Looking Back: The Early Years

My kids are older now 15/14 (well nearly 14 and 15). When you get a chance to look back and reflect you may realize you did somethings good, some things great, and other things ... well you just wish for a do over.

I have a do over wish.

Before I continue I want to make it clear: Your kids, you and only you know what's best for them. You and only you can decide what to do. If you are the type that wants curriculum and formal learning for your 3, 4, 5 year old then this post isn't for you.

If you are on the fence, have doubts, or feeling you have to keep up with the Jones ... this is for you!

This is my 8th year homeschooling. Yes, it's just my daughter now; the boy is at the public high school against my wishes. (Hubby wanted him there).  My feelings about education has changed over the years. If I had a do over ....

If I had a do over I would have never sent my kids to public school for those 2 years. (1st/K for the boy; pre-k/k for the girl) If I had a do over I would have pushed harder to have been able to keep them home and always homeschooled .... or at least waited for the state's compulsory age which at the time was 7 in Illinois (It a few years ago changed to 6). Heck, I didn't even know, back then, that legally I didn't even have to send my kids to school until 7.

I just did what everyone else did .... even though I didn't like it. I truly didn't fully understand my options. I was young 20 something. Now as a 30 something. I get it. If I had to do it over...

If I had to do it over I would have kept my kids home. I would have never sent a 4/5 year old to school. I would have NOT use a curriculum or any formal learning. I would have continued to do what I was doing as MOM.

A good mom. cuddles with books and movies. Library trips, trips to the park. Lots of outdoor play. Always making sure they had access to crayon, pencils, and paper. Taking out the paints, play dough, scissors time to time. Helping them learn self help skills, colors, numbers. All WITHOUT a curriculum.

Help me sort the laundry. I need 3 cans of tuna can you get them? Can't find them they are the small cans with the blue label.  Teaching them our address, phone number, what my name is (real name, not just mommy).  Lets spell your name. All those things that good parents does without the need to use an actual curriculum, books, worksheets.

I would have insisted that formal learning, school, waited until they were 7.

I have realized there is no need to push school any sooner than that! If you do that fine, they are your kids.

I'm speaking to those that are on the fence. Those that have no desire to start formal schooling, but then panic and have doubts because they hear Sally is sending her kids to pre-school or is buying a ton of curriculum to work at home with.  

If you don't want curriculum then don't use it. Do not feel pressure to having to do formal schooling just because that's what the Jones are doing. If you have no desire that is perfectly acceptable! It is totally okay.

God willing if I had younger kids this is exactly what I would be doing today. I would be just MOM. I would be just letting my little kids play and would NOT be doing any kind of school work with them until they were 6.....

It's 2011 Already?!?! Where has the time gone?

I know many of my faithful readers must think I've dropped of the face of the earth seeing my blogging is very little these days. I will try to be more consistent now that the holidays are done and things are more settle here.

For the last several months I have been working on the homeschool co-op's site, busy promoting it, thus my blogging time has suffered. We are finally at a point to start offering classes....thankfully!!!

Superstar and Web-princess have both seen their doctors recently. The surgeon told us that Superstar does NOT need new braces (AFOS) and can remain brace free for the next 6 months for sure. We won't see him again until June. The urologist told us we have to keep up with Web-princess re-potty training (having her go at certain times during the day). We don't have to go back and see the urologist unless something changes or we want to talk to him.  The re-potty training, having her go at x time throughout the day, will last as long as needed to retrain her body to go on a more regular schedule.

What else is new? My sister is in Iraq. (Army). She also is a single parent, thus needs someone to care for her son while she's deployed for the next year. My mom and I are both taking care of him now. He'll be living at my mom's house 1/2 the time and my house 1/2 the time. It going to be on a 2 month rotation, because that is what my sister wanted.

Right now he's staying with Mom, but come the end of February he'll be staying here. Although I have had him for a night once already, and have him again tonight for the night.  We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the bunk-bed we bought for SS's bedroom. The boys my son, Superstar, and my nephew, Little Man will be sharing a room seeing we only have 3 bedrooms here.

Little Man is 3! So I'm trying to figure out how to do schooling and what activities I can give him during school time! I really would like the help, ideas, and tips from my more seasoned readers that homeschool with preschoolers at home too! Please help!!!!