Never been homeschooled, and now I am, help?

Question

Hey, I have gone to public school all my life and now my mom wants me to be homeschooled. I am going into the 8th grade. I am scared to death. I will never see the kids I grew up with since preschool again and I hate this! Help!

Answer 1

You will definitely see the kids you grew up with since preschool again.  You'll see them when your out of the house running errands, you'll see them at community events and activities, and you can arrange to get together with them any time school is out.

Homeschooling does not mean you won't have a social life.  There are many activities you can become involved in.  Here are a few:

http://www.successful-homeschooling.com/...

Before you panic, find reliable information about homeschooling.  You probably won't get behind academically.  Here are some homeschooling statistics:

http://www.successful-homeschooling.com/...

Here is a comparison of homeschooling vs. public schooling:

http://www.successful-homeschooling.com/...

Homeschooling is probably difficult for you to accept since you were not part of the decision making process.  However, your parents are the ones who get to choose, so make the most of it.  Find a way to make the best of it.  I would highly suggest joining a homeschool support group:

http://www.successful-homeschooling.com/...

Good luck!

Answer 2

I think you need to calm down.

Why won't you see your friends? Will you not call them? Will you not do things with them? Why would you stop seeing them? Tell your mom you are really afraid of not seeing your friends again and ask her if she'll help set up get-togethers so that you can maintain your friendships. Make sure you get everybody's phone numbers, emails, etc. If you already have them, then you have nothing to worry about.

Second thing to ask your mom is if there are homeschooling activities in your area. If she says, "I don't know," ask her if the two of you can look together to find a support group. Tell her you're really afraid of being friendless and not ever doing social things with others. Work WITH her to make homeschooling great!

Homeschooling can be a fantastic experience--if you let it be one and if you make it be one. You and your mom will have so much more say over your day, you'll have more time to do things that interest you, so many potential benefits if you make the most of it.

PLEASE don't listen to people who say "it is wrong" and that it prevents normal social development--it does no such thing. It's how almost everybody was educated before public schools came into being. There's no need for it to isolate you--think of things to do, get connected with other homeschoolers, find classes (swimming, cooking, anything), volunteer opportunities... There's a whole world of stuff you could be doing--while all of your friends are sitting in desks at school listening to their teachers or doing work.

There's also no reason why you have to get behind in your work. It can be very tough for someone to leave the confines of school and then suddenly be responsible for all of their school work (which is what seems to happen when kids switch from public school to online studies for middle/high school)--just keep connected with your mom and keep at your work. Add things in that you want to do. You have the potential of having a better education than you would ever have gotten in public school!

Answer 3

Interesting to hear that people think kids will be behind when they home educate...national polls prove that homeschoolers excel on the average to their counter public school parts.  Now I say average but there are homeschoolers who may not excel...usually not the norm but do you know why?  They weren't committed to do it with all their gusto!  The national results also say that most homeschoolers are involved in MORE, not less extracurricular activities...know why?  Because they have more time and are willing to make the effort to stay connected.  I encourage you to keep connected with friends if mom is cool with that.  You will have the time to stay connected and probably even make more friends if you get connected to a homeschool group.

It sounds like you don't want this but perhaps you can give it your best shot and evaluate with mom by the end of the school year to see if its working.

Answer 4

I would really like to know where these people get their facts.

I think you'll be ok. Is there a reason your mom is home schooling you now?

I was home schooled my whole life. With how poor the school systems are now I wouldn't blame her if your education was the prime reason. I doubt you'll lose your friends just because your receiving your education from home. I had tons of friends growing up, almost all who were public schooled. Can you still participate in sports and music? I graduated when I was 16 and went to college. Believe it or not I met my husband and learned he too was home schooled!

Your mom just loves you and wants the best for you.

At least your schooling will approve!

Good Luck and chin up!!!

Answer 5

Sure you'll see them. I mean, if they're real friends and if you're a real friend you will. I went to public school all my life and started homeschooling in 9th grade, and I still see all my good friends from public school all the time. We hang out or go to the mall or the beach or the movies or something on weekends, I go with them some times to football games or events at their highschools as a guest (I say highschoolS because where I live there are a lot of different highschools, so even if you were in the same school with someone in elementary and middle, you'll probably be split up in highschool anyway. Same goes for when you start college, so learn how to keep connections strong now while you can). I visit them or they visit me after school. Sure, they have homework, but since I finish a lot faster than they do, being homeschooled and all, I can offer them help. Or some times I'll put off a paper or a lesson that day so that we can do "homework" together when they're home from school. Some times if I don't have much to do on a particular afternoon, I'll plan to go meet a few of my friends at McDonalds durring their lunch break (juniors and seniors are allowed to leave campus for lunch at one of the highschools). And they all still show up for my birthday parties or any awards ceremonies or special events I invite them to. If anything, our bonds are all stronger now. There's the phone and the internet and the mail as well. I know it's old fashioned, but it's really cool to get a letter in the mail from a close friend, even if that friend lives a five minute drive away and talks to you almost every night. but maybe that's more a girl thing. I don't know.

You'll make new friends as well. They wont replace your old ones, but they'll be great all the same. If your mom is really serious and enthusiastic about homeschooling you, chances are she's already found the contact information for your local homeschool group. If she hasn't, all you have to do is google "<your area> homeschool groups" to find one that suits you and show it to her. Homeschool groups are GREAT. You'd be surprised how many smart, fun, social, and generally "normal" kids there likely are in your area that are homeschooling. I thought i was one of the only ones in my area at first, but our homeschool group has more than 400 other students, at least 150 in highschool like I am. These groups go on field trips together, offer clubs, teams, and organizations just like the ones you'd find in a regular school (though there's usually a better variety, and if you don't find anything you like you can usually start one of your own within the group), social events like holiday parties, picnics, field days, Not Back To School parties at theme parks and the like, and even prom. They usually offer group classes in certain areas of interest like art, drama, PE, chemistry, or whatever the group decides on and finds resources for, and you get to meet a lot of people form all walks of life, some homeschooling the way you are and some differently. They offer a lot to parents as well. And as for the team thing I mentioned, usually if a homeschool group has sports or academic teams, they DO actually compete with other homeschool groups or with private schools. It's pretty cool.

There are things in your community you can get involved in to meet people as well. Try googling "<your city/county> Parks and Recreation" to find a good list of some of the clubs, sports leagues, classes, events, and activities in your area for kids your aage. Check the local library to see if they sponsor a club or event you'd like to be involved in. I know mine has a TON of things going on all year round. Check the local community center or youth center. Check the YMCA or Boys and Girls club. And if all else fails, think of something you're interested in and just check the phone book. Maybe you want to take up karate, join a fishing club, play on a soccer team, learn how to fence (sword fight), or go kiyaking or hiking or orienteering. Chances are you'll find some local business or organization that can help you get involved in something and meet people with the same interest and many more.

Also check out local museums, science centers, zoos, art studios, music shops, wildlife preserves, parks, etc to see if they host any classes, clubs, programs or activities specifically for homeschoolers. There are a lot of places in my area that have weekly homeschool activities as well as activities for public schoolers AND homeschoolers, and I made a lot of friends through those.

Don't fret. You will have as active a social life as you ever have, if not more so, aand it will likely be more fulfilling since you'll have more controll and flexability in it. And as long as you're a good friend and your friends are real friends, you wont lose contact with them.. There's more to the real world than school, and now you get to see it all!

Answer 6

What is the reason for this?  Try to talk some sense into her.  Home schooling isolates children and prevents normal social development.  It is wrong.

Answer 7

Why won't you see them?  Did you only see them inside the halls of your school before?  Do you not email them, call them, text them, or hang out with them?

Just because you won't be in class with them doesn't mean you can't still have friends.  My homeschooled son, and many of his homeschooled friends, have friends that go to private and public schools as well.  

Homeschooling doesn't mean that you spend *all* of your time at home - far from it.  It means that you and your parents are now in charge of your education.  The world is now your classroom - get out in it and live your life!