Homeschooling

[JacafamalaRedux]

Sorry this is so long. If you don't have time for all this, just pray that God's will be done with regard to my daughter's education--and thanks!

I'd really appreciate your prayers as my husband and I discern whether or not homeschooling is the right fit for my daughter. For me, it's a no-brainer. I think it'd be the best choice for her right now. She's very self conscious among peers and worries excessively about what others think of her. This has led to some school refusal and a good deal of stress and anxiety for the family as a whole. 

My husband is a very bookish, academic type. He a came from a family of educators.  He's spent his career within the school system and holds a masters, a doctorate. He's been a teacher, a vice principal, a curriculum director, a principal, an assistant superintendent, a superintendent....You get the idea: his whole professional life has been all about school. He's passionate about school. He doesn't see how one homeschooling instructor could possibly provide the same kind of experience as a whole team of professionals. 

The problem is that it's not working for my daughter! In the past, she's begged me to homeschool her. I think at this point, she's ambivalent. She has mixed feelings. When school is going well, all is fine. Then if she misses a day or two (which happened last week due to stomach flu) she can't go back, because "people will be mad at me for missing x, y and z." That sort of crazy self-absorbed preteenish thing.

One of my best friends is a homeschool mom / teacher. She's very gifted at this and has raised an exceptionally talented angel of a daughter. So now my friend works teaching homeschool kids with disabilities. My husband and are I meeting with her tonight; just to talk about the homeschooling logististics. My friend told me she wasn't going to try to "sell" my husband on the idea, which is probably very wise. He'd see through that and wouldn't respond favorably. She's just going to share any info that might be relevant. Hubs has a lot of respect for this friend and I hope it will reassure him this is the right choice. 

I trust this is God's will: homeschooling that is, because I see that at 13 years old, she's already losing the Catholic faith and I want to be sure (please God), I do everything I can to keep that from happening. I know she'll have to make her own life choices in the end, but it would give me peace of mind to be able to say, I did what I could, made a close bond through this experience, so no regrets in that way.   

I've never been very academic, I'm more inclined towards visual arts. So I'm sure in the back--or forefront of his mind--this is a big concern of my husband. I do know there's a whole network of support and we wouldn't be alone in this endeavor. So I'm not afraid. 

So, anyway, if you've gotten this far, thanks for reading and please keep us in your prayers. 

--Annie

[Fontevrault]

Annie,

I'm praying for you and your family as you make this decision.  Frankly, I think it's a good fit.  You see, you and your daughter can study together - thus taking away some of the stress of "not being perfect" or "not being right."  If you both work together, sure you'll make mistakes, but a natural love of each other and of learning will help to bridge the gap and build confidence.


F

[For Petes Sake]

I think being able to teach your child 1 on 1 is a lot more effective than "professionals" teaching 30 kids.

[MaryTN]

One of my daughters' best friends was homeschooled thru high school.
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Very nice girl, very nice family.  And the girl/now woman is not at all unhappy about missing any of the socialization she might have received in school.  She and her family were active in their church.
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It was a good fit for the child and the family, but frankly, I do not have confidence in the quality of education she received.  I was in their house about once a week and I never saw anyone doing any school work, never saw any school projects, never saw any school textbooks (before homeschooling could be done online).
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And I think that will be a concern for your husband and his family of educators.  IF this is going to work for your family, you will have to prove that her education, not her social life, but her education, is on par with the public school system.  She will need proper math and science which may mean taking classes with a professional with other homeschoolers.  I am sure that one of the objections will be that homeschooling will reduce her advanced education opportunities.  Yours is not a rejection of education, but finding what works for your child.
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Good luck.  I hope you all come to the right conclusion for your child.

[JacafamalaRedux]

Thanks, guys. The meeting went really well tonight. My husband and I came home, spoke with our daughter and she wants to give it a go! So we're committed at least through June. I'm a little nervous for sure but I'm gonna give this my very best effort. It's encouraging to know my friend promised to help me get started and point me in the right direction for homeschooling groups in our area. Deo Gratias!

[Ambrosiano]

With the lack of nearby Catholic schools worth the name (and price tag!), it's a dream for me, too, at this crossroads in the education of two of my children transitioning from elementary and middle school.  However, my wife would never agree to it.  I'm still taking the advice of Archbishop Fulton Sheen who purportedly told his friends and relatives, "If you want your children to defend their Faith, send them to a public school; if you want them to lose their Faith, send them to a Catholic school."  Well, it's getting harder and harder in even their charter school I once believed to be in the hands of fairly conservative-minded parents.

My prayers for your strength and success!

:pray: :pray: :pray:

[JacafamalaRedux]

With the lack of nearby Catholic schools worth the name (and price tag!), it's a dream for me, too, at this crossroads in the education of two of my children transitioning from elementary and middle school.  However, my wife would never agree to it.  I'm still taking the advice of Archbishop Fulton Sheen who purportedly told his friends and relatives, "If you want your children to defend their Faith, send them to a public school; if you want them to lose their Faith, send them to a Catholic school."  Well, it's getting harder and harder in even their charter school I once believed to be in the hands of fairly conservative-minded parents.

My prayers for your strength and success!

:pray: :pray: :pray:

Ambrosiano, my heart goes out to you because I understand very well the difficulty you're experiencing, Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought my husband would ever agree to this, yet here we are. So I'm sure this is God's gift. I just hope I do a good job with it. God has a plan for you and your family, too, I'm sure.