Reading by 2 1/2 years old!

This isn't to bag any homeschooler per se and I hope that I'm very very wrong with my generalisations. I haven't met any homeschoolers in person. I admit the internet is probably not a very good representation of people in the real world, but I've noticed quite a few homeschoolers bragging about how "advanced" their children are when compared to the schooled children.

A crucial factor many homeschoolers note in their decision to homeschool is that all children develop at their own pace. School just doesn't cater for that. Sure, if your child is reading by the age of 2 it's quite an achievement - not very many children are that advanced at such an early age. What I have yet to see is a homeschool parent telling us that his/her child began reading at age 7 or 8 and being proud of that.

Also, why do they always seem to make a point that their 5 year old child is reading at the "6th grade level" or whatever. Doesn't this reek a little of hypocrisy? Your child isn't reading at the "6th grade level" they are reading at THEIR level. Aren't they trying to get away from the competitiveness and "arbitrary goals" set by the school?

Another pet peeve of mine is parents who can't spell teaching their children how to spell. I don't know - I'm definitely a perfectionist; very hard on myself though quite forgiving when it comes to others *grin*. I can usually tell the difference between a typo and flat out ignorance.

It's all very well to teach at home and all, but please teach the WRITE RITE RIGHT thing.

I don't have any other choice

Since my 4 year old is due to start preschool next year, I've been having to tell quite a few people that I am homeschooling. Family have already told me in no uncertain terms that I am completely mad for even thinking of going ahead. The reactions from friends and acquaintances has been mixed.

My friends without children see it as an adventure, a challenge and something that would be quite rewarding. Most of the ones with children automatically assume there is something wrong with their decision to send their children to school. Both will ask why I've decided to homeschool, but once I give them my reasons, most of my friends with children will immediately become defensive and seem to make excuses for why they are sending their children to school.

My decision is MINE. Homeschooling I believe would be best for MY child. I don't know the whys and hows of other people's family and just because I am not happy with my child being taught in a classroom of 30 other children doesn't mean I think those that do send their children there are bad parents.

If I say I am not too impressed with the Islamic schools, it doesn't mean that one has to tell me that the schools are excellent when it comes to literacy scores and their religious education is second to none. That is probably so, but again I think teaching my children at home for now is best for our family. I don't think one has made a big mistake by sending their children there. It also doesn't mean that I think teachers are worthless. On the contrary.

If I say that it will give me more time to spend with my son and improve our relationship and bring us closer together, it doesn't mean that I think anyone who doesn't homeschool doesn't have a wonderful relationship with their kids. It doesn't mean that I am some sort of martyr (though I have to admit some days I do feel like one!) or that I'm insane.

I've really had to choose my words wisely. If someone asks me one more time why I'm homeschooling, I think I'm just going to say that my husband is forcing me to! Hehe.

Currently reading:

I thought there were no homeschooling books in our city library - apparently there is ONE and I have it in my hot little hands right now. "Homeschooling- A Parents Guide to Teaching Children" by Samuel L. Blumenfeld.

This books seems easy to read and the chapters are small enough that I can manage to read a little at a time and still remember what I've read (important for me!).

Overall, from the skimming I've done - it seems to be a bit too much of "this doesn't work, schools don't work, whole-word reading doesn't work" than an actual helpful "this is what works" sort of book.

I have only just skimmed through the first part of the book and while there are definitely things I can relate to (indeed any parent can find something to relate to there when it comes to our children's education) there are a few areas where I cannot agree. He seems to be totally against traditional schooling while though I think at the moment I would love my son to be homeschooled, I can see a time where he may want to attend school or a time when I cannot teach him as well as school (?) so I've still left attending school as an option for the future.

I understand how some may perceive this as a cop-out - if I'm not in it for the long term then how am I any better than the teachers who are only interested in him for the year they will be teaching him?

The difference is that as a parent, when it comes to my child's education I will *always* be in it for the long haul.

More about the book as I read on...

Getting organised

The biggest challenge I'm facing right now with homeschooling is time management. I can't seem to get myself together and something (be it housework, cooking, errands) ends up not being done. Flylady bless her heart was great but I can't seem to get motivated to even read her emails anymore - they get deleted straight away.

I'm exhausted and now with my older son not attending daycare, I don't know when I'll get the time to organise things. I might have to send the boys away for a little while. It isn't that I don't want their company - it's just that bless their hearts when they help me with the housework, I end up with twice as much to do.

First thing is to get back to Flylady and listen to what she has to say. BABYSTEPS!!

Homeschooling

The 'h" word conjures up images of perfectly organised mothers with minimum 5 children (all under the age of 5) who are perfectly well behaved and guaranteed reading Shakespeare (and understanding it) by the age of 7. We aren't like that at all. I'm a mum of two boys - 4 years old and 1 year old. We aren't organised in the least - I seem to get into it with such gusto for about 3 days and then need the next 4 to recover. This really isn't setting a good example for my children. If I'm going to teach, I'm going to have to do it with at least SOME sort of routine - at the very least have our meals and morning and afternoon snack time at about the same time everyday.

Why did I decide to homeschool? Honestly, the reasons are many and some of them are actually quite selfish. I don't like the idea of him going to school to be influenced by things that we don't believe in - Christmas, Easter, Tooth fairy. He is such an impressionable boy and while it isn't that I don't have faith in him or my ability to teach him right from wrong - I just believe he would benefit from staying with me for a few more years before he is exposed to school life. I didn't want him to have to decide whether he was going to be the cool kid/the naughty kid/ the bully/ the victim/ the nerd. I see the cliques forming in his day care and the children are all under 5! I just want him to be HIM, and to be comfortable and confident enough to know he doesn't have to fit into any of the stereotypes.

It isn't that I am unhappy about the Islamic schools in my city, either. MashaAllah, they are doing very well and apparently very good literacy scores and whatnot. After visiting the school to enquire about preschool, there seemed to be very little benefit when compared to the state schools. Sure, he will be around Muslim children but the exposure to Islam (eg. salah, Arabic) is negligible. He's better off at home with me and then at our local masjid's madressah.

I get to spend more time with him, too. I can only see this as a benefit for both of us. I do get annoyed with him sometimes, just as he gets annoyed with me. InshaAllah it will help both of us learn to deal with conflict and increase our sabr.

I don't want any regrets with this later on. If I don't try it, I'm forever going to be wondering. I do not know if I will be doing this forever. At least for this preschool year it will be a "trial run." I figure I can't really stuff up preschool, right? If we are having fun and he seems to be learning at the same time, grades 1, 2, 3, 4 here we come!

So we begin this little homeschooling journey - who knows where it will lead us but I pray we end up in a place where my son is happy, confident and pious.

Testing...

My blogging adventure continues. I don't know why I've gone and got myself another blog and I honestly don't know where this one will go. Stay tuned....