1. How can you stand to be around your kids all day?
My answer to that is "How can you stand NOT be around your kids all day? There is nothing more important to me than my children. Everything I do is because of them. They deserve the very best. And because I love them, I make sure they get the best. Of everything. Including me.
2. What about socialization?
Oh, my children socialize, all right. Everyday. To people of mixed ages. They do not limit themselves to people their own ages. Now THAT'S true socialization! If you mean, "what about interacting with people their own ages?", they get that, too. My 9 year old is in Girl Guides (scouting), gymnastics, and ballroom dancing. My 4 & 2 year olds go to a mum & children play group twice a month. (My 9 yr. old attends also.) They are both involved in "classes" at the YMCA. All three are in swim lessons and we get together regularly with friends we've made through play group. They have PLENTY of interaction.
3. Where do you get your materials to teach?
Everywhere. But since my children decide for themselves what they want to learn, we do not require traditional "schooling" materials. Whatever interest they have at the moment leads us to locate resources to help them. If one feels the need to use "real" teaching stuff, most places have a teaching supply store that caters to teachers. The misconception that many people have about homeschooling is that you HAVE to use a pre-packaged curriculum. For most people, it is too confining to accomodate true learning. Libraries have a wealth of useful materials available. Some libraries offer programs such as Hooked On Phonics, SRA reading enrichment kits, etc.. If you look, you'll find what you need.
4. How can you teach 3 children of different ages at the same time?
It's a lot easier than when I was trying to teach 10-20 children of the same age at the same time! Because my children choose their own things to learn about, they stick with it until they are satisfied. They learn more about it because they are truly interested in whatever they have chosen. And they each end up getting interested in what the others are doing and share the information as well. All three have learned a lot about constuction vehicles because my youngest son has taken an interest in them. All three enjoy various works of art by various artists (and creating their own works of art in a variety of mediums) because my youngest daughter is interested in art. And all three enjoy choreographing their own dance routines to a variety of music (Mozart to Deana Carter to Aqua) and enjoy musicals because of my eldest daughters interest in music and dance. Needless to say, I, too, have benefitted from the exposure to the things I would not have bothered to find out about on my own.
5. How can you teach your children adequately with out a degree?
I don't need a degree to give them what they are hungry for. My children, esp. those who haven't been in a "school" environment, are eager to learn. They WANT to learn. They do not associate learning with the torture of sitting still and being quiet. For them, learning is a positive experience. It's part of their everyday routine.
6. You can't shelter your kids forever, you know?
No, but I can provide them with an environment where they can grow and learn naturally and become responsible, thinking citizens.
7. When will you put your kids back into school?
When "the school" can provide a better education than I can. Some children "graduate" having never been enrolled in a school. Maybe my children will be among those. Who knows?
Some Games and Other Stuff for Kids
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ZOOM games and other things: by PBS Online games: lots to choose from |
What Else Can I See?
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Back to the Homepage: Why I Homeschool: Mom's other page From a 9-year Old's Point of View: Jaimie's page How Things Look When You Are 3 Feet Tall: Misha and Kestin's page Out of the Mouths of Babes: Some of the Children's Poetry Spinning a Yarn: Some of the Children's Stories |
