I Want to Homeschool My 8yo Daughter But She Doesn't Want To
by claire bookham
Homeschool Socialization Worries
Hi there, Recently I suggested to my eight year old daughter that we homeschool her. For a few days her reaction was one of complete enthusiasm - she seemed to blossom right in front of my very eyes, but after some days had passed, she got cold feet. I sense she is afraid of "disconnecting" from her friends and having no one to play with during the school day. I now feel frustrated, as homeschooling is something I really believe is best for my child, but the last thing I want to do is to coerce her into it, with the result that she is de-motivated and "closed off" to the idea. Has anyone here had a similar experience? Hi Claire! Yes, I am sure many children have had similar reactions when presented with the idea of being homeschooled. When we decided to homeschool my oldest, she attended a private Christian school. She was (and still is) very social. Although she liked the idea of homeschooling at first, she also felt alone. It didn’t help that a private Catholic school was located a block away from our house. She could hear the bells ring and the kids playing outside at recess. I decided to find some other moms who had daughters around my daughter’s age. We met at the library once a week and then went out for dessert together after. I also signed up my daughter for some homeschool classes nearby. Our family has been involved in a homeschool co-op since our first year of homeschooling not so much for the educational opportunities, but because I wanted my children to: meet other kids, know that they weren't the only ones being homeschooled, and to develop friendships. Make sure you listen to your daughter as she shares her feelings and concerns. Something that helped my daughter adjust was to write down all the things she liked about school and then write down all the things she likes about homeschooling. There are some great benefits to homeschooling that I am sure she will enjoy like: =>Not having to get up and out of the house so early. =>Doing her schoolwork in her pjs. =>Ending lessons/school when she finishes her work. =>Spending more time with you. =>More time to do/learn what she wants. =>More time for friends! Find opportunities to connect her with others and make sure she knows she can still see her friends from school. I hope this helps you and gives you some ideas. Perhaps others will post their experiences to help you as well. Blessings, Heather Have you ever pulled your child out of school to start homeschooling? How did they react and what did you do? Can you help Claire?
|
