling NOW than put him in school and "wait
and see". The younger grades require so little work on your part, it
just makes more sense to homeschool straight away, than to try it after
he's been trained by the system. You'd have to undo a lot of things, so
better to begin on the right step.

As for worries about the high school years - you have PLENTY of time and
MANY options. Also realize you will never cover it all. Schools don't.
Even a lifetime is not enough to learn everything. Your job is to
prepare the children for adulthood.

The only other thing I can add is some observations about my two oldest.

Addison (my son - now 21) went to a private Christian school for a year
and a half. It wasn't any better than public school. He went to public
school for grades 6 & 7, his choice. It was also his choice to return
home. He did exceptionally well when he was at school, and he says it
was because he treated it like a game. Play by the rules of the game,
then you "win" (ie, get good grades). He had a major accident in grade
11 and didn't do any work at all. Then he went to NBCC-SJ, took their
Computer Programming course (2 year program), graduated with a tie for
the top of the class, and is now working for the Dept of Education in
their student loan division in Fredericton. He also got married.    

Sarah (now 18) has been mostly working the last two years to save for
college. She uses the computer a lot recreationally, and has chosen
graphic design. She'll be attending the College of Craft & Design in
Fredericton in September and has already been accepted. They asked her
to take the GED, so we did - with 3 weeks notice. She passed with flying
colors in all areas except math. In her case, that was fine as her
interests didn't need good math marks, so we never worked on advanced
math over the past couple of years. (She has mainly worked in fast food.
She's the cashier who can actually give you change, so her math skills
are good, despite test results.) She also play guitar and has been doing
some web design work for us. Her current job is working at a computer
access center and she's just redesigned the center's website, and
updated 8 others in the next county.

Both of them have stated repeatedly that they are GLAD they were
homeschooled and didn't have to put up with the ridiculousness of
school. They got to LIVE their lives, not observe from a classroom or
read about it in a book. Or waste their time.

As for socialization - if you aren't planning on keeping your kids
locked up in the house all day and away from everyone, they'll be fine.
Join a few groups, take them out, make friends wherever you go. Don't
try to stress about it.

Just try to be a generally good parent, and they'll be far better off
than any alternative.

Andrea