Homeschooling... okay or not?

[Jinnah]

I am on the fence about homeschooling my children. I want to because two of my three children have life-threatening food allergies, and also for religious reasons. I read that 75% on food allergy related deaths in children occur at school and this scares me. On one other hand, I LOVE the school my children go to... but on the other hand am not fully convinced that they can prevent a serious situation from occurring. One of my kids slipped in the cafeteria last year in kindergarten and knocked his tooth loose and was bleeding... no adults noticed... his friend had to go get help... how long would it take for them to notice if an allergic reaction was occurring?!

 

Aside from the fact that he can sometimes be accident-prone, he is a very smart child, and I am worried about teaching him myself (I don't want to "ruin" him or my daughter. I am only qualified enough to be a preschool teacher). I HAVE read that "homeschoolers" tend to out-score children who attend "regular school", but I do not know how biased the results were.

 

Another concern is the social aspect of it. My kids are funny and friendly... every time I go to the school, someone tells me how great they are and how they get along with everyone. I don't want to take that away from them.

 

Does anyone homeschool their children? Do you like it? What are the results? Do the children resent it? Are they keeping up with national standards? Is it hard to maintain friendships? Any information will help. Tell me everything and anything you know about homeschooling. You can even tell me what you would do in a similar situation. Thanks!

[quankanne]

because more people are homeschooling their kids for reasons similar to yours, the great news is that there are HS-communities that you can hook up with and get information from, plan/coordinate activities with and basically have as a support system. Check in your area, and talk to the people who homeschool there, because they'd be your best resource.

 

I don't have kids, therefore I don't have the worries a lot of parents have when it comes to education, but in the past decade or so that I've been with a church newspaper, I've seen a lot of parents – especially younger ones – embrace homeschooling. I'm guessing that their biggest challenge is supporting a Catholic environment here in the Bible Belt, which is heavily Protestant, but these folks are very determined to do just that! One girl, whose mother is an admin assistant for the big guy, has homeschooled her three kids for several years now, and it seems to me she's doing a wonderful job at it, the kids are bright and well-behaved and pretty comfortable in social situations. In fact, she and another young mom have started a Catholic homeschool support group in our diocese so that they can connect with others like them. I do know that Mona (this particular young woman) was majoring in early childhood education in college before she started her family, so she knows a couple of "teacher's tricks," but I'm guessing that what is really needed is someone who is disciplined and who doesn't have problems following a teaching plan on a day-to-day, week-to-week basis, and who really doesn't feel uncomfortable imparting knowledge to others. I know I wouldn't be as successful because of the discipline or teaching aspect ... those are my weak points!

 

as far as educational merits of homeschooling? From what I've seen, HS kids do really good when they've got a good "home program" – we run National Merit scholars in our paper, and one homeschooled boy was chosen for this prestigious honor a couple of years ago AND was accepted into a good university on a full-ride scholarship! We also run stories on UIL-type contests in our Catholic schools, and I've noticed when they send us lists of winners, there are teams of family members who rank among the top three every single time. So these kids know their stuff ...

 

the best thing to do is contact local HS families – check at church, check with the local newspaper, check with the library: all these would be contact sites for homeschool families at some point.

[nittygritty]

A friend of mine briefly homeschooled when they moved midterm towards the end of the year. Her kids were miserable, she was miserable, it was a terrible experience for them.

 

I think kids miss out on the socialization aspect of school when they are homeschooled. However, it might work if they were actively involved in a HS-community like quankanne talked about.

 

Since your kids have severe food allergies, you do prepare their lunches for school, right? If you notify the school and their teachers that they have severe food allergies and are not to eat anything that is not sent from home they wouldn't be at risk of having an allergic reaction to the school's food. Also make sure your kids are aware that they are not to eat anything at school that is not from home.

[uniqueone]

I am on the fence about homeschooling my children. I want to because two of my three children have life-threatening food allergies, and also for religious reasons. I read that 75% on food allergy related deaths in children occur at school and this scares me. On one other hand, I LOVE the school my children go to... but on the other hand am not fully convinced that they can prevent a serious situation from occurring. One of my kids slipped in the cafeteria last year in kindergarten and knocked his tooth loose and was bleeding... no adults noticed... his friend had to go get help... how long would it take for them to notice if an allergic reaction was occurring?!

 

Aside from the fact that he can sometimes be accident-prone, he is a very smart child, and I am worried about teaching him myself (I don't want to "ruin" him or my daughter. I am only qualified enough to be a preschool teacher). I HAVE read that "homeschoolers" tend to out-score children who attend "regular school", but I do not know how biased the results were.

 

Another concern is the social aspect of it. My kids are funny and friendly... every time I go to the school, someone tells me how great they are and how they get along with everyone. I don't want to take that away from them.

 

Does anyone homeschool their children? Do you like it? What are the results? Do the children resent it? Are they keeping up with national standards? Is it hard to maintain friendships? Any information will help. Tell me everything and anything you know about homeschooling. You can even tell me what you would do in a similar situation. Thanks!

 

I don't really get the whole home schooling thing. How are parents qualified to be teachers and to various ages all at once? I just never understood it, that's all.

 

My opinion on your situation is....let them go to school. Don't turn them into the Boy in the Plastic Bubble (please tell me that I'm not the only one who remembers that movie.....)

 

You can't have them live in a bubble. Yes, kids fall and knock their teeth out. It's been happening for decades. It's good to try to prevent it but it's not good to isolate them JUST IN CASE something might happen. You'll end up raising kids who have neurosis.

 

I'm not sure how old they are but if they have food allergies, are they familiar with using an epi-pen? Have your child call you whenever any food is offered to them. Teach them to tell the person giving it to them that they can't have it (and keep substitutes there that they CAN have).

 

Let kids fall down.....let them explore....let them...be kids. I see too many parents today who are turning their kids into "bubble boys".

[Quinch]

I don't have kids but if I did I would seriously consider homeschooling them. I read in the paper yesterday how parents here are buying school uniforms with kevlar built in because of the number of knife attacks in schools. How did things ever get so bad?

 

I would also be concerned about religion. As an atheist, I don't want my kids being force-fed someone else's beliefs behind my back. You wouldn't have schools based on political alleigances so why religious?

[norajane]

One of my neighbors homeschooled her daughters. I only knew them for a couple of years - ages from 8-10 and 10-12.

 

The girls were very bright, very outgoing, well behaved. Mom took them to ballet classes and church activities, so they did get a chance to socialize with other kids their age. One of them even had a role in the city's annual Nutcracker performance - a very big deal in a very large city, so she was obviously an outstanding dancer.

 

Some of the issues - mom was concerned what she would do when it was time for high school. She wasn't sure she'd be able to teach everything, but figured she'd cross that bridge when she came to it.

 

The other thing she was worried about was the girls wouldn't get a chance to be part of certain school activities. The ballet dancer wanted to be a cheerleader, and couldn't really do that. Also, they wouldn't get a chance to be a part of things like the school paper, yearbook club, running for class officer, French club, debate club, prom, things like that.

 

And the other thing she mentioned was that it was almost too much togetherness, too much blending of roles. She said home should be a sanctuary for her daughters, but it became school, not just home. And because she was both mom and teacher, as the girls got older and more naturally started to rebel a bit with mom, some resentments and residual arguments would spill over during teaching hours, and during parent/child hours. The girls would get pouty with her during teaching hours and behave in a way they never would to a teacher in school, because it was 'just' mom. And if they'd had a tough day with lessons, the girls would not necessarily be able to turn to mom for comfort afterwards because mom was the one giving them a hard time with their tests...

 

If you've ever worked from home, you also understand that difficulty in delineating time and space - there isn't enough separation when your office is in your living room. It can be easy to get distracted from work when your dishes/laundry/whatever is piling up and visible out of the corner of your eye. You never quite feel like you're done working, and you never quite feel like you're at work...

 

It was the same thing with them - their dining room was both school and dining room, and it was hard to flip the switch when school was done. They couldn't quite get away from school even when they were home, and they didn't quite feel like they were in school because they were home.

[My_Other_I]

I think it depends. I have met many home-schooling groups of kids and parents and unfortunately, many of them were anti-social weirdos. i have also met kids who were very polite and social.

It's all in your hands.

[Trialbyfire]

I agree that it depends on the parents and their relationship with their children.

 

I don't have children but have seen the results of homeschooling through a cousin of my ex-Hs, who is a pastor. The children were very restricted so by the time they reached their age of majority, rebelled badly. One son is a cycling heroin junkie, the girl so incredibly shy that you can't hear her speak and the other two boys are having difficulty socializing with others. It doesn't speak well for the parents.

[Jinnah]

Quakanne, thank you for the advice. I hear stories about "homeschooled" kids who do really well, but I have also heard about some where the parents were lazy and the kids didn't learn anything. Thankfully, I am not this way, so that wouldn't be a problem. I will look into the support groups you speak of... that actually might help.

[Jinnah]

Since your kids have severe food allergies, you do prepare their lunches for school, right? If you notify the school and their teachers that they have severe food allergies and are not to eat anything that is not sent from home they wouldn't be at risk of having an allergic reaction to the school's food. Also make sure your kids are aware that they are not to eat anything at school that is not from home.

 

I do prepare lunches for school, but I am still concerned because the teacher hands out M&M's as incentives (which may contain peanuts)... a six year old might get mighty tempted to eat one when the teacher wasn't looking, especially since this is new for him (he was not previously allergic to peanuts - his sister was). Plus, peanut allergic children run the risk of having a reaction from touching even traces of peanuts (and even breathing it in). It only takes 1/100th of a peanut to cause a reaction in some people... scary! I can't stand the worrying about it! It's difficult.

[Jinnah]

I don't really get the whole home schooling thing. How are parents qualified to be teachers and to various ages all at once? I just never understood it, that's all.

 

My opinion on your situation is....let them go to school. Don't turn them into the Boy in the Plastic Bubble (please tell me that I'm not the only one who remembers that movie.....)

 

You can't have them live in a bubble. Yes, kids fall and knock their teeth out. It's been happening for decades. It's good to try to prevent it but it's not good to isolate them JUST IN CASE something might happen. You'll end up raising kids who have neurosis.

 

I'm not sure how old they are but if they have food allergies, are they familiar with using an epi-pen? Have your child call you whenever any food is offered to them. Teach them to tell the person giving it to them that they can't have it (and keep substitutes there that they CAN have).

 

Let kids fall down.....let them explore....let them...be kids. I see too many parents today who are turning their kids into "bubble boys".

 

That's exactly what I worry about as well... I have only enough college education to be a preschool teacher... there's a reason teachers get a college education... they need it!

 

On the other hand, I keep hearing that as long a you are dedicated, literate, and have basic math skills you can successfully teach your kids... I feel I could up until about middle school, maybe until high school. I know they have distance learning programs (some even offered from colleges), so that is always an option. There is a school I found (Calvert School) that is an accredited distance learning program that I am considering that really makes sure your child is keeping up.

 

I agree with you, I don't want them to live inside a bubble! However, there is a big difference in knocking some teeth loose and dying. At this point I don't think it is worth the risk. The kids do have an Epi-pen Jr. that they keep at school, but I still worry because sometimes the nurse is out of the office and she would first have to be found, then go get the Epi-pen, and then go administer it... that can take awhile and death can occur within minutes. You see why I am so worried? It's horrible.

[Jinnah]

I don't have kids but if I did I would seriously consider homeschooling them. I read in the paper yesterday how parents here are buying school uniforms with kevlar built in because of the number of knife attacks in schools. How did things ever get so bad?

 

I would also be concerned about religion. As an atheist, I don't want my kids being force-fed someone else's beliefs behind my back. You wouldn't have schools based on political alleigances so why religious?

 

Yeah, that's pretty dang scary... I worry about that with all the school shootings and such. I also don't like some of the things they teach in school, and homeschooling would take care of those problems!

[Jinnah]

Norajane- you make some valid points... that is something I really need to consider (and address) before I make my final decision. That kinds sounds like a mess. Before my son was re-tested, we knew he had allergies, but at the time they weren't really considered life-threatening... the doctor says he had to have been exposed (I'm guessing from school - we are very diligent at home b/c of my daughter - who we've always known had life-threatening allergies). Sometimes he would come home with a rash on his face... and not know why. Other times, his friends would give him stuff and he would eat it... I'm guessing that is how it happened. Since we found out, I have been stressing how important it is for him to not eat anything I didn't send. So far, it's working, but accidents happen.

 

My_Other_I, I hear ya... I wonder if that is how we will be seen if we decide to homeschool...as weirdos, but I also know a few well adapted kids that are homeschooled.

 

Trialbyfire... that's a good point there... sometimes when kids are overprotected, they rebel the first chance they get. I definitely agree that it depends on the parents. One of the reasons I am for homeschooling is that things are sooo different... even from when I was in school. I do not want my little girl to turn into a hooker by the time she hits 6th grade!

[nittygritty]

I do prepare lunches for school, but I am still concerned because the teacher hands out M&M's as incentives (which may contain peanuts)... a six year old might get mighty tempted to eat one when the teacher wasn't looking, especially since this is new for him (he was not previously allergic to peanuts - his sister was). Plus, peanut allergic children run the risk of having a reaction from touching even traces of peanuts (and even breathing it in). It only takes 1/100th of a peanut to cause a reaction in some people... scary! I can't stand the worrying about it! It's difficult.

 

I think its ridiculous that teachers are using candy as an incentive. Many kids have food allergies and they can be fatal.

 

There are many kids with medical conditions that have specific dietary requirements. There are also many parents who would prefer that their kids aren't being given junk food by their teachers at school.

 

I think you should speak to the school's administration and if they don't put a stop to it contact the school board to try to get them to eliminate this ritual of the teacher using junk food as an incentive. Its not healthy and it shouldn't be allowed IMO.

 

You shouldn't have to worry about your child eating the teacher's incentive candy that may contain peanuts. Nor should any child who has medical dietary restrictions have to endure watching the rest of the class enjoy their "candy prize" the teacher has ignorantly rewarded them with.

[Trialbyfire]

You might want to check out the school nearby and see if it's a peanut-free zone. My nephews both go to a school that is, although it's through the private school system.

 

Peanuts, strawberries, pop or candy are not allowed on school grounds.

[Citizen Erased]

You have stated you aren't qualified to homeschool your children beyond pre-school. I think that is all the answers you need.

 

Have you contacted the teacher which hands out the lollies? Tell them that your child can't eat them due to allergies and they won't give them to them. Inform the principal etc as well and stress how important it is.

 

You will not be able to protect your kids forever. What you need to do more than anything is teach them about the allergies, what foods to avoid etc. They need to learn it sometime. Leave more intellectual things to people trained to do so until you are more qualified.

[a4a]

Send them to private school.

 

The school system here sucks...... not the knife or gun thing it is because of zero parental input, turns the schools into a babysitting service.

 

I think when parents are paying for school they tend to make sure the kids get the most of it. It holds value then. The parents are involved and that is reflected within the entire student body.

 

My best students are in private schools. On our application we ask where they attend....... I will take on a PS student over a HS student in a NY minute.

 

HS kids seem to have overbearing parents, even if the child is a monster they justify the kids actions. I don't see much of a difference in the attitudes and intelligence between the HS and Public school kids. Both are way behind the private school kids on many levels.

 

You should invest in your kids..... education is the most important thing you can provide for a child.

 

 

 

Now the private school kids - amazing difference!

[JamesM]

I can see both sides of this one. My first comment is..if you don't feel 100% comfortable teaching your children, then don't do it. As for the peanut allergy, I can understand, I would be scared, too, but picking the right school and communicating with the right teacher is essential, I think, for eliminating much of your worry.

 

Personally, we send our kids to a private school. As a4a said, the education does tend to be better. Some of that is because you can choose which school...hence you can evaluate versus simply sending your child to the public school nearest you. The other part is as a4a said, when people pay for their education, they care more. Your input will matter more. And also, in private schools, the classrooms tend to be smaller, so there is more individualistic training.

 

I went to a private school. I am not sure that helps the case any , but I can say that we had a stricter level of education. When I went to college, I basically did my last year of high school over. The grading scale used at our private school was also "harder."

 

As for home schooling, this is totally dependent on you. How good of a teacher you are is how well of an education your children will get. I know of a number of families that have either home schooled or are homeschooling. The one that succeeded the best is my SIL. She is a certified teacher who keeps up her certificate. She has home schooled her children throughout all of their school years.

 

Two other families began home schooling but switched their children to private schools. And one other family who is still home schooling seems to be doing okay, but her children seem to be much more socially inept than other home schoolers or private schoolers I know.

 

If I was in your position, I would choose the best private school and go with that. I know of a family who have three children with blood disorders. If the kids bleed, they don't have the clotting abilities to stop. These children are in and out of hjospitals due to accidents and bloody noses. They have moved them from a couple of different private schools. Like you, they needed to feel that someone was capable of handling the emergencies that may come up with their children.

 

It is your decision, but it will have a big impact on your children's lives.

[dropdeadlegs]

I thoroughly researched homeschooling and had planned to proceed with my two youngest children. With a home computer I believe it is possible to do it well.

 

I used to have a plethora of websites bookmarked, but I don't have them anymore. There is so much info available. There are educational etailers that offer grade level packages with lesson plans, textbooks, and documentation products.

 

It did seem to me that it would be easier to start with homeschooling versus having them attend public school and pull them out. My older two kids had absolutely no interest and really put there feet down when I approached the subject.

 

There are many different styles of teaching and learning. Some are religion based, some are arts based, and some even allow the child to go with their natural curiousity. Since I was looking at the primary school years as a start I didn't choose one style and figured that would come later. I feel very qualified to teach the primary years but, like you, questioned my abilities in certain higher level subjects, namely high school mathematics. Some HS groups would trade off subjects, like if I'm great at history, but weak in science, I would teach your child history and you would teach mine science. However, that may not be totally legal in some areas. I remember reading that to teach your own child was fine, but to teach another's child required certification. Then again, I don't know how it would be discovered if you didn't tell anyone.

 

I did find local homeschooling groups that planned social and extra-curricular activities on a monthly or semi-monthly basis. In some areas I even saw sports groups with cheerleaders, but not in my area. Since my circumstances changed abruptly, I did not get the chance to explore these groups fully.

 

It takes effort, money, and dedication to homeschool. In the case of your children, they could integrate back into a public forum once you were comfortable they understood the risks of their allergies. I was told that the school system would certainly try to talk me out of withdrawing, and you must report to the state dept. of education at least annually in most areas. This keeps parents accountable and keeps the students on track as far as grade level appropriate knowledge. Annual testing was required in my state, as well as record keeping.

 

In short, it's not something to take lightly, but can be a positive experience. HS-ing allows time flexibility. Classroom hours do not have to be from 8-3, and learning can be accomplished in almost any arena if things are simply looked at from an educational perspective. Do your homework, get lots of support info under your belt, and have a game plan. Yes, there are noted downfalls, but many can be worked around. There are noted downfalls in the public and private arenas as well. One of the best things, IMO, was that there aren't forced time limits on any given subject. If your child is a fast learner, you can move quickly. If your child struggles with a lesson, you can spend as much time as necessary to ensure their grasp of the subject. Institutionalized education is not as flexible. In subjects where each lesson is a necessary step for the next lesson (as in algebra) this flexibility can be the difference between passing and failing a subject.

 

I also believe it can enrich the parent/child relationship. Nobody wants to raise an introverted, socially awkward individual, but the American family isn't exactly in it's heyday, either. It takes motivation to succeed in all areas to , well, succeed in all areas.

 

Good luck with your research and decision!

[JamesM]

I also believe it can enrich the parent/child relationship.

 

This is very true. I have seen that happen.

 

But the reverse is...you will have your children home at all times. As great as this sounds, you may want too have scheduled times where they have extracurricular activites or visits with friends. This will be good for them...and you.

[a4a]

This is very true. I have seen that happen.

 

But the reverse is...you will have your children home at all times. As great as this sounds, you may want too have scheduled times where they have extracurricular activites or visits with friends. This will be good for them...and you.

 

There is also usually a great advantage when you have a private school listed on your college app. or even a resume.

 

As an employer that does stand out on a resume or student app. when they apply.

 

If I ever had kids (like one was left on my porch and I couldn't sell it on Ebay)......... it would be enrolled in private school.

[Mustang Sally]

Question: Homeschooling..Ok or not?

 

Answer: This is a very personal decision. While it wouldn't work for me and my family, I know some home-schooled families where it is probably the greatest thing to happen for all of them (seriously).

 

I think if you feel compelled to try it, then do just that. Try it. If it works out, then great for you. If it doesn't, then you and your kids would know that you gave it a shot, and you can always go back to public/private school.

 

Best of luck with it.

[uniqueone]

That's exactly what I worry about as well... I have only enough college education to be a preschool teacher... there's a reason teachers get a college education... they need it!

 

On the other hand, I keep hearing that as long a you are dedicated, literate, and have basic math skills you can successfully teach your kids... I feel I could up until about middle school, maybe until high school. I know they have distance learning programs (some even offered from colleges), so that is always an option. There is a school I found (Calvert School) that is an accredited distance learning program that I am considering that really makes sure your child is keeping up.

 

I agree with you, I don't want them to live inside a bubble! However, there is a big difference in knocking some teeth loose and dying. At this point I don't think it is worth the risk. The kids do have an Epi-pen Jr. that they keep at school, but I still worry because sometimes the nurse is out of the office and she would first have to be found, then go get the Epi-pen, and then go administer it... that can take awhile and death can occur within minutes. You see why I am so worried? It's horrible.

 

Yes, I see why you're worried. It's easy for me to say to let them take risks because they're not my kids (and I don't have any). I'd probably think differently if they were my kids though and I can see why you're worried.

If you can afford private school, that sounds like a good option, but I know those can be pretty expensive.

 

Speaking of the distance learning programs, they've started online programs where I live. I don't know if I like that idea for kids or not but I think they only offer them to high schoolers right now.

[nittygritty]

Regardless of whether you decide to homeschool or not, I would still try to get something done about the teachers using candy or junk food as a reward or incentive.

 

It might be better to start with requesting a conference with the teacher. Perhaps you could donate stickers to the classroom to replace the use of candy. Tell her that eating candy is not of any benefit to any of the kids and you don't think she should be giving it to them as an incentive. Repeat to her that your child has life threatening allergic reactions to certain foods and your afraid that because he is so young, he may forget or be too tempted to sneak to partake in eating the "candy prize" she is rewarding them with.

 

Work your way up through the system until you find the person who puts a stop to this practice. Good luck with this, I'm sure its a frustrating and stressful situation.

[Jinnah]

Wow, everyone gave some great advice. I really appreciate all of it (even the negatives) since I want to make an informed decision. I have done horrendous (lol) amounts of research, but still want the advice of "real people", not just statistics... so this is great.

 

Nittygritty- I am upset about the candy as incentives, but I know I wouldn't have made a fuss of it if he was not allergic. The teacher is so sweet, but just isn't aware that it could be risky. It's tough because I want to keep my child safe, but without making him stand out... does that make any sense?

 

Trialbyfire- The school is supposed to go "peanut-free" next year, but to keep my child safe, they would also have to go "melon-berry-pineapple-sesame-treenut-nutmeg-free". Those are only the ones that are considered to run the risk of a life-threatening reaction (for him) since they are so high. He has several other allergies as well. That's great that the school you mention seems to be doing all they can to keep the kids safe from allergens. I just worry that if these "food bans" are put in place for my children, others might resent them. I have heard about parents who go all psycho and try to sabotage the ban!

 

Darlin_coco- The school is aware of their allergies and so are my children. My middle child has dealt with this since she was 13 months or so and is very used to not eating various food items. My son, on the other hand, recently developed these life-threatening ones and is having a hard time accepting that he can no longer eat the foods he previously loved (poor thing!). I fear that he will think to himself, "well I ate this three weeks ago and nothing happened...chomp, chomp chomp." I tell him that this time it actually might contain peanuts, whereas last time it obviously did not. He intellectually understands (one of his teachers thinks he's gifted) but he's still a child... possibly gifted or not... he might just get too tempted one day.

 

As far as qualification, the Homeschool Legal Defense Association states that (statistically) the children taught by parents with a degree scored no higher than the parents with some or no college. They state that "research and practical experience show that it is dedication and hard work, not special training, that produce outstanding educational results in a homeschool setting." The HSLDA/current research also state that homeschooled children score, on average, of 50 points higher on the SAT, and outperform "their public school and private school counterparts" by one grade level in grades 1-4, and "by grade 8, the average homeschool student performs four grade levels about the national average." This is encouraging information and I know for sure I could get the children up to at least high school (I was worried about math, but I suppose it should be okay since I was in "Academically Talented" math through middle school, so that shouldn't be a problem now that I think about it). It's just high school math I worry about (same as dropdeadlegs).

 

a4a and JamesM- At this point, I do not think we can afford private school. I do think I would still be worried about the health and safety issues, but it would definitely help with the religious aspect of it! That is something my husband and I continue to discuss... maybe one day. I do agree that private school is impressive. Some people who go to my church homeschool their children and they have the best behaved little kids I've seen in a long time. I do wonder how they are doing academically. Honestly, I think my son would do fine if I taught him, as he catches on quickly. Over the summer, I taught him a few things that I knew he would learn in first grade and he caught on quickly. It would have been even easier if I had lesson plans and a real curriculum (not just a workbook purchased from a retail store). His teacher said his level of reading blew her away. He is very articulate... you would laugh if you met him! He does well in math also. I will make sure he is involved heavily outside of the home if we do decide to homeschool.

 

Dropdeadlegs- I have heard about support groups... it sounds like I should actually join one if I do homeschool! I like the thought that as they age, they can go back to school if they wish. You mentioned a great positive of homeschooling. It typically takes a teacher seven hours (in a class of 20+ kids) to teach the day's lessons... in a homeschool environment it takes 1 1/2 - 3 hours on average (depending on the grade level), allowing the children to go further in their studies during the remaining time.

 

Mustang Sally- very true... if it didn't work out they could always go back.

 

Uniqueone- What you heard is true - there are satellite and computer based homschool programs available, even for kids in the third grade and up. That's definitely something my children could do in the higher grades (like high school) if I do not have the ability to teach math. I cannot make myself just say "oh well" and risk their lives. I know it sounds dramatic, but that is what is at risk here. It sucks. I suppose it could be a lot worse though, so I try to count my blessings. At least I have a choice here. I keep thinking about that statistic (that 75% of all food allergy related deaths occur at school) and I know I would hate myself if I let them go and something happened. I know I would beat myself up, saying "If only you had taken them out, this wouldn't have happened." I guess I better just make the decision, do it, and stop second-guessing myself. What do you think? Just kidding.

 

Nittygritty- the teacher did give him a sticker instead, which was nice. I think if I were to push this issue instead of homeschooling, we might be seen as a pain is the @$$. Everyone at the school really does try to be understanding, it's just that there are no guarantees. I read that over the course of a year, there are bound to be accidents... I guess I just love my kids too much to gamble. Thanks for understanding how tough this is.