Sending Them To RE Classes

Sometimes, like other homeschoolers, I wonder if I should be sending my kids to RE (religious Education) Classes. The RE classes are held outside of Mass (our church service) so the kids still go to Mass with us. However, I'm starting to wonder if it's worth our time to send them to class.

Our Parish (Church) has "normal" RE classes once a month for the kids and then if the child is preparing to receive a sacrament they go to a sacrament prep-class weekly. Right now our DS is preparing to receive the sacrament of reconciliation. So he is going to the prep class after the 9:00 am Sunday Mass (service).

We are there and I don't mind staying around. Many of the parents stay and hang out in the fellowship hall area chatting and having coffee. Also many of us have younger kids that are NOT in the prep class so that kids play together. However the issue arises when DS shares that class is boring because he knows all the stuff already that they have been discussing in class.

So for him he's not "learning" anything new and that is upseting him because he wants to learn something new. I don't want him to be bored in class nor to I want to assume that he knows it all, but I do know that he know more and perhaps more "ready" then most of his peers. I truly believes that it has to do with who we are and what we have taught our kids.

So we have to supplement and add on a lot of information because my DS just wants to learn more and beyond what is being offer in the RE classes, especially in the reconciliation class. I happen to be an RE teacher for my parish although I am NOT teaching the reconciliation class. I know that the class is the very basic because many parents do not offer this info nor teach it to their children so I can understand my son's frustration in not learning anything new.

For example my son ask us: "So if God knows the past, present, and future. He knows everything that we are going to do or say or want. So does he want to hear our prayers? Does he want us to say them? Does he "love" that? Because you know he already knows it. He knows everything. So does he want to hear it even though he knows it?"

I want my children to be fed, but at the same time I don't want to assume that they can't be fed during the RE classes at the Church. I just don't know if it's worth sending them any more or not. They enjoy going because they do enjoy the teachers, crafts, and kids. They just get flustered at times when there is nothing new to learn.

My DS said this prep class was nothing like he expected it to be. He thought for sure they would learn about some saints, see the confessional, and learn some examples of sins to confess. Instead it's the Adam, Eve, the apple, and the 10 commandments. Mom I know what the commandments are, I know what happened to Adam and Eve..... (There are only 2 more classes left and then he will receive the sacrament of reconciliation the 31 of this month)

I just hope it's better for him when he starts his First Communion Preparation Class in February. I don't know: What do other homeschoolers do? Do you send your kids to RE (religious Education) Classes or do you just teach them yourself? I do teach my kids. That is clear if my DS feels that he knows everything that is being taught to him. I just don't know if I should be sending them to RE classes anymore. Over all I feel that I can do it and I'm doing it, but it is nice to send them to class too. I'm just confused I guess seeing that DS doesn't feel like he's being fed during RE classes at the church.