Need some help on homeschooling?

Question

Ok, guys, I really need help here. My son will be in kindergarten next year. I am thinking of home schooling. He recently started a church pre-school 3 hours/3 days per wk. He really loves it and I must say it has really helped him. He has always been very shy are scared of any new situation. I understand alot of this will come as he gets older and more mature. (I also know kindergarten in public school will not be like this church pre-school 6 hours per wk!) I cannot find anything in my area as far as groups/co-ops. Everything is at least an hour away. (from what I can find anyway) I see how much pre-school has helped him and how much more confident he is. How can I continue to feed his curiosity for school and other kids, and get the social interaction while home schooling him? I really want to home school!

Answer 1

Surely there are other activities he can do for however many hours a week? Cub scouts, swimming lessons, skating lessons, classes held at a rec centre? Also, check out Yahoo Groups and any homeschool groups you can find there for your state/county/city (town). Join them all. ;) There are probably other homeschoolers where you live, just perhaps no formal group.

Answer 2

Not all homeschool groups and co-ops advertise on all the websites and such, so sometimes it is hard to find one, and other times it is hard to find one that agrees with whatever your style is. One of the best ways to find out if there are groups is to ask around at churches in your area. Also check anywhere that sells homeschool supplies if there are other homeschoolers around. Ask at the local library. Check with the pre-school he goes to now. A group or co-op doesn't need to be registered with anyone and have by-laws in order to be useful. Even a small group of other moms who homeschool can be a huge help.

Some kids are shy and scared of new situations more than others. Just understand that it is part of his personality and it'll all work out. Social interaction doesn't always have to be with others the same age. It's a nice idea for him to have friends his own age or about his own age, but not necessary.  My son was very shy also. He isn't as shy now, but he does have social anxiety. Regular school would have been HORRIBLE!! for him.

One other thought is that if you go to the park or library during the school day, you might find other moms there with their homeschoolers. Even if their children aren't the same age as your son, ask them if they homeschool and if there is a group. If all else fails, there is 4H and boy scouts and such, or put an ad in the paper asking if anyone homeschools and would like to join a homeschooling group. Then work together to plan some activities together.

Don't give up on home schooling because of the lack of a group right away. It is nice, but not necessarily needed right from the  start. I have been homeschooling for quite a few years now (my daughter is in 7th grade and my son is in 2nd) and we haven't found a group that is comfortable for us yet, so I'm thinking of starting my own!!

There are also online groups that you can join, look in yahoo groups or msn groups. Maybe one of the groups that are an hour or so away will let you join for some support and to see what is involved in a group. You maybe wouldn't go every week, but every month or two, and maybe make an almost local email friend to talk to. Maybe there are others who go to the group from your area and you could make your own 'satellite' group.

I wish you luck and if you want more info about starting a group of your own, I'll be glad to share the info I've found.

Answer 3

Hi Emily,

I dont know what state you are in, but there are HS groups that you can join and do fieldtrips, gatherings and we even have days that we have speakers come and talk to all the kids and do school together that day.

There are so many ways to have him be with other kids and PLEASE understand .. there are shy kids in PS too.

His personality will be his own and he will need to gain confidence as he gets older, that has nothing to do with school. If God has led you to HS, then do it.

Do you know what Curriculum and such you want to use? If he is in Pre School now, then you have some time to do your research.

Look for your local support group, go to a meeting, ask questions and get yourself all set to start.

www.hslda.org is great for information and you may find a support group in your area through them. Otherwise, I have some support sites I use online and would be happy to send you a link or two .. just drop me a line.

Glad to see your asking questions, that is great. Dont let anyone get you down and stay on your path and all will be fine.

GL

Answer 4

My daughter is 9 and has always been homeschooled.  It has worked very well for her.

I think homeschooling has helped her social skills tremendously.  She loves playing with other children and is very good at "babysitting"- taking care of younger children and interacts well with adults also.  Most children her age only interact well with children their own age.

I suggest that you find several groups with some activities for children.  These do exist in your town.  They all exist in my small, rural town.  Try these activities:  children's soccer league, baseball team, Sunday school, reading hour at the library, homeschool group (ask at your local library and at your statewide homeschool organization- there is at least one homeschool group in every town now), suzuki violin class, 4-H club, and scouting group.  You can also just set up play dates or sleepovers with another child he enjoys playing with.  

Or, you can find another mom with a child and one day a week, you could drop him off at their house and one day a week, the other child could come over to your house.  This would give you the added benefit of being able to take care of things during that time that are difficult with a 5 yr. old in tow- appointments and errands.

Just in our small, rural town there are more activities than a child could possibly do.  The only problem is overdoing it so that you become the chauffeur and instead of spending time with him, you spend your time driving and doing busy work.  Part of the beauty of homeschooling is that you get to spend time with your own child.

Another option is that some schools allow homeschoolers to attend part-time.  Many do not allow this, but you could ask.  For example, he could just go for art and music class, or just for p.e.  I do not have experience with this, so I cannot say I recommend it, only suggest it as an option.

By the way, until recently, many areas did not even have kindergartens and most states still do not require it- the mandatory school age here is 7, as it is in many states.  The norm has gradually shifted towards children going to institutions earlier and earlier.  Seventy years ago, it would have been considered strange to send your child to school before the age of 6, now it seems weird not to.

Anyway, I hope this is helpful to you.  Best wishes for you and your son.

Ron

Answer 5

Keep digging, Emily! I know it is hard, but the more you search, the more you will find other hsers in your area. Try a Yahoo Groups (groups.yahoo.com) search to find others in your area. At first, at least, be willing to travel. We use books on tape, instructional CDs and music to pass the time in the car while we go to homeschool outings. It's also a good time to work on letters, sounds and numbers at your son's age.

Next, sign him up for after-school classes. Our kids have always interacted with institutionalized kids for sports and arts activities. Especially at the young ages there is usually nothing to be worried about.

We also had a wonderful preschool experience and it made our hsing adventure that much more fun. I hope the same is true for you.

Answer 6

You can find other people around your town that also homeschool, and you guys can set up a network and get together to do homeschool field trips and such... I started homeschooling this year, and let me tell you, I really like it alot.... But advice to you would be to seek out anyone that homeschools in your area and get together with them.....

Answer 7

It is good to join a homeschool support group or co-op but not mandatory.  Perhaps, there are classes your son can take that are closer to home that would, i.e., community sports classes for young children; music ensemble classes; cub scouts, etc.  If not, then I think the one hour trip to the homeschool group/co-op would be worth it.