When should I start homeschooling my son?

Question

I have made the decision to homeschool my 5 year old. He is currently in public school and is having a lot of problems. After several meetings, I see that the school is basically telling me that my son is dumb. Well, I know that is not the case. I was even told by his preschool teacher that this would happen. She adviced that I do not put him in public school because he would get lost in the system because of his speech. She suggested that I find a school that would cater to children that learn better through more practical ways such as hands on, music, etc.. Well, I have not been able to find a school like that. I have decided that homeschooling would be best for him. I can't leave him in a school that feels he would benefit from having a cardboard box around him to keep him from looking at classmates for guidance. I am wondering if I should pull him out of kindergarten now since things are going so bad or should i wait until he graduates and start fresh on 1st grade?

Answer 1

We started homeschooling in middle school... so I cannot really speak from direct experience...

It seems to me that the middle of the year is as good a time to start "fresh" as the beginning of the school year - especially since we are talking about K5.

You mentioned in your previous related question that you were having some success at home already.

I'd say go for it... I cannot think of any benefit of leaving your child in a bad situation for any longer than you absolutely must.  If your personal circumstances allow you to do it now - go for it.

Be sure to connect with a local homeschool group.  You will get lots of support, and can keep your child active with other kids.

Answer 2

you can home teach anythime.... and smarts is all he will be..... going to school and meeting people might be ok when he is older... dont think too about preschool kind of a joke if you ask me... you should teach your kids everything you know anyways

Answer 3

I would get him out now. It sounds like the environment is not benefiting him in any way, shape or form. If anything, it may be harming him.  Figure out his speech issues with a trained speech therapist, and do his education yourself. I agree that finding homeschool groups for support (mainly for you!) would be beneficial.  

As far as the social issues - if you've been reading here any length of time you know that only non-homeschoolers bring this up. Every homeschooler I know (and I know many) has their OWN personality, some are outgoing, some shy - just like kids in the public school.  

Good luck!

Answer 4

I have been home schooled all my life, I love it and would not trade it for anything. I have plenty of friends so do not worry about that for your son. I feel like I had a better opportunity for learning then public school kids. Your son sounds like home schooling is the perfect way for him to get a wonderful education.

Answer 5

Reading your question details just made me so angry... Especially the part about the cardboard box! PULL HIM OUT NOW! Don't wait! The longer you wait, the longer it will take for you to convince him he isn't a dummy and rebuild his confidence and natural love of learning. What they're doing is DESTROYING all of that for sure! I'm so flustered, I can't even type. Please read my other answers about homeschooling. I'd type out every last detail here, but i'm just burning right now and sadly, it isn't at all unbelievable to me. I had similar problems in kindergarten (I was isolated constantly because I was blind. Not quite the same, but I still sympathize). I'm boiling. Please read my other answers, and listen carefully to the great answers you've gotten here. Your boy will do so much better as a homeschooler. The hands-on, music, creative learning... those are things so many homeschoolers have the freedom to enjoy and benefit from. You clearly know what is best for your son, and it certainly isn't being sarrounded by walls of cardboard that keep him from even LOOKING at other students... treated like an idiot in a cage.... *ROAR!*

Answer 6

5 is so young and some kids just are not ready for kindergarten untill 6.. keep that in mind.. If i were you i'd pull him now..and homeschool.. There is a great website www.time4learning.com (hope i am allowed to put that in here) it is a great online program.. u can try it risk free for 2 weeks its 20 bucks a month.. and u can start him over at the preschool level and work your way up if u wish.. its very interactive.. Also as far as his speech.. you should have your doctor refer you for testing to see if he needs speech therapy ect.. Maybe you can nip the problem in the butt and eventually get him reinvolved problem free in school.. or u may enjoy it so much u may choose to do it for good.. goodluck!

Answer 7

i was homeschooled for about a year and i couldnt stand being away from my friends. the way i see it, you have two choices. one: keep him in school until he's old enough to make the choice himself, that way you don't MAKE him leave his friends and have him resent you. Or two: pull him out now, so he doesn't get attached to anyone and refuses to leave to public school and resents you for pulling him out. the only problem with pulling him out now, is that he most likely wont have any people skills because he won't be around people his own age and he'll retreat inside himself and become very quiet and "hermit like" (as my parents put it), if he doesn't leave the house. So if you decide to pull him out now, and homeschool him, make sure he leaves the house and is around kids his own age on a regular basis. hope this helps. good luck.

Answer 8

Pull him NOW.  Please.   Don't let him continue to go to a place where they isolate him.  Think about what that does to this poor boy.   They give him a message that he is incapable of learning.   What are they setting him up for?

At this age, he can learn so much more playing games with you at home.  Counting the dice, playing card games, writing letters to grandma, cuddled on the couch reading books with you, etc.    How easy is that?  *grin*  

Have a great time together!

Answer 9

Pull him now. Truly. I've encountered people where I live who were in similar situations of knowing that homeschooling would be better for the kids and the kids were suffering in school. There is such relief in pulling them now--instead of waiting and wishing you'd done it earlier. Think of what will happen within him during the next months of that sort of treatment? Pull him now.

Answer 10

I didn't start to homeschool until I was in the 2nd month of eighth grade and I started having problems at the new school I was at because we had just moved. I suggeest that you take him out now before things get worse.

Answer 11

I think that, you should see how he's doing in school. If they said he is dumb, you should pull him out of kindergarden and teach him yourself. But also, you also have to ask how he feels. If he is unhappy and he wants to go to the public school, then you have some problems. Unless, he wants to get out, then all your problems are solved.

Answer 12

start now, with just simple things, like alphabet, addition subtraction, and try to get as far as you can. then, when first grade comes around, get into accually teaching first grade, with all the booklets and such

Answer 13

You can start now, there are generally no formailties under the age of 6, after 6 there are formatilities you must comply with legally.

Answer 14

Please bring him home where he belongs.

The holidays are the perfect time to make the transition and you can get information from the library (your local library should have a weekly time set aside for storytime/crafts for little ones), you can google HSLDA.org for your state requirements.

Depending on the route you go (religious vs non) you can find info at every turn and mouse click (there are yahoo groups for just about everything you can think of). Lots of Field Trips and trips to the local park are a good way for you and your little one to meet and make friends (playgroups too) and he can still take part in Little League.

There is a book at the bookstore called 'What Your ??? Grader Needs To Know'  and gives you and idea of what your child will need to pass that particular year ( I use it as a guide and for ideas).

There are also magazines geared toward Homeschoolers...This Old Schoolhouse, Practical Homeschooling , to mention two.

It is not a hard road as some would have you believe (bit on the bumpy side but not hard) and there are plenty of places to get support from.

I wish you luck and welcome to a journey you won't regret.

Answer 15

Keep you child in school!  Move to a better school district!  A good school district will have excellent resources for speech impairments.  Keep pushing!  They have to help your son!  If you aren't getting anywhere, work with your son's principal, PTA president and you school board representatives.  If your home is in such a poor school district it is worth every penny to move to a better school district.

One of the great things about public education is the resources available to you.  Also, unlike private schools, they have to help EVERYONE.  Not just ones with extra cash!

If you don't have an education degree, you should not even consider homeschooling.  Would you diagnose and treat an illness or would you go to a physician?  Education is best left to trained professionals who are PASSIONATE about their jobs.

Answer 16

I would pull him out immediately - I know it is tempting to let the "experts" do their job, but anyone that would stick a cardboard box around a 5yo (are you serious about that?) and expect them to learn is out of their ever-lovin' mind.

If the school and his teacher have made up their minds that he is unable to learn, they will make it a point not to teach him anything.  In this case, YOU are the expert and can do whatever you need to to make sure that your son receives the education that he deserves.  Please, remove him now and start the new year off fresh.  You won't regret it!

Answer 17

It sounds like your son is having serious problems at school, and the school is being rude about it. It would probably be best to pull him out now if you are prepared to start homeschooling him in January. The holiday season is a good time to do this as it is a half-year mark for the school year. It would be healthier for your son to get him out quickly.

Answer 18

I pulled my daughter out in the middle of 3rd grade to homeschool her-- that was 9 years ago. She had just transferred and things were not working out well at her new school.

I'm glad I didn't wait till the end of the year; in fact, I'm sorry I waited until the middle of the year and wish I had pulled her out that first week before she had to go through a whole lot of trouble and heartache.

If you're determined to homeschool, seems no point in leaving him in school. When homeschooling, things like the school schedule and time tables and grade levels and summer vacation can begin to kind of melt away, and life just becomes a continuous learning adventure with no definite beginnings or endings. Why keep him in school if it is not a productive learning environment for him and if he's not going to be going back?

Answer 19

First Off.. Homeschooling is a great thing, less hassle, more education. The public school is just telling you that to make you pay MORE money on extra programs..etc. My advise is to pull him out of public school, and home school him. One of my friends is home schooled, and took the SATs in 8th grade, and scored well over 900. I would also advise Calvert school, somewhat of a school program based in Maryland. You get all the materials, textbooks, and tests to take around 6 times a year. Calvert Kindergarden is one of the best decisions to make. Great question, and good luck!

Answer 20

Pull him now. After spending four months with people treating him like an idiot, it'll take the rest of the school year for him to recover emotionally and academically. Work on building a strong routine, a healthy relationship and visit around.

He's only five, it's not imperative that you push him hard now anyway. Figure out where he really is, figure out what you want him to learn, and figure out some natural resources in your area (zoos, museums, etc)

Get some of those fun workbooks from wal-mart. They actually follow federal guidelines for standardized testing, so if he's following those, he's pretty close to what he needs to know. Be willing to sit beside him and do stuff too! That will mean a lot to him.

Answer 21

Don't wait. Take him home. I waited and kept my faith in the system until the third grade. My daughter is still catching up. When she finally came home, her confidence was destroyed and had to be rebuilt. If they have not insisted on medicating him now, the will next year.

Answer 22

well, for one ask him about what he wants. if he says he can't stand public school, get him out and teach him yourself. if he says he thinks he can handle the rest of the year, start fresh on first grade.

Answer 23

I'm 15, never been to public school, spent 5 weeks in a private primary school but, apart from that, have been home-educated all my life. I also have younger siblings, aged from 8 months to 12 yrs, including a 5 yr old brother so feel nothing but empathy for your little boy and the atrocious way the so-called professionals have behaved towards him.

If this was my little boy, I would pull him out of that school right now for fear of them damaging his confidence, self esteem, love of learning etc.

I would not put up with that sort of behaviour towards my child from anyone, let alone from someone who had the cheek to call themselves a 'teacher'.

The last thing you (or he) want or need is for your son to be turned off any future learning by their insensitivity and nutty ideas.

Answer 24

start now i'm homeschooled and my mom waited until i was done with second grade to start and she says it was a very bad decision