extrafor6 wrote:Hello everyone. We are having a great year so far with RTR, but my 6th grade daughter has approached me again about going to school. She says she just wants to know what it is like and see what they do in school. I have been praying about whether or not keeping her home is some sort of idol I'm holding. My other three children (10, 8, 5) have no desire to go to school. I am considering enrolling her in the public school for the rest of the year. I'm not at all worried about her academically or emotionally. This is a very strong-willed child and I'm afraid if I ignore her curiosity that it will be negative for her. But if I do allow her to go I feel like I've somehow failed. Just trying to gain some godly wisdom and insight from anyone who may have been in a similar position with a similar type of child.
Thanks for being a great community of moms here!
Blessings,
Stephanie
Hi Stephanie,
I'll start the conversation and then hopefully you'll be bumped up for more replies.
First, I'll say that I know your pain to some extent. I'm not in an area where homeschooling is common and my kids didn't want to homeschool because that was different than the herd. The resistance was worst around 7th grade, when even their friends tried to "advise me" against homeschooling.
That said, only you know each of your kids. God gave them to you because you were His best choice to guide them. It's great you're reaching out for some opinions, but in the end don't be intimated by others' experiences. You probably know that, but just saying it out loud before I share...
So, I sent one of my daughters back to school for one class and I look back and it wasn't a good idea for her. She wouldn't say that, but I have a different perspective than she does. I remember posting this as an example of how a parent may see the bigger picture -- my youngest looking back wistfully at the schoolbus when in actuality he hated every minute on the bus:
http://board.mfwbooks.com/viewtopic.php ... 909#p53895
That thread has some more encouragement that might at least let you know you aren't alone in this decision.
And here's a thread about making the often "final" decision to homeschool high school:
http://board.mfwbooks.com/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=9769
This thread has some conversations about social kids:
http://board.mfwbooks.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=10018
I am avoiding giving my opinion because deep down, I guess I think homeschooling is the very best way for all of us to educate our children, especially when the Bible is in it, but I
also think that we are not ideal people in an ideal world and sometimes we have to do something else. I trust God will be alongside us either way.
<more hugs>
Julie