So, we began our adventures and much to our surprise, aside from minor jealousies, my other children were content to see their youngest sibling at home more often. They were, however, adamant that they did not want to be homeschooled themselves. Being new to it, I quietly said thanks, thinking if I could use this as a "learning year" then we could homeschool the others after I became more confident in my new role.
One month into school, my oldest son began having problems. Now this was very unexpected because he was always my straight A student, the one who loved school, loved learning. First of all, the school had botched up his enrollment, pulling him instead of his brother. They did not keep him in the class he was registered for up to one week before school started, they put him in a "lower" class. Then he began having behavior issues. But the topper was a personal experience I had with one of his teachers. I was downright concerned.
So after much thought and prayer, we pulled him out of school, managed to get his curriculum ordered and paid for within 48 hours and began to teach him at home.
I'm happy to report, things have much improved. We are still working out routines of sorts, so my house suffers some days, but my boys are much happier, healthier and are more like my rays of sunshine. The oldest (we'll call him "Toughie") has come out of his reserved shell and has become silly once more, confident to be himself. I have also noticed that the explosive anger issues he's had the past year or two is gone! Yes, it's only been a month, but he is much more likely to stop and think things through, or simply let matters go than to blow up and throw a tantrum. We've been tantrum free for three weeks and counting. The youngest, "Roughie" has not only learned how to read, he is now reading aloud to me daily and is beginning to pick up on the nuances of inflection and tone without it being forced down his throat. He has also stopped sucking his finger so much and the pacing is nearly non-existent now. In addition, they are coming to appreciate their lives and feel free to explore their beliefs. They continuously ask questions and surprise me daily. They are more willing to pitch in and do their chores and reading their Bibles is no longer a chore they dread, they run to get them. So, my worries over "messing up my kids" was nothing but fear talking out loud. They are happier than they've been in a long time.
If homeschooling has crossed your mind or been laid on your heart, I strongly encourage you to look into it. There is no one way to do it, so you can tailor it to your family's beliefs and needs. It is definitely worth it.
Oh, and the silly worry over socialization...let's just say, they are socializing with the people who love them best in the world--their family. They get to spend more time with us, with their grandparents and their cousin (who is also homeschooling). They have met all kinds of new and interesting people and are a lot less hesitant to let age/race/size stop them from making friends. The youngest especially, since he's been doing this for several months now. It's just been amazing how much more "open" they are to meeting new people and facing new challenges. They have new homeschool friends we get together with at least once a month to play and eat out--a definite treat for them. And their attitudes toward adults are changing. While they have always been respectful, they were shy. Now they are willing to talk and learn from everyone around them. I think it's better than ever.
No comments:
Post a Comment