To Homeschool or Not To Homeschool . . .

So, I guess that is the quetion.
I haven't ever really been a fan of homeschooling due to the regular nay-sayer reasons:

- They won't be socialized.
- All the homeschoolers I knew growing up were nerdy, anti-social and weird (see above).
- I can't be with my children 24/7.

So, I still don't have an answer to the first one.

I guess the second excuse stems from the one homeschooling family I knew really well. It wasn't so much the children were nerdy, anti-social and weird. It was one of the parents who was rude and mildly anti-social. The other parent was pleasant and a joy to be around. The same held true for their children: one was a chore, the other was fun, but over shaddowed by the obnoxious sister. Something tells me this would have been the case regardless of where they were schooled.

Now to the third excuse/reason: I'm still not sure about this one. I love my children. They are really great and still really young. The only times I need a break are around dinner time and when they are whiny. Otherwise, they are a joy and I love my time with them. The oldest is in pre-school twice a week for this school year and he and his sister are enrolled in the same program next year.

I believe the socialization question to be valid. Then again, what exactly are they being socialized into by the schooling system? Popular culture? No thanks. How to bully 101? Again, no thanks. But there is the experience one can gain from learning how to handle these situations. I need to discern the merit in that, if there is any. I just don't have good memories of being bullied.

I did learn how to handle disappointment and not being the biggest fish in the sea through my extra curricular activities . . . though they had nothing to do with school: ballet, piano, girl scouts, rec. sports teams, etc. I guess the jury in my head is still out. (The implications of the last statement turn out to be farther reaching than I intended!)

On to the 24/7 contact with my children. As of right now we only have two children, but we are hoping to change that through adoption. At what point, I'm not sure, but it has been discussed. I do look forward to my pre-school days when I get a little bit of a break and can run errands unimpeded . . . hmmmmm, I may not be cut out for this. On the other hand, it isn't really all that difficult to run errands when the children are well behaved, rested and I am prepared. Plus, after some marathon-errand running, I know they will take good naps. Our lives will change after we accept a third child into our family . . . will my patience extend or wear out?

How do people come up with the answers to these questions? I am not worried about my qualifications intellectually or academically and my substitute teacher is equally well prepared (that would be my Dear Husband . . . he's a smarty pants). I am not worried about the financial implications; we live on a well maintained budget and are frugal in most areas. I'm definitely not afraid to be, "different." I cloth diaper, make all of my children's foods (see previous post). So what am I worried about? I'm not completely sure.

I do know I am worried about failure. Isn't that everyone's fear about everything they ever try? Isn't taking the leap of faith the hardest part? I'm just not sure where exactly to start within this topic. I don't want to make the wrong decision. My children are still years away from public school, unless Head Start becomes mandatory and then they aren't that far off. Hmmmm . . .

This is my plan, as of now: I will see if I can get a pre-school or pre-K curriculum and try to teach at home over the summer, when I don't have pre-school as a fall back. Hopefully it will be an accurate and effective litmus test of my abilities and dedication. I know some of you reading this are thinking: if she doesn't know, she doesn't want to homeschool. Fact of the matter is, I just don't know enough about it in general.

The idea of making all of their food was initially romantic, then revolutionary and now it is an act of love. The idea of setting up my own little schoolhouse is also romantic, but the implications of failure are far reaching . . . so, the experiment is on! Their mother's sophomoric attempt at pre-school for a season won't kill their chances of scholarship in general, I hope.

Oh well . . . here goes nothing!