Educating Children

Okay, I'm tired of the tone of my previous post!  However, it garnered some incredible advice, which is just what I wanted and needed.  Thank-you! Really, I am SO thankful.  I feel calmed. =)

I'm usually very confident about my views, and homeschooling is one area I don't usually feel in doubt about.  But I have become a little bit aware how easy it is to nurture our own opinions and ignore facts that oppose them, and I would like to avoid doing that.  Hence, the doubts and worries.

Over the last little while, I've continued to think and wrestle and also follow some of that good advice. I started with Shane's motives. It occurred to me he just might want an excuse to move. =)

1. he wanted me to consider my relationship with Lucas before it was a huge issue.
2. if we need to move, he wants to know right away so we can plan for that.

I also asked him if he felt like he wasn't getting enough attention from me since I was homeschooling and he asked me what kind of person I thought he was.  =)  We're pretty tight, Shane and I, and spend a lot of time together.  So I don't have to worry that's an issue.  Motives, check.  (perhaps I overreacted to his comments? wouldn't be the first time!)

I evaluated my stress level.  Homeschooling is stress, yes.  I probably wouldn't be homeschooling properly if it didn't stress me out a little.  However, homeschooling is my passion.  I love it.  I love planning, I love filling out my planner(two different things!), reading ahead in subjects, buying the manipulative's for each subject and I love working with the kids.  I love organizing my day, setting up the learning centers and getting the classical music all ready.  I love winding the kids up with a taste of what they'll learn in history or science that day, watching Aidan write, spell and read like a pro, watching Lucas get all wrapped up in the Time Traveling Trio books and watching Julia beam with pride at a job well done.  She's methodical and gets the job done right.  I love it when I announce a subject and they all scream with delight.  It's less fun when they make a complaining noise for phonics, but they are doing that less often.  I love filing their work in their portfolios and seeing the progress they have made.  Also, I'm not usually an unhappy or crabby person, another indicator of stress.

A try at pros and cons.  They are so different for us all!  I think it's revealing, but I'm not sure what it reveals yet for me in the long term.

Public School:

pros:

1. they will have fun

2. they will make friends and socialize

3. I will have more time to myself

cons:

1. curriculum won't be as comprehensive or thorough

2. it takes up a lot more of the day

3. not as flexible a schedule

4. will pick up words, attitudes, greater consciousness of fitting in
5. good teacher not guaranteed 

Homeschool:

pros:

1. outstanding quality materials

2. more time for non-core subjects

3. flexible schedule
4. control over long-term education
5. less time wasted

cons:

1. harder to meet/make friends

2. little time to myself

3. housework suffers

4. harder to get time apart

I can't decide where to put clashing with kids.  Is it better to be together and work things through?  Is it better to have most of the day apart? Jury is out.

Working on the spiritual side of things, too.  And I have never been considering public school for this school year, so we'll be sticking with hs til summer for sure.  And I am posting all of this on purpose so that you can comment.  So don't be shy and get your opinion out there! =)