I tried homeschooling, due to my children not getting enough education in public school. However, our situation changed and I had to send them back to public school reluctantly. They did fine socially because in homeschool we allowed for more socialization than they did in public school, but academically, they were light years ahead of students their age, especially in reading, and grew bored. Also, one of them used to hate math. I found a new way that helped her learn it and it became her favorite subject. When she went back to public school, she hated it again. Needless to say, we are now going back to homeschool again. They couldn’t be more thrilled. Back to friends, fun, and lots of learning.

I say that whatever works for each child’s individual instructional needs is the best route to go.

These links might help you:

Why Homeschooling Is A Valid Choice – http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/312728/why_homeschooling_is_a_valid_choice.html

Keeping babies and toddlers busy while homeschooling the older kids – http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/146516/busy_and_enriching_activities_for_babies.html

Also, if you need to know anything else about homeschool or public schools, I’m available. Just mail me through yahoo. I’m currently earning a degree in Early Childhood Education and am a writer with multiple books coming out soon. I mainly write about education and parenting. Those are my articles at the links above. 🙂

My son is going into 7th grade. We moved from WA to GA in March of this year. I had homeschooled him for 2 years until we moved to GA. Once in GA he decided he wanted to try public school. I let him finish out the year and now he is asking to be homeschooled for 7th grade. He liked the idea of being around his friends all day but has realized that he was bored and wasn’t being challenged. So he is joining his sister in the homeschool again.

We use the unschool/traditional method. It’s called eclectic. I am uncomfortable with total unschooling but want my children to follow their interests and explore their own thoughts and creativity. This has really worked. I buy books for my daughter, 4th grade, from Goodwill or use websites to get worksheets. I have a set time each day, usually an hour or two, that we work on math and history then she does reading, writing, and science on her own. She is a nature lover so her gardening is her science right now and she reads and writes about it.

Good luck to you.

I don’t have kids and was put through public school. But my fiancee was homeschooled until she was 11 and she was brilliant after being homeschooled she had no problems academically adjusting. In fact she found it dull and was years past her grade 7 class for education. Home schooling from my experince dealing with kids who were brought in is much much better then the public system I plan to homeschool my own children. The only problem is the social aspect of switching them from home to public. Your son is young so it shouldn’t be to much of a problem but when a girl switched into highschool from home school in grade 11 lets just say she was very naive, brilliant smart girl but naive. She became a little jaded but very very smart

Since it sounds like you will be sending your son to public school, try to be positive about it, especially in front of him. Meet his teacher as soon as you can, maybe when you enroll him or at an open house if they have one. Let her know you are interested in helping him in any way you can. I’m sure she’ll want you to help him at home. First graders usually have things to practice at home, and teachers usually encourage parents to read to &/or with their children every day. I know it’s hard to let go, but this will also give you a little more time during the day with your other three boys.

Good luck, & I hope your & your son have a great first grade year!

I’ve done it. I went to public school until 3rd and then in 4th i was home schooled. Went back in 5th and was on the A and B honor role. Then was home schooled in 6 and have gone public school from 7th grade on. And i have made very good grades. I mean i have done poorly in some classes, but it had nothing to do with my home schooling/ public schooling transitions. it also depends on the school system. I went to a very good school system after 6th in 5th i didn’t do so well becasue the school system sucked, but i did good becasue i did well in 4th so it really depends on that school system. You might need to work with your kid when he is in the public school system so they don’t mess him up. They tried to tell my sister she did a math problem wrong even though she got it right. I also repeated Kindergarden, beacuse i wasn’t up to speed like everyone else. But i make A’s and B’s so give public school a chance and after a trial period, which could be a few months, then if you think he wouldn’t do well the rest of the year you could take him out to home school him. But if you home school till highschool it will be harder to get him into school. My sister went through that.

I actually did better once I was in public school. I was homeschooled from kindergarten through 8th grade…

But I’m the type of person who does good with structure and schedules and such. It really depends on what the schools are like in your area though.

My little sister, Abby (she’s six now), had the same problem of not getting the same amount of time of education. So here’s what my mom did: Since I’m the second child of four and I’m twelve, mom put me in charge of helping Abby when she’s busy. Hannah (my older sister) helps Nathan (my younger brother).

If your oldest can read, after he’s done with his homework let him help the youngest with his homework. I’m not one for school either (since your son can’t even hug his teachers if he’s hurt in school) and my mom hs lived with it for as long as Hannah’s been around, my mom has found ways for educating without school.

I was better off in public schools. If you homeschool your elementary years and then you arent as well off with kids your age when you enter middle school. ITs better to go to public school and get to know other kids your age. So that when your in high school and middle school you wont be a social outcast. It makes it easier to adjust to high school and honors classes if you homeschool for like a year and then go to a public school.