I am almost 99% sure that I want to homeschool my children. However, there is a little part inside of me that says I may be making the wrong decision. I want to know for sure that I am doing the right thing and that I am making the right decision for my children. But how can any parent ever really know for sure that any decision they make for their children is the right one? It’s kind of trial and error and see what works.

Maybe my feelings are not really coming from inside of me but is being put there by the reactions from friends and family when I say I want to homeschool. I have received nothing but shock and mostly negative reactions. I have mentioned this before but I think the reactions are getting worse as our oldest is kindergarten age this year and could potentially start kindergarten in the fall since he will be five and a half year old.

I have been thinking of this over and over for the past few months. The thoughts won’t get out of my head and I can honestly say I have been losing sleep over it. When I even think of considering public school I get this weird sick feeling inside of me. I don’t know if its me being kind of crazy and not wanting to let go of my children and trust them with other people and the government or if deep down I truly know public school is wrong for our family because of our beliefs and lifestyle. We have always been a close-knit, less-structured, few-rules sort of family. I’m not sure if that fits with the public school system.

If my five year old son wants a drink of water during the day I want him to be able to get a drink whenever he needs it. I don’t want him to have to wait until 2 hours later. If a person is thirsty and uncomfortable, how can they possibly learn?

If my five year old needs to go to the bathroom, I want him to be able to go when he needs to go and not when the teacher’s schedule says he can go. Again, if a child needs to go the bathroom and they are not allowed, how can they can concentrate and learn?

This is an excerpt taken from an article at LeapingFromTheBox.com

“A primary goal of kindergarten is to make good little soldiers/workers out of children. Their most important lessons include learning that they must ask permission before doing anything (including bathroom privileges). They are trained to follow the schedule at all costs. They learn to eat, play, learn, and even nap according to schedule with no consideration given to the individual child’s needs or requirements. They learn to follow directions, stand in line quietly, and get along with other children and the teacher without resorting to violence. And probably the most important lesson is to break the emotional bonds with home and family. This is one result of the institution of public school that I believe few parents realize until they remove their child from that system. Only then does one fully appreciate the extent to which authority and control of one’s children were given away”. To read the entire article go here

http://www.leapingfromthebox.com/art/kmg/kindergarten.html

THAT SCARES ME. I don’t like it at all!

Is there anyone that can relate? Does anyone else homeschool?