Schooling isn't only about the education your child gets, it is also about the socialization factor. In fact, I believe moreso than education, the social aspects of school are incredibly important! That is where kids gain life long friendships, learn the pecking order and how to get their way in a crowd of people.

Sure, you can teach her a million and twelve things more at home - and you still can, regardless of if she attends school - but you cannot be a 6 year old who shows her what true friendship is on the playground playing hopscotch.

I volunteer all the time in my daughter's classes. At least 4 hours every two weeks. It is a blast. I know all her classmates, they all give me hugs and want to talk to me. I know her teachers and have a great relationship with all of them.

Be involved in your daughter's school. They are always looking for classroom moms and volunteers.

yeah i tend to agree, the social aspect of scohol is really important, espically for kids under 14 or so.
age 6 - 12 you don't really learn that much in terms of academics but you do learn how to behave and interact with kids and teachers... i think it's quite important.
however in saying that i'd say 14 -16 ish could be brilliant as homeschooling

How bad of a public school system is it where you live? Maybe moving would be the answer. I know that the quality of schools varies greatly where I live.

I faced this very situation last fall and it is coming around again for next fall. I wonder if you have school of choice where you live? We do here, but that doesn't mean you will get into the school of your choosing, it just gives the illusioin of choice. I thought very hard after this dissappointing year of school of home schholing my daughter, but I think that she may need to experience some of the bad things that go oon in school, because unfortunately, mean-ness is a part of life that children will not be able to escape. I had to deal with several incidents that set me off this year like bullying, mean kids, and the most uninspiring homework assignments I have ever bore witness to. I am trying to focus on the good things-my child was put into the accelerated reading program, and she's doing very well with her reading thus far, so the school is doing something right, at least. I dont like the way they downplay a child's strengths so they can show progress by year end-it's very demeaning. I think a big part of getting the most out of the education system-no matter what it looks like-is what you do at home. Parental involvement is the trait linked most closely to school success. I try not to speak negatively about her school because I really want her to enjoy learning and not have a negative view of her school. I have given her lots of pep talks and skills to practice in regard to dealing with nasty kids, bullies, etc. It's hard, but for me I think a classroom is still the best place for my child-not home schooling. Some kids do really well, but I always worry about the transition from home to higher education-be it junior high, high school or college when a child has no classroom experience. Good luck with your decision.

The only reason I would home school my child/children is if they were either too retarded (IQ wise) or too intelligent for the school. I.E. They are /- 2,3 grade levels. Kids with 'abnormal' brains like that work better one on one.

Unless something else comes up, my kids are going to a public school.

A close friend of mine home-schools her 10 year old daughter. Her child is very sensitive, and has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
You will not believe the difference this change has made in her daughter’s life! She teaches her coping skills to cope with the depression, and when she has an ‘off day’, they do arts and crafts. They jump on the trampoline to learn timetables, and all sorts of fun stuff.
Her daughter is very, very bright, so it takes about 3 hours per day to complete the day’s work, and then they do ‘life skills’. Going to the shops and comparing prices, doing their monthly budget, taking care of the animals, (they live on a farm), doing volunteer work at a hospice, and cooking for ‘Meals on Wheels’.
She has plenty of friends as she does ballet, plays tennis, and takes swimming- and horse riding lessons, and they have monthly slumber parties.

i used to babysit for a family who was homeschooling their daughter and about to start homeschooling their son as well. she said it all depends on the child, and whether he or she wants to work at his or her own pace or not. if it is the socialization part you are worried about, try taking your child to a church group or other play group or organization. there is always a way to put in place the "pecking order" or other life skills that need to be learnt.

If you are the type whose kids always beg to have a babysitter over spending time with you or if you beg to have your children go to a babysitter over spending time with you then homeschooling probably isn't the best idea. If you are a normal family with its typical ups and downs, then homeschooling is fantastic! There are so many different ways to homeschool and children are so adaptable that they'll learn in any of them. As long as you have a method (any method, just a method you are passionate about) and you stick to it, then they'll blossom!

If you think that doing school at home would be a bad match for you two, you could try a Charlotte Mason or John Holt type of approach. Far gentler and easier on both of you if either or both of you are Type A personalities. Check out their books in the library!

Socialization will be the least of your concerns if you homeschool. Statistically, homeschoolers are involved in many more activities than public or private school students. Girl and boy scouts, 4H, baseball, basketball, football, swimming, dance, foreign languages, choir, band, cheerleading, volunteer groups, church youth groups, science class, math class, art class, homeschool co-ops, park days, drama clubs, chess clubs, reading clubs, homeschool dances, homeschool proms, homeschool graduations, then there are all the neighborhood kids to play jump rope and hide and seek with every afternoon... you'll be looking at how to LIMIT your socialization! Most homeschoolers reach a point where they realize they are never home and decide to adopt the mantra, "to homeschool, we have to actually be at home sometimes."

Academics is another big scary mystery with people saying you aren't smart enough to teach your child how to read or do math. Either the institutional school you attended so poorly prepared you that you can't do elementary reading and math (which isn't a hearty endorsement of that model for your own children), or it did and you can't do any worse than that. Statistically, homeschoolers come out between on grade level to one grade above their schooled peers. Compare that to the city down the road from me where 3/4 of the high school graduates didn't test higher than 4th grade educations and you really have nothing to worry about!

Another common comment is that you have a responsibility to stick with a failing school or system to try to make it good, or your child needs to experience bullying or boredom as that is part of life. Parents have a responsibility to their own children, not to a failing system that isn't serving them. I don't know of any adult who endures daily bullies or threats or name calling, either. We don't have to stay around people who hurt us and we report employees who harass us. Even still, if I knew my child would eventually face starvation, I wouldn't start starving her now to get her used to the feeling of it. Instead, I'd be filling her up with all the goodness and nutrition I could so she'd be the best prepared when she finally faced it. The statistics on homeschoolers entering college show this method works. While only 1-3% of children are homeschooled in the US, most Ivy league colleges want 10% of their freshman class to be homeschoolers. They say homeschoolers are more creative, responsible, and likely to graduate.

You really can't mess up Kindergarten unless you have abusive tendencies or are struggling with mental health issues. You have 9 months to teach the colors, the numbers, the letters, and how to scribble on a paper and sing some funny songs. If it is a total bust, statistics say your child will be no worse off for having started at age 7. Read some books, join a support co-op, find a simple lesson plan like Five In A Row, and have fun!

For first grade, add in some Hooked on Phonics, Explode the Code, or Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons (which is a notoriously love it or hate it product) and then get some math workbooks at Wal-Mart or Sam's Club (seriously, they have good ones) or Math-U-See. It is more than everything you need to get started and you can grow from there in so many different ways to address your family's personalities, desires, and needs.

I was homeschooled for all of Jr. Highschool, and my sister who is in 4th grade has always been homeschooled. Others of my siblings (six of us in all), have been homeschooled at different times.

I LOVED homeschooling, and I definitely felt that I learned more in homeschool than in any other program that I was in, and I'm an International Baccalaureate Diploma candidate.

hmmm tough call...I dont think theres anything wrong with being homeschooled, however I was really never a fan of it...I thnk you just need to find a great disciplined school for your kids ..they need to socialize with others