Sunday, May 25, 2008

Homeschool Conference

Boston and Bonnie hanging out in my bed while we are all getting ready for the long day.


Friday and Saturday Sean and I went to the homeschool conference with Jess and Bart. Jess and I went last year together (I had planned on homeschooling Boston preschool but changed our plans to the VPK system later.) We were so excited about the hubbies joining us this year. And it turned out to be so much fun with them. I just love this conference. Even if you aren't going to homeschool the speakers are just so great and have some much needed information every parent should know. I think they should have a parenting conference like this one...awesome! But throughout the conference I was torn, I had found out at the end of this week that we are #1 on the list now with Oakland Charter School. And the lady sounded very confident that we would get in next week. Ugh. Now I had a DECISION to make. Since we hadn't gotten into any of them before I thought for sure God was leading us on the homeschool path and I was confident and excited about it. Well now he throws me a curve ball with this other decision. Starting the conference I felt convinced we should still homeschool and Sean was leaning towards Charter school. By the end of the conference we had both flip flopped. The stress from it all is absolutely killing me. That is why I'm sitting here writing this at 11:30pm. I went to bed at 9pm because I got the horrible cold Dallas came down with on Friday, but I woke up at 10:45 and couldn't go back to sleep because all I could think about is what are we going to do!!! All weekend I kept weighing the options. Jess, Sean and I even stayed up late talking about it Friday night when we should have been catching up on our loss sleep from the night before. So here's what I have so far:

Homeschool: HUGE commitment on my part, I get to spend more time with him each day, I get to try and give him the best education for HIM and go at his pace, we get to do all kinds of fun things to learn (like field trips and such), I have more time to spend with him to teach him even more important things like God, Character building and such. God says we should teach our children.

Charter School: Don't have to stress about teaching him everyday, he has a long day away from us (8:30-3), he gets to be with kids in a classroom, learns some things I might not agree with (ie, evolution and other bad things from other kids), he comes home with 1 hour homework each night, driving all the way to Oakland twice a day, I would get to spend some much needed one on one time with Dallas.

Another big factor is that we are planning on getting pregnant with our 4th child this school year. I know how tired I am during pregnancy, especially the first trimester. I had to stop advertising for the Photo Art business during Asher's pregnancy because I couldn't keep up. How would I keep up with homeschooling? I know either way it will be a sacrifice because even with Oakland I might be exhausted and still have to get all three kids up, dressed, fed and out the door by 8am. Crazy!!! And then when he gets home I'll have to do 1 hour homework (homeschooling generally takes about 1 to 1 1/2 hours for kindergarten total) So yes, it's going to be hard and a change either way. My reasoning behind sending him to the Charter school is that I can change my mind if I don't like it and homeschool him. But if I start out homeschooling then I can't change my mind and send him to school. Going to preschool this year didn't hurt him. So if I'm going try out traditional schooling then it's probably better to do it in kindergarten than any other. And I've already decided that if I do send him to the Charter school then I'm still going to teach him to read this summer and we ordered the Right Start Math program so I'm going to start teaching him this as well. That way he's ahead of the game.

Another thought is that he's going to be bored with school because he picks up on things so quickly. But I guess I won't know that until he actually goes. I want to make the right decision for him and our family as a whole, I just don't know what that is. And that's why I'm sitting here writing this. Originally if I homeschooled I was going to put him in the Circle Christian Academy. The registration ends June 19, so for sure I would have to know by then.

And finally my last thought is that I hate being stuck in the house everyday. I like to get out. I get crammed with cabin fever, as well as the kids. We all do better when we are out and about. I don't think I'll be able to do this with homeschooling. Will I be stuck in the house schooling and then getting other chores that have to be done. I think I would lose my mind if I was stuck in the house everyday, doing the same thing, everyday. I like variety, change, spontaneity. Can you do those things if you homeschool????

Bottom line, I so don't want to make this decision. I wanted God to put His perfect plan right in my hands and I would just go with it. Well now it seems like he's given me two options. Maybe either way is good. I'm tired...I'm sick....I wish I could go to sleep and get this all out of my head. Rationally I know God doesn't want me to be stressing about this, losing sleep, etc. I have prayed for a long time about it, and now I don't see how he's going to answer my question. I thought he would have answered it by closing a door and only leaving one open. Hummm....in my perfect plan that would have been great. But that's not how he chose to do it, so I know I've got to trust Him....yes I trust Him, but how the heck and I supposed to make this decision!!!

Sorry for rambling this evening, I'll probably read this in the morning and wonder where my head was at. It is 12:30am for goodness sakes.

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