Have you heard from some homeschoolers say it’s a new homeschool year and my child wants to go back to public school? Also, you’ll love more tips on my page The Dynamics of How to Homeschool Easily and Smarter.
If there is a subject that sparks much controversy among homeschoolers, it has to be the struggle of whether or not you should send your homeschooled child to public school.
I hear from new homeschoolers and struggling homeschoolers who tell me that their child misses his friends.
They have no friends now that they are homeschooling or their child just wants to “check out” public school.
You are not alone.
Even seasoned homeschoolers wrestle with the same decision some years.
What You’ve Got to Know About Homeschool Struggles
One school of thought touts I am the parent, you’re the child, so you are not given the choice to make that kind of decision.
It is our given right and responsibility as the parents and we will decide.
The second school of thought touts talking to the child to get his opinion, not making the decision a matter of a power struggle and letting a child test out public school.
From my experience in helping homeschoolers, it seems the answer is always a balance of those two schools of thought.
However, I do not agree with the fact that one has to experience something to appreciate the negative or positive affects.
We don’t have to experience pain to know it hurts.
It is true that any child regardless of what age does not have the experience to make such an important decision about their education.
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Homeschooling 31 Day Boot Camp for New Homeschoolers is a real eye-opener on homeschooling. It will alleviate a lot of the anxieties about getting started homeschooling. Reading each chapter’s highlights will give you encouragement, knowledge, guidance, and peace of mind to homeschool with confidence. The best part is that you’ll be educating the person who loves your kids the most in this world--YOU! Armed with the knowledge to make better choices in curriculum will empower you to continue the path of home education. Unlike many books based on one family’s experience, Homeschooling 31 Day Boot Camp for New Homeschoolers is also based on Tina’s many years of mentoring hundreds and hundreds of new homeschoolers at live workshops. When you don’t know where to begin Homeschooling 31 Day Boot Camp for New Homeschoolers equips you to successfully homeschool your children.
Homeschooling is a wonderful, worthwhile pursuit, but many homeschool parents struggle with feelings of burnout and frustration. If you have ever felt this way, you’re not alone! Most of us need to be reminded of the “why” of homeschooling from time to time—but "The Unhurried homeschooler" takes parents a step further and lifts the unnecessary burdens that many parents place on themselves.
Those who have made the decision to homeschool their children have done so out of great love for their children and a desire to provide them an excellent education in the context of a warm, enriching home.
Parents who are deeply invested in their children's education can be hard on themselves and their kids. When exhausted parents are living the day-to-day grind, it can seem impossible to muster enough energy to make learning fun or interesting. How do parents nurture a love of learning amid childhood chaos, parental self-doubt, the flu, and state academic standards?
Education has become synonymous with schooling, but it doesn’t have to be. As schooling becomes increasingly standardized and test driven, occupying more of childhood than ever before, parents and educators are questioning the role of schooling in society. Many are now exploring and creating alternatives.
The responsibility for raising our children with not only academic standards, but Godly values falls squarely on the parent’s shoulders.
The child or teen is not the third partner to the parenting and I have never seen anything positive come from elevating a child to that status unknowingly.
More New Homeschool Year And My Child Wants to Go Back to Public School Posts
- Transitioning from Public School to Homeschool For a Relaxed Lifestyle
- 100 Reasons Why Homeschooling is a SUPERIOR Education
- Why My Homeschooled Kids Are Not Given the Choice to Go to Public School
- Deschool – Get off the Public School Treadmill!
On the flip side, children deserve dignity and respect for the things that concern them. They need to be validated.
This means they need to be heard. If we don’t listen to them, yes anything, could become a power struggle.
Children need to know that we will listen to them even when we hit homeschooling struggles.
7 Questions Worth Asking When It’s A New Homeschool Year And My Child Wants to Go Back to Public School
What can parents and a child do to make their homeschooling situation improve?
Here are a few tips and questions to ponder.
1. What brought you to homeschooling in the first place?
The reasons probably still exist. Will they go away if you send them back to public school?
2. Did you explain your decision to homeschool your child in the beginning?
It doesn’t mean you are including your child in on the decision that is yours alone to make, but it shows them that you care about their feelings and future when you do explain your decision.
Children can understand our reasons even though they may not agree with the decision at the time.
What they will agree on later, if they don’t now, is the love you showed in pouring out your feelings to them. There is nothing wrong with showing our children that we are vulnerable.
3. As parents, can we trust in our ability to teach our children knowing that nobody loves them more than we do?
We are perfectly equipped to homeschool for a lifetime.
Too, there is no stronger force than love. I say this now having graduated two of my sons.
Love moves a parent to make ANYTHING happen that needs to so that your child gets what they need. You don’t have to know everything, you just have to be willing to try anything.
4. Are the teachers and peers at school the kind that we want to influence our children?
5. Are families ties strengthened at public school or is there a deterioration of parental respect and authority?
6. Have I discussed with my child what public school is really like?
Some children have misconceptions thinking perhaps their days will be spent in bliss.
7. If what you are using now is not working regarding curricula and your child told you so, will you S-T- R-E-T-C- H yourself beyond your comfort zone?
Each person has to carefully weigh their circumstances.
Any advice has to be sifted through as we possible can’t know the personal circumstances of others.
Examine your circumstances, reconfirm your love for homeschooling and for all the reasons that brought you to homeschooling.
Remember homeschooling is so much more than curricula, academic endeavor and grades.
Those are important, but the heart of your child is of far more worth.
Use your life’s experiences and remember like any journey, we can all lose our way.
Stop, reevaluate, reconfirm, and reboot.
I enjoyed this quote by Henry Ford that puts things in perspective for me each year.
Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.
I’ve been HS’ing for 20 yrs. and I’ve seen many things happen within HS families through the years. I’ve encouraged families to homeschool and then again, I’ve talked some families out of HS’ing. Just because a family can HS doesn’t mean they should. Arkansas had something happen that I’ve not seen before–the 3 older teens along with their “graduated” sibling turned their parents into CPS for not allowing them to attend public school. While we are the parents, respect is a two-way street, but this family didn’t see it that way, although they learned the lesson the hard way. There were other issues, but it was the older children’s initial complaint that caused the family to be hip-deep with CPS for several months which also included having the younger children removed for a few months. Open communication is key to any family’s success. I would not be intimidated if my “remaining-at-home” teens asked if they could attend PS. In fact, I’ve asked them, but they’re around enough neighbors, church members, and family who attend PS, to get a “picture” of what goes on. So far, they want to be home, just like my older kids (now graduated/college/career/married) wanted to be. I’ve always sought to create a home to be fun, love and to be a safe haven from life’s storms. When we said “no” to some things, we’d say “yes” to other things, trying to create a balance. HTH. 🙂
Love your tidbits of wisdom Lynn. For sure, it’s not easy advising families, but key is finding out each family’s unique circumstances.
Kids are just as different as each family but I have always found that no matter what age our children are, they always appreciate being treated with dignity and respect.
So true, that is key. Loved your comment and thanks for sharing!