homeschooling an active child

Discussion in 'General' started by christinam, Oct 5, 2011.

  1. christinam

    christinam Well-Known Member

    I'm starting to get my stuff together to make my big appeal to DH about homeschooling. So far preschool is going very well with DD1. We're both enjoying it. I really would like to homeschool next year. We are sending DS to a private school this year which is expensive and so far I'm not overly excited about things. Our other option is public school which isn't that great. It's not really an option in my book. Anway, before approaching DH about homeschooling I want to get all my ducks in a row. I have the info on the state laws and what documentation we need. Now I want to get an idea about curriculum. I'm not making final decisions but just getting an idea. I would be teaching 1st and Kinder next year. My DS will be the 1st grader and he's a very active kid. Not the type to sit behind a desk all day. He's not labeled ADD but I can almost see it coming. The doctor refers to him as "sprited" at this point. I was ADD as a kid so I understand what he's going through. Does anyone have any recommendations on curriculum? Something else I know DH will bring up is Spanish. It's not even something his current school starts until like 4-5th grade so that would be a real push for me if I could start something next year. I can only count in five in Spanish thanks to Dora. So my experience is very limited. Any help would be greatly appreciated! :)

    I tried to posting this before and my IE locked up. So if this appears twice sorry! :)
     
  2. NINI H

    NINI H Well-Known Member

    My very first question would be, have you contacted your local homeschooling group? Getting connected now before officially homeschooling would give you a leg up on many things. Do they have co-ops for science, PE, art, etc? Do they meet monthly or weekly for social gatherings for the moms/kids? If they do have meetings for the moms, most likely they have discussions on curriculum. If there are no local groups, you will have a state group that you can contact for info. I found mine through HSLDA's website. Also, for me, I would not homeschool without joining a group like HSLDA. That way I am covered if anything every goes awry.

    I would start sending for curriculum catalogs. This site might help: http://www.cathyduffyreviews.com/ I received a book by her at my first convention. That's something else I would HIGHLY recommend. Get to your state convention! Actually being able to look at the curriculum before buying is a huge help. I can't remember where you live, so excuse me if you've already said before. Some states have more to offer than others.

    I think the last thing I decided on was curriculum. Getting all the paperwork in order with HSLDA was the first. What do you think DH would want to see before deciding?
     
  3. christinam

    christinam Well-Known Member

    Thanks for the info. I don't think DH is going to want specifics on curriculum. I think it would be very overwhelming to him if I started laying a lot of information at once on him. I just want to say that there are programs out there that would be good for DS. I looked up the state (Kentucky) requirements for homeschooling. What papers I need and what I need to keep track of. There is a local homeschool group which I will join but they're not super active. I just found out about a homeschool P.E. class which I could enroll DS and DD1 in. DH could also handle some of this area since he has a degree where he could be a trainer. I'm having a duh moment and can't remember the name of the degree. He's off two afternoons a week so I would ask that the one be designated gym time and he could work with the kids.

    I was actually thinking last night that FIAR might be good for DS. I'm going to keep looking. I'm going to dig out my big Rainbow Resources catalog I got not too long ago.
     
  4. NINI H

    NINI H Well-Known Member

    That's exactly what I was thinking of, but couldn't recall the name...Rainbow Resources! LOL There are SO many curriculum choices out there, it's crazy! Seriously, finding a good fit for each child takes some time. And it can change year to year.

    We've discovered that working on the computer is a good fit for the older boys for some subjects like language arts and math. But Science and History needs to be more hands on. I LOVE Apologia's Exploring Creation Series with Jeannie Albright. I can get all the things for the hands on in a kit through CBD. Even their notebooks for journaling. I have really active boys and they seems to like that.

    You may want to consider finding a group online that could offer up suggestion. I found a gifted homeschoolers groups through Hoagie's Gifted Education. They have curriculum suggestions for twice exceptional(gifted children with other added labels like add) children all the time. There may be forums for ADD and homeschooling. I'll have to peruse google and see if I can find something. Pure textbook learning may not be the best fit for him, like abeka (LOL). I wish I had some specific suggestions for you!!!

    I just googled homeschooling the highly active child and got quite a few links that might be applicable.
     
  5. christinam

    christinam Well-Known Member

    I did a quick google search without much luck. I need to sit and go through the Rainbow Resources book but don't really want to do that until Dh is on board. I dont want to do all that work if I get a big fat NO from Dh.

    Ds is definately not a text book kid. They work out of workbooks in his Kinder class and I think that's why he has some issues.
     
  6. NINI H

    NINI H Well-Known Member

    I'm not sure if this will actually be of help, but it could be a jumping off point at least. http://www.christianadhd.com/adhomeschool.php
    I know it's a label that is totally wrong. But, there are some email lists at the bottom that you might be able to join to get some curriculum ideas for DS.
     
  7. Stacy A.

    Stacy A. Well-Known Member

    Christina, I pulled up a few links for you to look through to get you started:

    Link 1
    Link 2
    Link 3
    Link 4
    Link 5

    Do you have any idea what your DH's objections might be? I would start there and work to address those first. You could use me as a conversation starter if you want. Like, "You know my friend Stacy is homeschooling. She and the kids really seem to enjoy it and I'm starting to learn more about it. Do you know much about homeschooling?" or something like that.

    Also, I will say that for me, the biggest thing in getting my DH to agree to try homeschooling was prayer! I prayed long and hard before mentioning it to him. He still said "no." So, I prayed some more (for months). He said, "maybe." I prayed some more. He said, "You can give it a try." He still isn't completely sold, but the more I pray, the more he comes around.

    We the Midwest Homeschool Convention is held in Cincinnati every year. I missed it this year because I was on vacation. But, Pastor Jeff's SIL is actually on the committee that organizes it, so we might be able to get a discount next year. ;)
     
  8. christinam

    christinam Well-Known Member

    I'm not sure what DH's objections might be. I'm guessing here but I guess socialization and me not teaching enough/correctly. I can see him saying this. I tell him about every homeschool parent I meet. He's never said anything negative or really anything. He's not a big talker. Lol I don't want to come at him with tons of info and overwhelm him but I want to be able to answer questions. I don't want him thinking it's one of my impulse decisions.

    Thanks for the links! I'm going to go check them out now! The convention sounds great!
     
  9. NINI H

    NINI H Well-Known Member

    Great links Stacy! Christina, do you have to come at him with any real info? Or can you just start an open dialogue about the possibility? We decided before we ever had a school aged child. But the dialogue started probably 2 years ahead of our decision. It was many small discussions along the way. The social "problem" perceived my most when they think of homeschooling is completely unfounded, btw. If that's your biggest concern, I'd start there. Get proof of the studies done on homeschooling and socialization. And then provide info on what you plan on doing to get DS involved with other kids/adults. There are field trip groups, library groups, museum programs, etc. that could get you and DS out of the house and socializing with others. My boys participate in sports also. Homeschooling actually enables us more flexibility. It's a great fit!
     
  10. christinam

    christinam Well-Known Member

    There are a lot of great stats out there I can use to help me out. A lot of great articles. I don't even know if he'll ask questions and say yes/no or if he'll ask a ton. I just want to be ready cause if I get a big no and bring it up again I'm going to be talking to a wall. My Dh isn't the best communicator. When I suggested keeping DD home for preschool he said you can do whatever you want. I was surprised. Maybe it will be that easy this go around too. I know I want to wait until the kids are asleep so it's more calm.
     
  11. NINI H

    NINI H Well-Known Member

    AH, I hope he surprises you again, :) especially since it was easy going the first time!
     
  12. christinam

    christinam Well-Known Member

    What helped me the first time was saving $1800 on preschool. This time it would be about $3000 with both kids in private school. I'm going to have that figure handy as well! That will definately be something in my favor! Lol
     
  13. Dielle

    Dielle Well-Known Member

    One thing to maybe mention to him and to think about yourself is that there are no absolutes. While I definitely think you should give yourself and your son plenty of time to work out the kinks and really get a good feel for homeschooling (say, at least 6 months), if it doesn't work out he can always go back to school. So you don't have to make a choice that is going to "ruin his life forever" haha. People have all kinds of questions like "What about prom?," "What about college?" that really have no bearing on a kid in K or 1st. If nothing else you may be giving him a really good start for the rest of his education.

    And the major benefit of homeschooling an active child is that you can do what works for him. If he needs to move to learn, he can sit on an exercise ball while he's reading, or bounce on a pogo stick while he's practicing times tables. If he learns better in the afternoon, you can have nature walks or chores or field trips and errands in the morning and then schedule school time for whatever time of day he's most able to focus. If he needs more sleep than the average child, he can sleep late and start at 10 am instead of 7:20 or whatever the local school is. AND one of the biggies for me is that school can be done in just a couple of hours or less for kids that age, leaving plenty of time for exploring, playing and moving. A child who really struggles to sit still is more likely to end up hating school and therefore education IMO, because he's forced into a desk for so much of the day, and then has to sit at a desk or table for even more time at home to do homework.

    I'm so grateful that we chose to homeschool, long before knowing the type of personality Trey would be. I'm pretty sure that he would be considered ADD. He's not hyper, but he has a heck of a time focusing on things he's not interested in (but those things he can absolutly zone in on). Plus he's a very kinesthetic learner and dyslexic to boot. I can tailor his education to what he needs in a way that he can love learning and doesn't feel like he's dumb because he's in some remedial class or has to have extra tutoring. And I don't care what they call it, everyone in a classroom knows who are the "smart" kids and who aren't, who goes to "higher" math and who doesn't, etc. Instead of that, my kids know they have different strengths and learn in different ways. I even started to use some different curricula for different kids in things like math, when the one I loved really wasn't a good fit for him.
     
    1 person likes this.
  14. christinam

    christinam Well-Known Member

    Dielle - I know a woman who homeschools her two deaf children. One is also ADD. The girl jumps on her bed while doing spelling because that's what helps her concentrate.

    Im going to try to talk to Dh tonight. Hopefully if the kids are sleeping or just calmer.
     
  15. christinam

    christinam Well-Known Member

    So I just mentioned something to DH trying to keep it light. I said instead of sending the kids to the private school next year I would like homeschool them. He asks "all of them?" um yes. When I mention it's harder for ds to sit behind a desk for six hours he responds he needs to learn. Well yes he does need to learn but there are much better ways than sitting and doing workbook pages and getting haggled about coloring all day long. So at the moment I'm being dismissed. If I bring it up again he's going to be defensive. That's how it is with him. So I need to wait a little longer I guess. This is so frustrating. I'm the one dealing with all this not him. I'm the one trying to get ds to do his homework and he's in tears. The one having daily discussions about behavior. Ugh!
     
  16. NINI H

    NINI H Well-Known Member

    :( If you had some articles about homeschooling and how beneficial it would be for DH to read at his leisure, would he? Most people don't realize what a huge impact one on one learning can make to a child. I'm sorry it didn't go the best it could have. :(
     
  17. christinam

    christinam Well-Known Member

    No he wouldn't ever read them. :( not because they're about homeschool but because he just doesn't read much.
     
  18. Dielle

    Dielle Well-Known Member

    Why does a six year old need to learn to sit at a desk for 8-10 hours a day (with homework)? Even if you factor in lunch and recess, 6-7 hours a day is just too much for some little bodies to sit. And when you consider that many professions do no sitting at all, or very little, what exactly does he need to learn it for? So he can be in middle management? So he can do data entry? What if he wants to be in construction, or a fireman, or professional singer, or an artist, or a mechanic, or a hairdresser (trying to be be sexist here, LOL), or own his own business doing any number of things, or or or... I think most people have this mindset because it's how we were raised, but why is that necessary? Giving him room to move and explore, teaching him in a way that works best for his learning style, and doing it in a much shorter time because you have all the one-on-one time will actually help him to more fully reach his potential, instead of just learning how to sit still at a desk and have everything else dulled into submission.

    I don't know how you could bring those things up, if he's just going to get defensive. But maybe they're something you could work into conversation?
     
    2 people like this.
  19. NINI H

    NINI H Well-Known Member

    I couldn't have said it better Dielle!
     
  20. christinam

    christinam Well-Known Member

    I think this explains it very well. I'm thinking I'm actually going to quote you. :) I'm going to try bringing it up again soon. I want this settled before we would have to register the kids for school. I have a while since it's typically Feb. but it could take that long to get through to him. I was the type of kid that couldn't sit behind a desk. Yes I physcially did it but mentally I wasn't there. I used to pretend all day long. I would withdrawl into day dreaming and create whole stories in my head. I drew lots of pictures, rolled pencils, etc..... Don't ask how I got away with it cause I have no clue. lol But I see DS doing the same thing.
     
Loading...

Share This Page