I was never worried about socialization. We are very active with our girls. We go out pretty much everyday but we go "out out" pretty much every weekend. Like I said before, October was an extremely busy month for us so we had alot to do.
But since we've been homeschooling it's like I'm totally lost with what to do. I also think it has to do with the fact that before we went out just to go out and have a good time but now I feel like it's even more important because she's not around kids are age much anymore. I thought the more she was around homeschooled boys and girls her age, the more comfortable she would be with it. (Today she told my mother that she is being homeschooled, so maybe that's a step)
So I am giving myself a goal of 2 outings per week. Outings like to the city or something. I really want to expose her to stuff she wouldn't normally do in school. Eventually I will meet some homeschoolers. I just have to get out of my "comfort zone". I also thought about going to the library during the day. I did but I only got a bunch of stares and even one woman who asked, why isn't she in school. I told her "She's homeschooled" and for a split second felt wierd saying it when she said ok but looking lost.
Although I sorta feel "lost" in a sense. My friend who homeschools, although we can talk, it seems too forced...our kids are different ages but our conversations with homeschooling don't come as naturally as I would like them. I would just love to have someone close by who homeschools so I can talk to, maybe someone with a little girl Nala's age.
I will meet someone!...soon i hope
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
It's been a week...
and it's not so bad but wow it seems way longer than only a week! We've done sooo much. I think October in general was such a busy month. We went apple picking, to the farm, fishing, had a halloween party, to a birthday party! it was just an exhausting month with activities.
A few ocassions Nala has asked, when am I going back to school? I said I thought we were going to try this homeschooling? Once we got started with work I didn't hear anything more about school. Then today she says I don't like homeschooling, I want to go back to school. I know it's hard for her. I'm so glad she has girl scouts but that's only once a week. Lynn, the woman from a homeschooling group who has been providing info to me and such said I need to get out of my comfort zone. I need to venture out of Queens and into the other boroughs. I agree. My excuse has been it's hard travelling on public transportation with young children. The truth is tons of people do it and their children are safe. And I'll mostly have only 2 of my 3 kids with me. Hubby and I decided to just try it with Nala first and when Nina starts kindergarten, she'll come home.
Today was a great day though. We learned about pumpkins. We weighed them and picked them apart. Saw whether or not they would sink or float along with different fruts and vegetables. I was even amazed. Nala loved it and it was good.
Then we sat down and did some worksheets and although she was ok I wasn't really sure she was getting it. Am I a horrible teacher or what? I know she's visual but maybe she learns better with games and play rather than the traditional sit down, although sometimes she seems ok with that too. Maybe it's a matter of focus? I try to even it out, some fun stuff and then the traditional sit down stuff, afterall she did that in regular school and seemed to do fine? I should really look at more creative learning styles.
A few ocassions Nala has asked, when am I going back to school? I said I thought we were going to try this homeschooling? Once we got started with work I didn't hear anything more about school. Then today she says I don't like homeschooling, I want to go back to school. I know it's hard for her. I'm so glad she has girl scouts but that's only once a week. Lynn, the woman from a homeschooling group who has been providing info to me and such said I need to get out of my comfort zone. I need to venture out of Queens and into the other boroughs. I agree. My excuse has been it's hard travelling on public transportation with young children. The truth is tons of people do it and their children are safe. And I'll mostly have only 2 of my 3 kids with me. Hubby and I decided to just try it with Nala first and when Nina starts kindergarten, she'll come home.
Today was a great day though. We learned about pumpkins. We weighed them and picked them apart. Saw whether or not they would sink or float along with different fruts and vegetables. I was even amazed. Nala loved it and it was good.
Then we sat down and did some worksheets and although she was ok I wasn't really sure she was getting it. Am I a horrible teacher or what? I know she's visual but maybe she learns better with games and play rather than the traditional sit down, although sometimes she seems ok with that too. Maybe it's a matter of focus? I try to even it out, some fun stuff and then the traditional sit down stuff, afterall she did that in regular school and seemed to do fine? I should really look at more creative learning styles.
Introduction
I'm in the wife to B and mom of 3 girls Nala (8/2001), Nina (7/2003) and Natasha (1/2005).
Where do I start? I feel like I have been a homeschooler since my first child was born. It's something that I felt very strongly about and knew it was something I wanted to do. Well why didn't I really do it til now? I can't really answer that. Nala went to preschool and did well. She went to Kindergarten, and did well. It wasn't until her first grade year that I started to really consider doing something. Nina is in preschool and her homework was getting ridiculous. It was just a lot of stuff for her to do and I was really concerned. I started reading articles and talking to parents amount all the homework their children were bringing home. Nala still excelling in school, was still bringing home the same level books she brought home in Kindergarten yet the library books she was reading were at least 2nd grade level. She complained of some boy bothering her. A friend of mine started homeschooling so I had someone in my close circle to talk to. I joined a few yahoo homeschooling support groups. Nala talked to me about all the things she wanted to do and it just seemed there was not enough hours in the day to do them. I already gave her extra worksheets do to and books to read. She was in school all day, I work nights and usually sleep in the late afternoon....I just felt it was undoable. Did I feel I I could do a better job teaching my child? Maybe but that was not even the question. It was about offering her experiences and memories that would add to her growth. It was about being in charge of education and what she learned. Nala is already a motivated, highly social, hungry learner. I wanted to encourage that and just really open doors for her and in my mind, the only way to do that was to teach her myself.
But how was I to do that when she loved school. She would be so upset if she missed a day. Is this fair? Well I wanted to try it and see.
On Monday 10/22/2007, Nala was so sick. I took her to the dr and it was nothing serious. I thought it was the flu and estimated she would be out all week. I started thinking, wow maybe we can give this week a trial run of homeschooling and see how it worked out. I had an appointment with her teacher that morning to discuss the reading situation as well as this boy who was bothering her. The teacher was sick also and called out. The next day, Tuesday, Nala was feeling better (I should have known, my kids do not stay sick long. 24 hours bugs are the norm) and she was actually expecting to go on the trip to the Zoo her class had that day. Well she didn't go but she said she wanted to do some writing so i have her some paper and let her do her thing.
Wednesday came and she wanted to go back to school. She was doing some work and I talked honestly to her. I said Nala I really want to homeschool you. That means you'll be learning at home. We'll be doing a lot of fun things, the same things you do in school and more. You want to give it a try? She said Ok. And there we started.
I had already been in touch with a homeschooling mom and she walked me through what to do. Although I had a ton of homeschooling websites and info I wasn't sure exactly how to start. I wrote my letter of intent and sent it off to the homeschooling office and another to the school. It was official, Thursday October 25, 2007. I was now a homeschooling mom.
Where do I start? I feel like I have been a homeschooler since my first child was born. It's something that I felt very strongly about and knew it was something I wanted to do. Well why didn't I really do it til now? I can't really answer that. Nala went to preschool and did well. She went to Kindergarten, and did well. It wasn't until her first grade year that I started to really consider doing something. Nina is in preschool and her homework was getting ridiculous. It was just a lot of stuff for her to do and I was really concerned. I started reading articles and talking to parents amount all the homework their children were bringing home. Nala still excelling in school, was still bringing home the same level books she brought home in Kindergarten yet the library books she was reading were at least 2nd grade level. She complained of some boy bothering her. A friend of mine started homeschooling so I had someone in my close circle to talk to. I joined a few yahoo homeschooling support groups. Nala talked to me about all the things she wanted to do and it just seemed there was not enough hours in the day to do them. I already gave her extra worksheets do to and books to read. She was in school all day, I work nights and usually sleep in the late afternoon....I just felt it was undoable. Did I feel I I could do a better job teaching my child? Maybe but that was not even the question. It was about offering her experiences and memories that would add to her growth. It was about being in charge of education and what she learned. Nala is already a motivated, highly social, hungry learner. I wanted to encourage that and just really open doors for her and in my mind, the only way to do that was to teach her myself.
But how was I to do that when she loved school. She would be so upset if she missed a day. Is this fair? Well I wanted to try it and see.
On Monday 10/22/2007, Nala was so sick. I took her to the dr and it was nothing serious. I thought it was the flu and estimated she would be out all week. I started thinking, wow maybe we can give this week a trial run of homeschooling and see how it worked out. I had an appointment with her teacher that morning to discuss the reading situation as well as this boy who was bothering her. The teacher was sick also and called out. The next day, Tuesday, Nala was feeling better (I should have known, my kids do not stay sick long. 24 hours bugs are the norm) and she was actually expecting to go on the trip to the Zoo her class had that day. Well she didn't go but she said she wanted to do some writing so i have her some paper and let her do her thing.
Wednesday came and she wanted to go back to school. She was doing some work and I talked honestly to her. I said Nala I really want to homeschool you. That means you'll be learning at home. We'll be doing a lot of fun things, the same things you do in school and more. You want to give it a try? She said Ok. And there we started.
I had already been in touch with a homeschooling mom and she walked me through what to do. Although I had a ton of homeschooling websites and info I wasn't sure exactly how to start. I wrote my letter of intent and sent it off to the homeschooling office and another to the school. It was official, Thursday October 25, 2007. I was now a homeschooling mom.
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