Home Schooling... or Public Schooling?

Hi! :D The public schools started up again in our part of the state of Idaho this week. As you know... we do our learning AT HOME ~ and ABROAD - not at the public schools. So it came as quite a shock to me when my sons began begging me to send them to public school. Since I have been going through my own internal struggles lately - I've been like a zombie. So it wasn't too hard to twist zombie mom's arm into considering the change of schools. And I really can't blame them for not wanting to stay home with the zombie. :O

But then last night I began to feel better. Like magic, my outlook
improved. Life was again seen through the eyes of a clearer view. I wasn't depressed any more! My brain started working again!! Suddenly, that break I would be getting wasn't the only thing I saw when I thought about public schooling!!! I wasn't a zombie any more!!!! :D And so, this morning I said to my husband...

"Miles, I've been thinking about the decision to let the boys go to public school, and have been wondering why we decided to let them do that?"

Miles was somewhat wishy washy, and sluggish with his shoulders in his response...

"I don't know. You said they could."

I took a double take over the word "you" but ignored it and went on with questions.

"Yeah... I know I considered it; but WHY? I've been weighing it out the pros and con's... thinking of the things I planned to teach them that they will never learn at public school. Thinking about the mommy influence I have to teach them things of an eternal nature during homeschooling and of the leverage I will lose if they go to school and are sure to come home and say, 'no mom. I'm NOT reading that, I already went to school today!' I've thought of the wasted time in public school, and the lousy social environment in which you "get what you get" rather than choosing a positive environment. I think about the time I am looking forward to spending with them while their friends are all at the public schools, and of the blissful fact that during this time... I get to have them all to my self. :) I think of the vacations we can spontaneously take as a family - while we home school. I think of the educational opportunities I have in mind for them which are not offered in high school, and which they won't have time for if they go. I think of all this, and I wonder... WHY are we considering letting them go to school full time?"

And all he could say was, "I don't know; I guess because they wanted to go to be with their friends." And then I thought about the fact that they AREN'T even going for the academics, and of the fact that they will learn better if they are doing something with the intention of learning. I remember when I was home-schooled and then decided to go back to public school just to get to know kids more quickly after my family moved to a new location.  I wasn't going for the education either. I was going to SOCIALIZE and believe me, it showed with my grades! I skipped classes to hold informal private counseling sessions for my friends. I didn't care what it did to my grades... I had friends to help, and they were a much higher priority. I don't recall doing a lick of homework. Not a lick!... until I went to college; because when I went to college I was going for the education, and I loved it! And believe me, it showed in my grades! ;)

All of this quickly ran through my mind. And then I remembered times in my youth in which I loved home schooling and taking just a class or two at the local High School (fun classes like cooking). So I thought about the Honors Government and AP Government classes offered at the local public college prep Charter school and suggested to my husband that maybe we could home school them for the most part, but let them go to charter for these classes. Miles looked at me with big eyes.

"Government class. Are you sure you want to do that? What views do you think the teachers will be coming from?"

Oh my gosh! My wheels started turning... My mouth fell wide open... and then I looked at him with big eyes and asked,

"and we were talking about sending them there - full time!"

 We both laughed.

And then there were the boys feelings and desires to consider. They are thinking of going to socialize, so they need fun relaxed classes while there. I decided to stick with the original plan of enrolling them in fun electives at high school, and/or just getting them involved in other activities outside of school for their social life.

There are opportunities for my kids to have good social lives; I need to look for them, and take them! Another thing I can do is continue welcoming the kids' friends over and making our home the "neighborhood hang out station". ;) There are kids here at our home constantly during the summer months, as well as after school and on the weekends during the school year. It is very cool.

So... what do you think? Will my kids be OK if they don't go to public school again this year?

(Above photo taken on line from bing images.)