This year we started school off very differently then we normally have in the past. This year my Daughter headed off to school at our Elementary School to finish her last year in regular school and my son started his first year of Homeschooling. It was a weird first week of school to say the least, but nothing we can't get use too.
Our decision to homeschool was a quick decision this year but it has been something we have thought about time & time again. I did pre-k work with both of our children in a homeschool type way, but we did decided to send them to traditional public schooling, since we moved to where we wanted to live and in a very small community. I loved the Elementary School and thought it was a perfect school system, until I realized that my 4th grader would be a Middle Schooler. Yes, you heard that right- my 4th grader would be a middle school child. I was not at all thrilled and very worried about how the school year was going to go last year. In Kindergarten - 3rd grade we had already dealt with bully, being picked on, not following rules because others weren't, doing what he wasn't suppose to, being told he may have ADHD, etc. All the typical things that you hear about public schools. That's really just how it is. Even at great schools like ours, these problems still arose. The problems were dealt with each and every time and if reoccurred only did once or twice and never became a real big issue, but why should those even be issues to began with?
The problems that are in public schools, in some areas are because of the school, but here our schools are great and that is not the case here in my small town. It seems that it is more the parenting and the children, how they are raised, what they are allowed to do, how they are allowed to treat each other, how they are treated etc. The problem lies at home. Bullying & Name Calling are okay because the child has learned that it was okay. Being Disrespectful, having attitudes, being rude to others, etc. are all behaviors that are taught and learned. Therefore children assume that because that behavior was okay once it is always okay, because my parents aren't paying attention to me it's okay if I do whatever I want. Children don't listen because they aren't listened to and they mirror the behavior and how they are treated, this is not fair to children the ones being "mean" and the other kids that they are being "mean" to. It makes it hard for them to grow up and sometimes it makes it hard for them to see their potential and live to be the best person they can be.
Now before you go thinking that I am saying a person can't be the best they can at a public school, I am not but what I am saying is they can't be who they truly are. Who they are when they are around people that want to know them and their likes for what they like, not what is cool, or what is in style. There is too much pressure for people in general to be something their not but for children, it's all about being popular, having the best of everything, and being interested only in the coolest of things. Think about it. What if you couldn't be who you really were and had to hide you opinions and thoughts to conform to what is "right", "cool", "in style".
We chose homeschool because it is right for us. It is best for my children to grow up around people and friends that want the same in life. There are amazing homeschool groups and co-ops out there that can keep your child socialized. Socialization is something that shouldn't even be a thought in your mind when you think homeschooling- because the socialization that the kids in public school have, I am sure you wouldn't want your child apart of. There are still all those extra curricular activities, there are still sports, music lessons, club scouts, 4-H, etc. Everything is the same you are just in charge of making sure your child learns all the right things that he/she needs to know not the ones they don't.
Are you homeschooling currently? What made you make that final decision to homeschool? If you are not homeschooling and considering it, what concerns or questions do you have?
Good Luck to Y'all!
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