Why I Decided to Homeschool

Because I'm Crazy? No, that's not it.

Our decision to homeschool was really a long drawn out process. I should have homeschooled my oldest son from first grade on. Looking back I wish I would have. It really would have saved me and my son alot of anguish.

When my oldest was in kindergarten I had reservations. My parent/teacher conferences were never pleasant. Apparently my son had a "learning disability". O.K., he could recognize sight words, tie his shoes, count, color, add, played well with others and was not a discipline problem. Being a young mother I believed the "experts" that pronounced my child as "learning disabled". He was tested and put into learning disability classes.

In first grade he was separated from the "regular kids" to go to "LD" classes. Now I don't care how much teachers insist that LD kids are not labeled and they take immediate action to prevent teasing, it happens, kids are cruel. I saw my bright, inquisitive child turn into a sullen, pouting boy who did not want to go to school.

This continued in second grade until the "experts" then decided that he needed to be on ritalin. Again, he was never a discipline problem, was very polite, and did not disrupt the class. Go figure! We had him on the meds for about six months, at this point I was completely discouraged by the school system.

We spent third grade through sixth grade trying to get him out of the "LD" classes. Where we're from that's like trying to navigate a minefield blindfolded.

By seventh grade I was done, I quit my job and pulled my oldest out of school. We started by just reading and reviewing math. I wanted homeschool to be relaxed and enjoyable not school-at-home. We took it easy for three months to become accustomed to eachother again. After three months my oldest was doing most of his work without my immediate supervision. I would check his work and guide him in a certain direction but he was making alot of the decisions on what he would study and when.

My youngest son was begging to be homeschooled. By that time the oldest was doing better than even I expected so I pulled out the youngest at the end of his third grade year.

My oldest is in "eighth grade" this year. He is reading at a 10th grade level and starting Algebra. This from a child who was "Learning Disabled"

My youngest is in "fourth grade". He is reading at a sixth grade level and doing long division in his head. BTW, the school system wanted to have him tested for learning disabilities in the first grade but I refused. His former teacher told me he was "way to immature" to be in third grade. (Of course he was immature, he was eight years old!)

Anyway, our decision to homeschool came from a long and painful journey through the red-tape, paper signing in triplicate public school system. I do not regret my decision,It's the best decision I've ever made, I only wish I would have made it sooner.