We started homeschooling when my kids were going into 2nd, 4th, 9th, and 10th grades.
Go Big or Go Home.

Why my kids will never go to public high school

There were a number of factors that led up to our choosing to bring our kids home from public school, but the main one was when our oldest decided to drop out of 9th grade and the school didn’t call. They didn’t call to ask where he was for a full 2 weeks.
I am sure they were relieved that he was gone.
Over the course of a few months that led up to our decision, it came to our attention that he was labeled as a drop out before even getting to the high school from the junior high. The fact he made it through first semester was a miracle in their eyes.

It was then that we decided if they didn’t care about our one child they didn’t get the privilege of teaching our others.
We didn’t get a great response from the teachers of the other children. We actually got pity from the bus driver.
Looking back, I feel it was because they didn’t think I could do the job of teaching my children, as well as they could.
Maybe I didn’t do the job in the same manner and maybe my children didn’t learn what the public school kids learned, but I don’t feel I have failed my children.
At least not at the time of this posting I don’t.
Believe me, I have had my “You’re getting on that bus the next time it goes by!” moments.

I am now on my second round of high school. Those 2nd and 4th graders are now about to be a Sophomore and a Senior.
Have I lost my mind entirely?
Well, no. Two kids have moved out and I am no longer part of the Sandwich Generation.

Why won’t my kids ever go to public high school?
Can I just say I didn’t pull my kids because of my faith.
I had nothing against public school to this point.

It is now my own convictions that cause us to make the choice to homeschool them.
I DO NOT CARE if this is not your families choice. Meaning I still love you!
These are our own convictions and what works for us. Homeschooling isn’t for everybody.

It is my responsibility, as their mother, to protect them and high school today is very different than when I was there. It’s even different than when my oldest was there.
A few reasons why my kids will never go to public high school:

Dress Code
Or lack there of.
We have standards for the way we dress in our family. All of us. No, I don’t wear denim skirts and The Principal doesn’t wear a short sleeved dress shirt.
We do wear shorts that have to be as long as our fingers with our arms at our sides.

Teacher-Student Ratio
Why put them in a class of 20-30 kids with one teacher when they can be home with a 2-1 or 4-1 ratio.
My kids get the individual attention they need, when they need it. They don’t loose their train of thought by waiting on the teacher.(Yes, I have 2 that are ADD and ADHD)

Identity
Three of our four kids knew, by their Sophomore year, what they wanted to be. We are/were able to cater their education to support that interest.
We are not a by the book style of homeschool family. We are not a one size fits all. We are an out of the box do-what-works and do not cry over math type of family.
They also have their own style as their identity. They don’t have to have the latest, cool shoes or iPod because they have to follow the status quo.

School is not Education
Education doesn’t need to be in a school setting. I fully believe all of my children and learned and retained more because they are interested in what they are learning. They choose what they want to learn about. They aren’t just memorizing facts and figures to pass a test.
For sake of debate, I won’t be addressing “teach to the test” or Common Core.
I am in a good mood and have my opinions on both of these topics.

Critical Thinkers
All of our children are critical thinkers.
They think for themselves, not trained by ‘the system’ how to think.
They all have their own opinions, even different than ours ::gasp:: and that is ok!
I would worry if they didn’t. What I love is they CAN THINK FOR THEMSELVES.
They go against the grain, at times, and challenge their peers.
They also have their own opinions, I believe, because they don’t have the daily influence of kids in a school setting.

School trains children to be employees and consumers; teach your own to be leaders and adventurers. School trains children to obey reflexively; teach your own to think critically and independently. Well-schooled kids have a low threshold for boredom; help your own to develop an inner life so that they’ll never be bored.

source

I am a product of public high school, and while I feel I turned out ok, I did not come out unscathed, nor do I recall much of what was taught.
I don’t remember every taking history or science.
Both of these are subjects I have learned, and loved, right a long with my kids.
Not sending my kids to pubic high school is saving them a lot of drama and turmoil.
The teen years are hard enough without having to worry about peer pressure and social media bullying or the like.
My kids are not sheltered. We have issues as a result of these things I have mentioned.
I just feel that because they are home these issues are not as bad as they could be and are handled quite differently.
I also feel that our family unit is stronger as a result of being together so much.

Do you homeschool?
What led you to choose that path for your family?

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photo credit: Kevin Krejci via photopin cc

https://mamakautz.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/no-high-school.jpghttps://mamakautz.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/no-high-school-300x300.jpgMama KautzHomeschoolinghigh school,high school homeschool,homeschool,HomeschoolingWe started homeschooling when my kids were going into 2nd, 4th, 9th, and 10th grades. Go Big or Go Home. There were a number of factors that led up to our choosing to bring our kids home from public school, but the main one was when our oldest decided to drop...