Why we chose to homeschool

Kindal graduates from Kindergarten

I get asked “why do you homeschool” quite often. My answer is the same, it was best for my children to be taken out of the public school system. Do I know when they will return to public school? No. However, whatever decision my husband and I make it will be what’s best for our boys. Each child learns differently and has different interest. One thing is consistent in my house,  THEY LOVE SPORTS.
My oldest son: loves to read and will pick up anything to read, is great in math but hates it, doesn’t like writing, loves science especially the solar system facts.
My second oldest: doesn’t like reading at all, likes math more than any other subject and is good at it
My third son: pretty “laid back,” is good in math, will only enjoy reading on super heros.
The homeschool plan: turn any and everything into a learning experience. Shopping trips become critical thinking and math problems. Swimming, Basketball and Football with Dad and your brothers in the middle of the day is your gym class! Where else would your written assignment be “write a paper on the NBA All-Star weekend?” Since they don’t like writing they’re able to writie about what they love. With that, it becomes fun to them. Learning is everywhere and that’s what makes homeschooling fun.
The reason why people give this blank stare when you mention homeschool is because they don’t understand it. People assume that your children doesn’t know how to socialize, has behavior issues and/or learning disabilities. This maybe true for some but doesn’t effect the majority of home schooled children. My two oldest sons were identified Gifted and talented at an early age. By the time our oldest son went to Kindergarten he was reading chapter books, knew all 50 states and their capitals, (location and surrounding states) was working on multiplication, had given oral presentations to my husband and I on the composition papers he had written. With that being said, what was kindergarten going to give him? Social skills? I guess but what else? He had friends. He knew how to socialize. Our decision was simple, HALF DAY KINDERGARTEN ONLY!! We made the same decision for our second oldest the following year.
Some school systems are designed to close the achievement gap by holding the “advanced” student back while others “catch up.” Well, I don’t believe that at all. Why not continue working on advancing all group of children.  Even as an adult there is a learning gap on our jobs. Susan doesn’t work like Sarah and that is ok. However, if they have the same job responsibilities it should be completed at the end of the day. Same applies in school. There are standards for each level. If a child has met those standards, by all means allow them to keep advancing.  Why hold them back because of others?  I understand life isn’t fair but that is wrong.
My children participated in the Gifted and Talented program as early as kindergartener. They didn’t have to wait until second grade which was the district policy. I was thankful for that. However, even with that program it wasn’t enough. They needed something all day long. Even their G & T teacher wanted to do more with her program. She cried at conferences because her hands were tied. She saw how excited her students were and wanted to pour into them. Her fear was that they would lose the excitement to learn. Sad to say, she was let go. Those are the teachers all children need. Teachers who are passionate and want to keep the learning fire burning in these young people. Children need them now. Not in a few years. The foundation is being laid right now so there is a sense of urgency.