WONDERFUL! Homeschooling is not only a learning opportunity that will remove stumbling blocks, frustrating environments, and help strengthen your family ties. Homeschooling is a family learning journey.
Children that go to school are bombarded with tons of sensory input. Visually lots of different items on walls from lockers to posters. Smells good and bad permeate the school. Children of jostling each other constantly to go in and out of rooms. The entire school building is a nightmare to a sensory intense child or an anxious child. It is full of unexpected input.
At home we able to provide a structure and sameness that many of our children crave. Then we can hand pick social outings, friend play dates, and other social opportunities that would best provide our child with success. I do not believe that our children have to be awash in other kids to be able to socialize. Isn’t that the basis of ‘The Lord of the Flies’? Instead we should be aiming at successful, real relationships!
If you were told everyday paint the ceiling, but never given paint, brushes, or the basics of how to paint wouldn’t you get frustrated? Eventually you might even give up. many of our children are facing just that problem. They can fake their way through early elementary but as 4th grade looms and now they need to take the next large step into learning, their foundations crack.
There is a spike of children that are brought home in the 4th-6th grade area (according to statistics compiled by LearningAbledKids). This is when a child is expected to move forward in math to multiplication, and division. Their reading goes from easy read and answer questions to read a chapter book, remembering over the long term and dissecting. Science becomes multi-step experimentation and memorization of fact and names. The entire atmosphere begins taking on urgency and to make matters worse socially middle school is an extreme pressure cooker.
Homeschooling allows us the chance to stop and find the base knowledge level of our child. Then we can begin giving them the tools to succeed. Giving them the time working on concepts until they have a working understanding of each step. Some children just need more time to process and solidify their learning before moving onto higher learning. Your learning journey proceeds at the best possible pace for your child’s abilities!
Homeschooling allows for plenty of family time. For my son words do not come easily. He struggles to talk and to find a way to express himself. He needs more reassurance than my other children. Once he began getting very upset and his words were “stuck”. We were out at a MOPS meeting and he was with the other children. I was later told by the teacher that my youngest looked at my son and ran over and said “G remember we love you! Hug me it helps!” What a wonderful testimony to the close knit relationship my children have developed.
Homeschooling is a wonderful option and I am so glad you are considering it. My prayers are with you and my support.