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All you homeschooling moms out there – I have a question. Well, it’s more like a dilemma I face. Some days I do well with getting the boys lessons going and then there’s other days that I just don’t feel like it. When we moved back home a little over a year ago, I attributed those feelings to the adjustments of moving and settling in but it has resulted in the boys being behind in their formal school work.
Ask them any question, they can answer. My 6yr old reads way past his grade level and his comprehension is excellent. I’ve done a lot of informal teaching as situations come up in our day to day life. I know that this is what real homeschooling is about but at the same time when I hear my son asking me “Mammy what grade am I in?” and the reason he wants to know is because his friends at church were all talking about what grade they’re in and they asked him. He wants to know if he is in Grade 1 and truth be told though he is beyond that in certain areas, we still are not yet done with the kindergarten curriculum. We have about one quarter left. I had to tell him the truth of course but being the child he is I could see the wheels turning as he figured out that the other kids are one year younger but he still is not in their grade.
We have been able to do two days worth of curriculum work in one day without extra stress when we actually do curriculum work so it should be easy to catch up. But the problem I face is the motivation. I should be more motivated because I know that homeschooling is the best option for our family and I want my children to move ahead so what gives?
Has anyone felt this way? Help!
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Hi Jenn,
ReplyDeleteI understand you so well. In fact, I have never talked about this with anyone because I don't know other homeschooling mothers here in Portugal. Well, I've met some but only in the Internet and they all seem so perfect in everything they do, so I have never dared to admit this to them. And as for other people, well, you know, many criticize our option, and everyone wants results, academic results, so I don't talk too much about our homeschooling experience. We're in our second year, my daughter is seven, and here in Portugal, you have to follow the national curriculum because in her 4th grade, my daughter will have to go to the local school to have an examination. So I try to do some formal homeschooling based on the national curriculum so that she can be prepared. But I personally think that homeschooling works best if it is not formal and you don't have to follow any specific curriculum. And I also lack motivation many times. It's not easy and I feel the pressure to follow the curriculum when I know there are so many other interesting things to do and that would be much more motivating, not only to me, but especially to my daughter. LAst year was especially difficult and I was very stressed because she couldn't read anything and every children of her age seemed to be reading very well. But last October, she started reading without great effort and now she's reading very well and I'm very happy and proud of her. But she's not doing so well on mathemathics. I do think we're having a good experience but it's not always easy, we have doubts, we fail. I ask for God's direction every day and I know that He will help us do our best. And I will pray for your family too.
I'm sorry for writing so much, Jenn, but I wanted you to know that you're not alone.
Blessings
My son, who is now 15, has been homeschooled all his school career. He's never been at the same level in his work with his same-age peers (mostly ahead, but not so great with writing). I've always told everyone that he's in the same grade as everyone else his age (i.e. first when everyone else his age was in 1st, etc.) All the kids in public school aren't really on the same level, either. They just miss out on some information when they don't understand it. The teacher just goes on to the next subject. At the first grade level, I wouldn't worry about trying to figure out exactly what grade he's supposed to be in, it all works out in later grades, anyway. -- Rose A.
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