mirirandiew

Hi there,

I'd love to hear your thoughts on whether or not unschooling just one of two siblings is possible. I know it's not ideal, but given my life situation at the moment, it's kind of a miracle I've even had the strength and courage to take one of my kids out of school. This list has been a huge support - Thank you.

I'm a mom to two kids, a boy, age 8, and a girl, age 5. My son was put into a special ed classroom for kindergarten, mainstreamed for 1st and 2nd, and I have taken him out of school a month ago, as I realize that environment is not loving or kind to him. He is doing way better emotionally not attending school. So much pressure has been lessened. He laughs. He looks me in the eye. He talks about things he's interested in.

My daughter likes kindergarten. She is outgoing and social and kids and teachers like her. As far as I can tell, she is not being scarred, punished, demeaned, or disrespected by teachers or administrators the way my son was.

For many reasons, it is easier for me unschool my son alone and send my daughter to school. I see school as a babysitter for her, really. I can take my son to work with me, most of the time, but I cannot take both kids to work.

Many thanks,
Miranda

Sandra Dodd

-=-My daughter likes kindergarten. She is outgoing and social and kids and teachers like her. As far as I can tell, she is not being scarred, punished, demeaned, or disrespected by teachers or administrators the way my son was. -=-

It is possible that it will work out longterm.  

Maybe be on the lookout for her pressuring him or suggesting (because of things she's learning at school that aren't in the curriculum) that he's stupid or will never get a job if he doesn't go to school, and such.  Liking school can be an investment in schoolishness that might not hurt her, but guard against it hurting him.  

Might not ever be an issue.

I think your daughter knowing that you're someone who sees homeschooling as an alternative will make school even better for her, because it will be REALLY her choice.  And if things change and she doesn't love school any more after a few years, I hope you will be in a position to give her the option to stay home, too.   

Sandra

<plaidpanties666@...>

>>I can take my son to work with me, most of the time, but I cannot take both kids to work.<<


In the short term, since she enjoys school and wants to be there, that works out well... but there are plenty of kids who enjoy Kindergarten but by 1st or 2nd grade don't want to be in school any more. So it wouldn't hurt to start considering how you could work that out. 

For a time, when my stepson was first sent back to us by his bio mom, she wouldn't let us pull him out of school, so I had one kid unschooling and one unhappily in school. It helped that I made home a haven, a place where he could relax and enjoy himself. I did his homework for him - he'd copy it in his own handwriting - and that gave us a lot more time together as a family in the evenings And it gave me a way to commiserate with him about the futility of schoolwork. It let him feel like I was Really on his side, not just the usual parental "I'm trying to help you by making you do something you dislike".