home_maker97

It only takes us a couple hours to do actual schoolwork. Most of
the day we play or run errands and on nice days, go outside. Yet
evertime he goes outside to play in our own yard i am in fear that
someone will see and report him claimming that he is not and school
and should be and then giving us all kinds of troubles. We also
homeschool year around so we take a day off or so when others are in
school. We keep in strict guidance with our state laws but I read
about all the trouble some people have and frankly it scares me to the
point that I wonder if homeschooling is worth it. We will soon be
moving to a small town and it scares me all the more. Does anyone else
feel this way? How do you handle it when your child goes outside into
the backward to do some "recess"? Will I feel more secure if i joined
HSLDA?

Sandra Dodd

-=-It only takes us a couple hours to do actual schoolwork. -=-

If you're doing any "actual schoolwork," you're not unschooling and
this is entirely an unschooling list.

You might want to switch to unschooling! Here's lots of information
for you if you'd like to consider a change:
http://sandradodd.com/help

-=-. We also
homeschool year around so we take a day off or so when others are in
school. -=-

If you were unschooling, all your days would be learning days--no
school days, no days off. Just a life rich in input and questions and
new connections.

-=-it scares me to the
point that I wonder if homeschooling is worth it. -=

Get your confidence up by truly understanding how learning works, or
put your kids in school.

If putting your kids in school seems like a bad idea, you might want
to consider unschooling. (see above)


-=-Will I feel more secure if i joined
HSLDA? -=-

It depends how much you LIKE being "paranoid homeschooling mom."
They can extend that feeling for years, for a fee.


-=-Does anyone else
feel this way? How do you handle it when your child goes outside into
the backward to do some "recess"? -=-

Back yard? (I don't think you meant "outside into the backward.")

We don't have "recess" because my kids have always been unschooled.

Take your kids to a park, the zoo, a mall. BE OUT. Don't limit them
to your backward back yard.

If you have a hostile ex husband or critical in-laws, school might be
easier.
If you have a good marriage and our husband is your child's father
and your in-laws trust you, I don't know what you're afraid of.

Sandra




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

marji

--- In [email protected], Sandra Dodd
<Sandra@...> wrote:
>
>
> If you have a good marriage and our husband is your child's
> father and your in-laws trust you, I don't know what you're afraid
> of.

Umm... is there something you're not telling us, Sandra?! (bwg)


Marji (sorry, I just *absolutely* could not resist!! I tried, but...)

Sandra Dodd

-=-> If you have a good marriage and our husband is your child's
> father and your in-laws trust you, I don't know what you're afraid
> of.

Umm... is there something you're not telling us, Sandra?! (bwg)-=-


I would like to buy a "y"


Okay... rephrase. <g>

I'm lucky and fortunate and secure in the fact that I'm not afraid my
in-laws will call the country. And it's QUITE helpful that my
children are all the biological children of my own singular current
husband. <g>

When people call me on the phone asking how much precaution they
need to take about homeschooling, I ask those questions about whether
they have an ex husband or lack full custody of the child or have
weird inlaws. I've just never made that typo when speaking by phone!!

Sandra

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Diane Bentzen

--- home_maker97 <home_maker97@...> wrote:

> ...i am in fear that
> someone will see and report him claimming that he is
> not and school
> and should be and then giving us all kinds of
> troubles. ...We keep in strict guidance with our
> state laws but I read
> about all the trouble some people have

Are people in your county or school district having
these problems?

If you've personally had some "borderline" encounters
or if you know of local problems that's one thing, but
getting upset about stuff you read online or in
national news probably does you more harm than good.

:-) Diane




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Diane Bentzen

Sandra--this isn't right on this specific topic, but I
was reminded to let you know how much I've appreciated
your comments over the years on the subject of keeping
Dad on board.

I see message boards sometimes leaning toward the
necessity for philosophically pure unschooling, and
I've been so happy with your frequent reminders that
family relationships are really the backbone of
unschooling, even if it dilutes the philosophical
purity the mom may be wanting.

:-) Diane


> I'm lucky and fortunate and secure in the fact that
> I'm not afraid my
> in-laws will call the country. And it's QUITE
> helpful that my
> children are all the biological children of my own
> singular current husband. <g>
>
> When people call me on the phone asking how much
> precaution they
> need to take about homeschooling, I ask those
> questions about whether
> they have an ex husband or lack full custody of the
> child or have
> weird inlaws. I've just never made that typo when
> speaking by phone!!
>
> Sandra




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Sandra Dodd

-=-I see message boards sometimes leaning toward the
necessity for philosophically pure unschooling, and
I've been so happy with your frequent reminders that
family relationships are really the backbone of
unschooling, even if it dilutes the philosophical
purity the mom may be wanting.-=-

I love philosophically pure unschooling, but too many people seem to
be risking intact family, which risks (rather destroys) their chance
for even compromised half-assed unschooling!

They can convince the dads and then they have have philosophically
pure lives. <g>

Sandra

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Pamela Sorooshian

On Oct 27, 2006, at 9:28 PM, home_maker97 wrote:

> We will soon be
> moving to a small town and it scares me all the more. Does anyone else
> feel this way?

I have no fear of authorities. None at all. My kids are great, I can
speak articulately about education and what we're doing. Your best
plan is to be knowledgeable - read a lot about learning so that
you'll be confident just in case you ever have to speak to any
authorities. BUT - why would you? I've even put myself IN a position
to speak to authorities and never had a problem. I once sat at a
banquet at a table with the principals of the schools in our area
including even the chairwoman of the SARB (school attendance review
board). I talked about homeschooling and explained our state law to
them and conversed throughout the meal with them about learning and
education and even offered them some ideas of how some of what
homeschoolers do so well could be incorporated into schools.

> How do you handle it when your child goes outside into
> the backward to do some "recess"?

Yikes. Recess? My kids' entire life would be considered recess, by
schooled kids. And they don't just go into the backyard - they go
outside and in parks and museums and MacDonalds Play Places and the
beach and skate rinks and on and on.

Please don't keep them home and locked up during school hours. You SO
do not need to do that, no matter where you live!

> Will I feel more secure if i joined HSLDA?

You'll feel a lot more secure if you forget HSLDA exists. Don't read
their alerts - they write in grandiose and frightening language and
exaggerate everything and make it sound like the government is out to
get us. They scare people needlessly.

Do you know your state laws? Then follow them and be confident.

We've homeschooled for 12 years. I was on the board of my state
organization - the only problems people run into are because of
custody issues or because they took kids out of school during an pre-
existing dispute with the school.

-pam

Unschooling shirts, cups, bumper stickers, bags...
Live Love Learn
UNSCHOOL!
<http://www.cafepress.com/livelovelearn>





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Momma

Get very familiar with the homeschooling laws in your state. You will feel
better about being confronted when you know your rights. If anyone were to
question the situation you could give them what for. Knowledge is power.

Dawn





It only takes us a couple hours to do actual schoolwork. Most of
the day we play or run errands and on nice days, go outside. Yet
evertime he goes outside to play in our own yard i am in fear that
someone will see and report him claimming that he is not and school
and should be and then giving us all kinds of troubles. We also
homeschool year around so we take a day off or so when others are in
school. We keep in strict guidance with our state laws but I read
about all the trouble some people have and frankly it scares me to the
point that I wonder if homeschooling is worth it. We will soon be
moving to a small town and it scares me all the more. Does anyone else
feel this way? How do you handle it when your child goes outside into
the backward to do some "recess"? Will I feel more secure if i joined
HSLDA?





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

queenjane555

>We keep in strict guidance with our state laws but I read about all
>the trouble some people have and frankly it scares me to the point
>that I wonder if homeschooling is worth it.

This post showed up on one of my Michigan Homeschooling lists, and if
you are indeed in MI....we don't have any requirements here in which
to follow---no notification, no testing, no portfolios, nothing. We
have rarely been asked questions when we are out (usually its along
the lines of "Oh, are you off school today?")and never had a problem.
I think acting all paranoid, like you are doing something wrong or
have something to hide, would be more likely to get the attention of
your neighbors or the authorities, than happily homeschooling.


Katherine

[email protected]

**Please don't keep them home and locked up during school hours. You SO do
not need to do that, no matter where you live!**

Patrick (14) goes out and away a LOT during school hours. Riding his bike,
skateboarding, fishing.

The local schools have a huge anti-truancy focus, and both the village police
and the park district rangers have authority to pick up kids for truancy.
Still, he's only ever been questioned once, out of now hundreds of times he's
been out roaming free during school hours.

We have a ritual as he's going out the door - I ask "Why aren't you in
school?" The point is to come up with a suitable answer for the time of day, have it
ready, so if he's confronted he won't stand there fumbling for an answer,
perhaps sounding guilty of something. His answers are along the lines of "I'm
homeschooled, and I'm on my lunch break." or "I'm homeschooled, and we're done
for the day." While being questioned by a truant officer is probably not a good
time to choose to educate someone about unschooling. :)

Deborah in IL

Sandra Dodd

When my kids went out, for years I would send a 3x5 card with them
with a note giving the name(s), stating they were homeschooled and
were out with permission, and put my name and phone number on it.

I don't think anyone ever asked to see one, but it made me feel better.

It was like making a mall pass.

Sandra

Diane Bentzen

I used to spend some of my time heading places making
up excuses like (while taking kids on bike and wagon
to the park): "we're having PE--don't you realize that
youth obesity is a growing problem in this country?"
or when the kids come see me at work: "we're having
career education" and asking each person who came in
the break room what kind of work they do. Or when
taking kids to the doctors office (when they're not
the one sick) "We're learning about the health care
system."

Anytime they're outside, it's PE, not recess.

Fact is, though, I've never been asked more than was
covered by a simple "we homeschool." OH! except my
coworkers--that one I really DID use!

:-) Diane


--- DACunefare@... wrote:

> **Please don't keep them home and locked up during
> school hours. You SO do
> not need to do that, no matter where you live!**
>
> Patrick (14) goes out and away a LOT during school
> hours. Riding his bike, skateboarding, fishing.
>
> The local schools have a huge anti-truancy focus,
> and both the village police
> and the park district rangers have authority to pick
> up kids for truancy.
> Still, he's only ever been questioned once, out of
> now hundreds of times he's
> been out roaming free during school hours.
>
> We have a ritual as he's going out the door - I ask
> "Why aren't you in
> school?" The point is to come up with a suitable
> answer for the time of day, have it
> ready, so if he's confronted he won't stand there
> fumbling for an answer,
> perhaps sounding guilty of something. His answers
> are along the lines of "I'm
> homeschooled, and I'm on my lunch break." or "I'm
> homeschooled, and we're done
> for the day." While being questioned by a truant
> officer is probably not a good
> time to choose to educate someone about unschooling.
> :)
>
> Deborah in IL






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kinq_alhassan

--- In [email protected], "home_maker97"
<home_maker97@...> wrote:
>
> It only takes us a couple hours to do actual schoolwork. Most
of
> the day we play or run errands and on nice days, go outside. Yet
> evertime he goes outside to play in our own yard i am in fear that
> someone will see and report him claimming that he is not and school
> and should be and then giving us all kinds of troubles. We also
> homeschool year around so we take a day off or so when others are
in
> school. We keep in strict guidance with our state laws but I read
> about all the trouble some people have and frankly it scares me to
the
> point that I wonder if homeschooling is worth it. We will soon be
> moving to a small town and it scares me all the more. Does anyone
else
> feel this way? How do you handle it when your child goes outside
into
> the backward to do some "recess"? Will I feel more secure if i
joined
> HSLDA?
>