*** Homeschool List ***

[wvdislover]

Just when you thought you were alone.........

What's with all this bullying behavior? DD5 is now out of private school b/c of bullying. They're 4 and 5 years old! What is wrong? DD was threatened, not once but by two different little boys, that they would kill her. OMG!!! And the school tried to put it back on DD saying she was just too sensitive. I tried to be open and think, we'll they're probably just repeating what they saw on TV,etc. etc. But it doesn't stop.

Last straw was DD crying uncontrollably one day when I picked her up and the teacher telling me she's been crying for hours. She's pulling on her ear so being the non-doctor that I am I thought 'hmmmm, wonder if her ear hurts'. Come to find out, kids were throwing sand -- and had been for weeks -- and the teachers didn't stop it even though DD told them. And when she went back to play a group of boys started pelting her and covering her in sand. It was everywhere!

So, rush to pediatrician -- calling on the way to avoid the extra drop in fee -- and his exact comment was 'WOW, how'd you get an entire beach in that ear?. Seriously, DD had so much sand in her inner ear and ear canal that when they irrigated it you could pick it up and fill the palm of your hand. And DD had a scratched Eustacean (sp?) tube and had a hard time hearing. After 2 rounds of antibiotics, high fever, lots of pain, ear and hearing specialists and more crying than I could imagine DD never went back to that school. I couldn't do that to her.

I had always intended on HSing her but DMIL kept telling DD that she'll learn all kinds of stuff (reading, writing, blah, blah, blah) when she goes to school so DD begged to go to school. Big Mistake!!!

I could probably put up with the fact that they don't really learn anything and would have let her go the entire year b/c we were afterschooling, but not with the bullying and the don't care attitude. Can't tell you how many times I heard the phrase 'boys will be boys'. Well, let me just say,when they stand before a judge that's not really the best defense! No wonder there is so much family violence and spousal abuse -- some kids learn early on that it's ok.

Anyway, enough of my rant. I'm so glad DD is home with me. She has accomplished more in just a few months of relaxed de-schooling than in the 5+ months of private school. And I was paying for that? Grrrrr!

From this thread I've learned so much. But the most important thing is that I'm not alone in homeschooling. There are so many great parents out there who willingly share what works and doesn't work with their kids so that those of us with younger kids can learn how to be great homeschooling parents too.

Let's all just keep homeschooling and not give too much attention to all the negativity. There is just too much fun to have instead!

Thank you for listening and for helping me to know that I did make the best decision.

That's horrible! Are you going to send the bills to the school, since they didn't stop the behavior when your DD reported it?

 

[mommyof2princesses]

We started HSing last week. We had planned a DL trip (13 days to go!) so we simply started calling it a "Kick off to HS trip!" The kids are loving it!

That's a great idea. We thought of maybe taking each child out to their favorite place to eat. Of course, older dd would want the Cheesecake factory and I would love that! The little one would probably want mickey d's.

 

[bonzarella]

Thank you for the support and encouragement. Now I just need to find the time to read all the posts

 

[mommyof2princesses]

Someone tell me not to go back to the budget board thread. I am getting so pi**ed at the ignorance of others. I am going to go school my socially inept children right not, then visit nana to do some more sewing. We may go to the park afterwards and catch up with a few other soically inept friends and then I have to go to work to deal with all the social people in this world.

 

[DawnM]

HA! I was just coming in here to say almost the exact same thing. I am having way too much fun picking on Jon (the resident Bully) and telling him to back off that I am not getting my work done!

I am having an HVAC guy come give us a quote for our heat pump in a few minutes. I sure hope we can have a/c by summer!

Dawn

Someone tell me not to go back to the budget board thread. I am getting so pi**ed at the ignorance of others. I am going to go school my socially inept children right not, then visit nana to do some more sewing. We may go to the park afterwards and catch up with a few other soically inept friends and then I have to go to work to deal with all the social people in this world.

 

[meandtheguys2]

And on a brighter note...I have just received 3 boxes of new curriculum stuff for next year! I love new school books. This particular order even included dead animals...

Trying to figure out the best avenue for selling some of my old stuff, though. Anyone have a favorite method? Our local sale went kaput when the group running it fell apart.

 

[earthfaries]

What a judgemental, ignorant man!

And for the choice we have to homeschool our children so they don't have people like him teaching them and influencing them everyday! That's what's wrong with the people and kids these days...being brought up by people like him in school for 18 years!!!

So frustrating...I really think he gets off causing all this stress and upset. I'm not commenting anymore...he doesn't even reply to any of our responses ~ which shows that he's doing it to bait us!

Isn't he supposed to be teaching in school or something right now? They have a schedule in school right?

 

[DawnM]

Our local schools are on Spring Break. Maybe he should be spending this time with his kids instead of going off on homeschoolers online!

Dawn

What a judgemental, ignorant man!

And for the choice we have to homeschool our children so they don't have people like him teaching them and influencing them everyday! That's what's wrong with the people and kids these days...being brought up by people like him in school for 18 years!!!

So frustrating...I really think he gets off causing all this stress and upset. I'm not commenting anymore...he doesn't even reply to any of our responses ~ which shows that he's doing it to bait us!

Isn't he supposed to be teaching in school or something right now? They have a schedule in school right?

 

[Praise2Him]

I found out that there is a Classical Christian Home-School Cooperative, in the next town over!!

SO, I (we) are now thinking that we will use this Co-op for elementary school (all they offer) and then put him in the super-duper-awesome school!!

This Co-op is two days a week from 8:30 am to 1:00 pm. They bring in tutors that specialize in Classical Education to teach each learning level. They have to wear uniform style clothes, ie. polos with no logos...so it's kinda like school...but not really. You don't "get into trouble" for missing days due to vacation, etc. They organize field trips and do all kinds of stuff. Sounds like a great way to get him used to the structure of school, and still get all the benefits of home school....

Is this a typical Co-Op? Or Not????

Anyone, at all, have remotely similar ideas/experiences/advice????

It sounds similar to the Master's Academy of Fine Arts (MAFA), but I just checked and they don't have one in Maryland. We attended the one here for 2 years and loved it.

If you haven't yet, read "The Well Trained Mind" by Susan Wise Bauer. It's the definitive book on Classical Home Education. You'll get lots of good ideas there. There are also message boards on Classical Education - just google and you'll find them.

Trying to figure out the best avenue for selling some of my old stuff, though. Anyone have a favorite method? Our local sale went kaput when the group running it fell apart.

I've sold some of our old books on half.com and my DS buys and sells all his college textbooks on there too.

 

[meandtheguys2]

Thanks! Never thought of that!

 

[Princess_Michelle]

.........

 

[mommyof2princesses]

I would like to try a co op. I neeed to research more about it and see if I have any in this area.

 

[tnmomof4]

I just have to say that a day like I had today makes me so glad I homeschool!! It is so worth it!!

I have to share this with you all since you all are my only homeschool friends. It is kind of long so sorry about that.

My kids were in a private school and this is my first year homeschooling. It has been a rough start, but we are getting into a routine. My boys are doing really good now.

Well, my older son had his first day of testing today. In the private school he went to it was very, very stressful the way they did the testing. Every year he was terrified of doing bad on his testing. They made such a big deal about how other schools compare their scores to our scores so we have to do better than other schools. They didn't tell the students that it was a test to see what they know. It was all about making the school's scores look good. They basically told the kids it was a test to see how smart you are, and we don't want to look bad.

My DS was always a nervous reck and therefore didn't do his best. He was nervous to the point of being sick. Also he was falling behind in regular school subjects (which was a whole other issue) so most of stuff on the test he didn't know how to do.

Anyway.... he was nervous today, but not as bad. I didn't hype up the testing. I just told him it was to see what he knew. I told him it wasn't graded, something he never knew before. I also told him that there might be things that he won't know, but that is okay, also something he never knew before. Before he was made to feel like he should know everything on these tests. I told him it was just for me to see what areas he needs more help on. I made sure he knew that this test was for the two of us, and nobody else.

Well, when I picked him up, he was so proud and happy. He was just beaming ear to ear. They did some math and reading today. He said he knew how to do the math. He said, "Mom, I knew how to do the math for the first time ever." He said that the reading was really easy for him compared to how he was struggling with reading last year. He was an awful reader, but we have been working on it so hard. He said, "Thanks for helping me with reading because I could read everything."

I just couldn't help but cry. It made us both so happy to know that all our hard work and tough days are worth so much.

For me to hear from him in his own words that he thinks he did really good today is so rewarding. Most importantly, is that it is rewarding to him. When he was in the private school, and I would pick him up after testing, he was so down and his spirit was defeated. He honestly felt like a failure.

He was so cute because they let you take a snack. He took the Vitamin Water that is the one for Focus. He said, "Wow that Vitamin Water really helped me know the answers. I said, "No, it wasn't the water, it was you." I told him it was all his hard work this year at catching up where he should have been from private school. I told him to remember the hard days when it was tough, but we didn't quit. I told him to remember the days when he got that math concept that he never understood before. When that dawned on him, the look on his face was priceless.

This is what makes homeschooling so rewarding!!!

 

[AuroraBeauty]

That's horrible! Are you going to send the bills to the school, since they didn't stop the behavior when your DD reported it?

I'd love to, but they have already threatened to send me to collections if I didn't make the final 2 payments on the payment plan. Seriously! I guess, if they wouldn't take action to stop the bullying or have compassion toward DD, why should I have expected them to show any compassion when it came to paying them. So, I make them provide me with all the materials that DD is 'missing' -- except that she's doing so well at home that she's now well beyond what they are providing me.

DH said to just pay it and forget about it, but it's hard to do that. I think we have good karma though b/c we have found an amazing tutor for DDs language part of our HSing and she is not only a great teacher but she is also not sticking it to me financially.

Looking back, I probably should have done more documenting rather than just face to face meetings. It's sad to think that I couldn't trust the school. There will be a price to pay, there always is. Mine, though, will be minimal because I did what was best for my child.

I try to live the golden rule. Unfortunately, others don't.

 

[AuroraBeauty]

I just have to say that a day like I had today makes me so glad I homeschool!! It is so worth it!!


I just couldn't help but cry. It made us both so happy to know that all our hard work and tough days are worth so much.

He said, "Wow that Vitamin Water really helped me know the answers. I said, "No, it wasn't the water, it was you." I told him it was all his hard work this year at catching up where he should have been from private school. I told him to remember the hard days when it was tough, but we didn't quit. I told him to remember the days when he got that math concept that he never understood before. When that dawned on him, the look on his face was priceless.

This is what makes homeschooling so rewarding!!!

Congratulations to you and your son! What a fantastic reward for working hard -- confidence and self-worth. For both of you, really. I'm sure he will be an inspiration to the other kids (all boys, right?) and when the material is challenging he will remember that if he keeps going he will get it.

Good for you and your family. Pat yourself on the back! And when you're having 'one of those tough days', come back here and we'll remind you that it's going to be OK.

The comment about the Vitamin Water was advertising at it's best! Oh, how these kids pick up on such subtleties.

Keep up the good work!

 

[AuroraBeauty]

OK, so I've been reading all this stuff about the bullying and people being negative toward homeschoolers and then I saw this today in my local paper.

It is the comic strip Baby Blues and to me it seems like a put down of homeschool kids/parents. Let me know if I'm being too sensitive. B/c, to tell you the truth, I'm pretty annoyed and feel like writing a letter to the newspaper, the writers, and whomever else I can think of that supports homeschooling.

http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm291/AuroraBeauty2008/?action=view&current=BabyBluesComicApril82008.png


Let me know If I should just calm down.

Thank you all!

 

[lisalonglash]

OK, so I've been reading all this stuff about the bullying and people being negative toward homeschoolers and then I saw this today in my local paper.

It is the comic strip Baby Blues and to me it seems like a put down of homeschool kids/parents. Let me know if I'm being too sensitive. B/c, to tell you the truth, I'm pretty annoyed and feel like writing a letter to the newspaper, the writers, and whomever else I can think of that supports homeschooling.

http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm291/AuroraBeauty2008/?action=view&current=BabyBluesComicApril82008.png


Let me know If I should just calm down.

Thank you all!

Honestly, I don't think that comic strip has anything at all to do with homeschooling. I read it as the child is willing to carry lots at school to impress the teacher, but can't manage to do so at home with his mom. Stereotypical, yes, but I don't see it as anti-homeschooling, personally.

 

[sha_lyn]

Honestly, I don't think that comic strip has anything at all to do with homeschooling. I read it as the child is willing to carry lots at school to impress the teacher, but can't manage to do so at home with his mom. Stereotypical, yes, but I don't see it as anti-homeschooling, personally.

ITA....I don't think it has anything at all to do with homeschooling. It's showing the same kid and how differently he acts at home vs at school.

 

[teacups]

ITA....I don't think it has anything at all to do with homeschooling. It's showing the same kid and how differently he acts at home vs at school.

Yeah, I agree. Writing the editor would only be bringing negativity to the great job you are doing with your kids.

 

[AuroraBeauty]

Thank you for helping me see past my blurred vision. Sad that just knowing so many people bash homeschooling that it was my first thought. I tried to convince myself that no major comic strip writer would so blatantly bash us, but I'm so jaded these last few days.

Good thing I ran it past people with more clear vision.

Thank you all again.

But, as the OP pointed out, the kid is trying to impress the teacher. Hmmm, I wonder why? Or maybe he's a 3rd grader trying to distract the teacher while the other kids plan and plot. (sarcasm!)