More on Homeschooling

Posted on February 9, 2007 by The Daring One

I’m continuing the homeschooling discussion over at parenting.com and I’m wondering, “Do moms’ heads every explode from all the decisions they have to make about their child’s well-being?”

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22 Responses to More on Homeschooling

  1. Meadow says:
    February 9, 2007 at 10:40 am

    I’m pretty sure that my head has exploded a time or two. Someone must put it back together to hide the proof, but they always forget some of my brain in the process 🙂

  2. Mary says:
    February 9, 2007 at 10:48 am

    Or do they just explode from the non-stop toddler talk?

  3. Kage says:
    February 9, 2007 at 11:32 am

    Oh mine has exploded numerous times, fortunately they have a great remedy for that…it’s a careful combination of Dr. Pepper (12 oz. only please), and Butterscotch Krimpets (3 to be exact).

  4. Lisa (qtpies7) says:
    February 9, 2007 at 12:18 pm

    Oh, I don’t know about exploding, but there are certaily stress cracks that brain seeps out of until you can’t remember if you are coming or going from one room to the next.
    You know its true.

  5. Farm Wife says:
    February 9, 2007 at 12:18 pm

    I do believe that most mothers’ brains turn to the consistency of lukewarm jell-o in the delivery room just to prevent actual explosions…but it can still leak out your ears.

  6. Thoroughly Mormon Millie says:
    February 9, 2007 at 12:58 pm

    I think it’s nursing that does it. The brain cells flow right on out with the milk.

  7. grammyelin says:
    February 9, 2007 at 1:14 pm

    Of course they explode. Don’t you remember having to help me scrape mine back in from time to time when you were little?

    Kage, Where are you that you know butterscotch krimpets? I love the kandy cakes too – peanut butter & mint. Oh, you have just made me so homesick!

  8. Kristi says:
    February 9, 2007 at 1:37 pm

    Oh…it’s not so bad. Decisions are made. Decisions are enforced. Parents have been doing it for a millenia. Heads explode from contant interaction with the children, not from the decisions we make about them.

    Of course, I’m all about the homeschooling so…I’m biased like that.

  9. bon says:
    February 9, 2007 at 4:58 pm

    kah-BLOOOEY! Sorry, I missed the question… do moms heads ever what?

  10. Margaret says:
    February 9, 2007 at 5:11 pm

    My sister, who had three small children at the time, was telling her husband about something that she had missed / forgotten / had eliminated from her cerebrum by too much child chatter, and said, “I think I’ve lost it!”

    To which her 5 or 6 year old daughter replied, “I think I saw it in the garage!”

    So why don’t you check there for the stuff that leaked or was exploded out?

  11. Farm Wife says:
    February 9, 2007 at 8:16 pm

    Margaret, that’s the funniest thing I’ve read all day…next to the thing about exploding heads!

  12. Sare says:
    February 9, 2007 at 10:30 pm

    I think it’s mainly at night, when all my thoughts catch up to me, that my head is in danger of explosion.

    In about ten years, we’ll all be the casaul, laid-back, already-dealing-with-teenagers kind of mom that we all love and admire right now.

    Too bad our heads will be exploding for other reasons, then.

  13. Kimberly says:
    February 10, 2007 at 1:47 pm

    Hee hee…I like Mille’s explanation best.

    My head is nowhere near in danger of exploding…there isn’t enough in it to cause that kind of pressure.

  14. Sheri says:
    February 10, 2007 at 8:00 pm

    Yes, your head will pretty much explode from here on out.

    Nah, not really, the homeschooling/public school decision is a hard one because homeschooling feels so out of the norm (Even though it is very much becoming the norm).

    You’ll make the right decision for your family. We’ll be praying for your peace. (See now I am assuming that you are trying to make a decision and not just jabbering about the other discussion, so maybe I should just erase this all and not submit it…sigh…now MY head is going to explode!)

  15. lammyann says:
    February 11, 2007 at 8:14 pm

    No matter what you choose, your kids will be great.
    There are pros and cons for both schooling options. I’ve done them both, homeskoolin’ a bit longer than publikskoolin’, and there are advantages to both, and disadvantages to both.
    Give your kids a great foundation, be involved in their lives, love them even when you want to smother them in their sleep, and they will turn out wonderful. Not that I would ever want to smother my kids. I’m just sayin’.

    Oh. And Pray.

    Good luck!

  18. The Wiz says:
    February 12, 2007 at 11:30 am

    Nursing does suck out brain cells. I’m sure it’s been proven somewhere somehow. And yes, my brain explodes regularly. I think schooling decisions are among the hardest to make.

  19. Mama G says:
    February 12, 2007 at 4:49 pm

    Explodes? Yep! To keep the explosions to a minimum, I try my hardest to keep the outside noises (ie: opinions of others) out of my decisions. Arm yourself with knowledge and make the best decision you can for you and your family. It might not be the same decision as your neighbor or your friend makes, but they aren’t members of your family.

    As long as we do our best to provide to the best of our abilities, we’re doin’ good.

  20. Lei says:
    February 12, 2007 at 9:31 pm

    To answer your question – yes, nearly. I mean, I can feel the pressure and the urge, but it hasn’t ACTUALLY happened. Still, I’ve gotten close a few times. Man, would that be gross.

  21. Been there, done that, you'll find the tee shirt in my yard sell says:
    February 13, 2007 at 2:41 am

    Mature content: Not suitable for young ones. And long…so sorry.

    Okay ladies…I home schooled my kids. Two all grown up and out of the house. The last has chosen to go to public school for high school. The most useful advice I could ever give and has become my words for every day living…SIT BACK AND RELAX. DON’T TAKE THE WHOLE THING SO SERIOUSLY. God’s got ya covered. Easier said than done, but try.

    1. As far as academics are concerned…teach them what they NEED to know (what schools require). If your child excels in a particular subject then go for it! The limits are set by your child’s level of capabilities and interest. Don’t push. Only guide…They’ll go farther. (And don’t be afraid to go ahead and teach your ten year old calc or trig if they are hungry for it!)

    2. About the time your child is going into middle school you will not recognize this person. (Hormones) It’s a Jeykle/Hyde thing. (Hormones) They are going through a time of growth and testing of their personal convictions. (Hormones, lets not forget the hormones, aarrggghhhh!) Allow them to fall…be there for questions and support, do not pick them up. They have to learn how to get up and dust themselves off on their own. (But remember…for as much as they are learning to be adults…they are still your babies and they DO want a little “mommy” time, too.) The only problem is…YOU have to miraculously know when that moment is…good luck…can’t help you with that one…that’s where GOD comes in big time!!! By the way, did I mention hormones?

    3. AHHHHHHH, high school. No matter WHAT any body tells you…Your child has learned everything they are going to know about conviction, morals, and a general sense of who they are by the time they are about fourteen. DO NOT WAIT to teach your children about sex, drugs, morals, what God expects of them and what they can expect from God. And most important, how to talk to HIM on a daily basis for all their needs and decisions. (Okay, I’m talking “age appropriate” here)

    Don’t think for a moment that your kid is not going to try things, just because you have talked to them about it either. BUT the odds are more in your favor if you do!! Help them learn to make sound decisions for themselves. This make for a much easier transition into adulthood. By the way…the hormone thing is finally subsiding. Praise, praise, praise. Now all you have to worry about is sex, and the question that seems to be creeping in on our young couples today. Do we get married or live together. My personal opinion is…Married. But my son has chosen…live together. They know my position on the subject, but I’m relying on God to do the convicting. (Personal opinion…please don’t get upset with me. It’s not my place to judge.)

    4. Take notice of what your child likes to do. What his/her interests are… and cultivate them! When you get the feeling that your little girl is interested in becoming a mom…don’t fret…teach her how to be the best mom she can be. If she looks like she’s going to be President…Find organizations that she can get involved in…Fighting for causes, lobbying for rights or to change laws. If your son wants to be a mechanic…buy an old car and let him take it apart and put it back together. If he could convince you that the sky is purple…well you may have a lawyer on your hands.

    In the mean time…remember what YOU wanted to be when you grew up…did you achieve that goal? If not, maybe it’s high time you start. Oh, you don’t have to go to school right now, but you can begin making plans, setting goals and realizing your own dreams. You’d make a better example for your children if you do. That is sure enough better than being the “Mommy Martyr”.

    I had to chew on that one..nasty!

    5. Pay close attention girls. This is the most important part. Remember your dear sweet darling. They get jealous and act like kids sometimes, but remember…He will only be the man YOU allow him to be. If you belittle him, he will turn bitter. If you build him up. He will be a MAN. Cultivate that part of your family, too… because when the kids are grown and out of the house. He will be the only one to talk to first thing in the morning. This will be the most lovely time in your life…When both of you can look back on your lives and be able to take a deep breath, sigh, and say “So, You wanna go back to bed?” he, he, he.

    Please take this in the spirit for which it is intended…as a guide. I’m not an expert, nor do I think I’m a “know it all”. Just some helpful advice from someone who has made mistakes along the way.

    Hope you get something out of my experiences.

    Enjoy Life.

  22. herbalmom says:
    February 13, 2007 at 7:51 pm

    I homeschool…. well… I do tell my kids everyday that they better hit the books OR Else!
    I got 5 of em’, and one on the way. My oldest is 13 now, and a lovely young lady I must say. They (my kids) are all wonderful…

    I really liked your line about how “these people need more friends” on the post you did about your need to procreate… that was hilarious.

    You should read the book A Thomas Jefferson Education by Oliver DeMille. http://www.tjed.org/ He’s LDS too.

    Seems like forever ago when I was trying to decide wether or not to HS… and now my DH takes credit for making the decision! Seems that it has turned out well when DH decides to take the credit…
    Although… he does get on me from time to time when he thinks someone is lagging. For instance, right now he is nagging me to do reading lessons with our 7yr old (she just turned in Jan.)who is right on the verge of reading. She’s taking her sweeet time. He teaches 6th grade public school, so he sort of has a pre-formed notion of what is normal. She’s first grade age…

    I have found that my kids are really curious and when deprived of sufficient audio-visual stimulation they tend to educate themselves.
    (I sent the TV to the goodwill long ago and we watch movies on a dvd player instead, and have computers… that’s more than enough… ) We keep our bookshelves liberally stocked with garage sale finds and goodwill purchases, etc. I weed out what I think of as “Junk Literature.”

    I had some good examples for my decision… I decided that If I wanted the same results I better fall in line.
    I am not perfect with this homeschooling thing, but I am really pleased with the people my kids are becoming.
    And, wow, does it ever make it easier when you have a baby to have those older kids home with you! my last baby was a breeeeze, I got to take care of nothing but the baby because my older kids were there entertaining the middle kids and making lunch, etc.
    Things get really good when you get the chore machine running, too.

    But first things first… you don’t have to commit to the long haul with homeschooling, even if you just decided to do it for thier first 3 or 4 years you’d be doing great. Or maybe just for kindergarten… Think you can teach them how to tie their shoes? Or recognize colors/shapes numbers/letters? chances are your daughter could already ace the kindergarten exams… LOL.
    And then when she surprisingly teaches herself how to read your confidence will soar!…(that’s what happened with my 2nd kid, a son.) Maybe you will decide to do it for a few years more.
    You don’t have to be very organized at first, either. But as they get older you do have to get that aspect a little more in shape…

    We are at the point where we are thinking “forget the whole high-school scene-other than sports” and we are going to be enrolling our kids in the local community college at the age of 16… I have a homeschooling friend with older kids who does it that way. She had a 15 yr old last year who insisted on going to High School and he wound up getting expelled for drugs, they had to really work with him but they have him in the college now and he is doing great.
    If they were not homeschooling they would not have had the success in this situation, this is a kid who would have been in trouble the whole time if he was in school.

    Anyway, it’s fun and you can do it for as long or as little as you want.
    Here in Oregon you can waltz into the schools and tell them exactly what classes/sports you want to supplement what you are doing at home and they bow to you and say, “yes, your highness..” So if you think you want help, it’s there at any given moment. Those schools want your funding. I believe you are in the same situation there in washington…
    we are only doing band at the moment, but the after school sporsts will kick in next year.

    YOu should have no trouble locating a homeschool support group where you are, they do exist and then you can pick some peoples brains. Try to find people who have been doing it awhile, too… they tend to kind of eventually withdraw from the groups, (in my experience) because they find that they don’t really need it anymore.

    Anyway, Now that I have written an entire book on the topic I hope that this clarifies your decision to homeshcool! ha ha. Good luck! There is always that annoying Guy Upstairs who can tell you what to do wether you like it or not! So get on yer’ knees, sister. Then you can move off this topic… or take it much much further.
    Your sis in cyberspace, Shannon

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