What led your family to homeschooling?

[katshu2]

While it's understood that those of here use T4L in some capacity, it's good to get to know the different homeschooling families here on the board, outside of just the common bond of T4L. At some point we will discuss HOW you homeschool, but right now, let's talk about WHY you homeschool.

Did you always know you were going to homeschool your children? Do you homeschool for religious/spiritual reasons? Is there a learning disability in your family?

There is no wrong or right reason to choose homeschooling, but sharing your experiences of why you got started really could help someone who is struggling with making that decision for their family...so let's get to talking!

[katshu2]

I'll get started...

When I was younger, I enjoyed school. I was social and had a good time. Graduated high school with honors and went on to college, just as good little kids are "supposed to do." When my hubby and I had our first son, we never even discussed education. He was going to follow the natural path of public school, just like we did. As a matter of fact, I was VEHEMENTLY against homeschooling children because I lost my 16 yr old sister-in-law to suicide and blamed the only thing I could blame without feeling even more guilty...so I blamed her being homeschooled. After all, she didn't have a peer group her age or a group of adults (teachers, counselors, etc) that could have helped the family pick up on signs of depression or mental illness. In my mind, that was logical.

When my oldest was about 3, my other sister-in-law started homeschooling my nieces. I thought she was crazy and made my disagreement known! (I know, how and judgmental and rude of me...but I see the light eventually...I'm getting to that part, lol)

When my oldest was 5, he started pre-K. After that he went to Kindergarten and had a terrific year. Had my second son when my first was in K and that ended up working out well. Oldest started first grade, continuing on the "natural path" of things.

Then all the happy left. Explaining everything that went wrong would be like penning an epic novel, so I will skip that part. I do actually want you finish reading the rest of my story... I tried to change teachers, that didn't work. Talked about private school, but couldn't afford it. The topic of homeschooling came up and I said "NOPE! NO WAY, NO HOW! NUH-UH!"

And then I got mad. Mad enough to march my hiney right up to that school and tell them that I was just going to pull my son out of their school! I could a better job than they could! But instead of them falling over themselves to correct the situation and me feeling that "Ha! I told them!!" moment I was expecting, I got met with a "sure, ok. Just sign here."

Seriously? No argument? No pleading with me to keep my child in their school? No "whatever we have to do to make it right?" Just an "Ok, bye?"

Since they called my bluff, I sheepishly took my son and his school records home. Started telling everyone what I had done and found out that I had a tremendous amount of support from my family! Granted...most of my family has a very weird "the government is brain-washing our kids and using the public schools to do it" conspiracy theory type mentality. But hey...they supported me, nonetheless!

Now, it's been 4 years since that fateful temper-tantrum of mine. We have had many struggles. Many moments of me huddled in a corner and drooling. Many more temper-tantrums, both mine and my kids. But we have had many moments of joy and excitement. Many moments of "HA! Can't do THAT in public school, can you?!"

So...that's my story of starting out with a strong opposition to homeschooling, then falling into homeschooling and then finally realizing that a homeschooling family is EXACTLY what my family is meant to be.