jenjon1964

Hi everybody,
You are all
such nice ladies I was hoping for some advice from all of you. I am
homeschooling my twin boys that just turned 7 and we are doing great.
My problem is with my 14 year old son. He goes to public school and
is
in 8th grade. He is having a lot of difficulty passing his academic
classes. He is very smart and he does good on his tests and
quizzes,he
just doesn't do his homework. He has been like this ever since he
started going to school. He just doesn't like it. He would lie to me
when he was little by saying he did his homework when he really
didn't,and it has just escalated even more. I can never tell when he
tells the truth. He's failing all of his academics due to this and He
was and still is so sad to go to school. I have no problems with him
at home,he is a great kid. He just doest like school. I'm
not sure what to do. I've taken things away from him like the
playstation, computer etc. I've punished him,he doesn't hang out with
friends, he likes tobe home with us. It's as if he just quit on
school. This
is the same little boy who wanted to read when he was four,and he
did,he has also taught himself how to play the guitar, so I don't
understand. The reason I never left him home was because I never
thought I could. I found out about homeschooling from a mom at the
park. Since my twins were a little delay I started to homeschool them
because I knew they were not ready for a classroom, and we love it. I
never thought of homeschooling my older son,because I also have a
daughter in public school and she is 16 and always did great. Can
someone please give me some advice. I am so confused.
Thank you in advance,
Barb

Lalita

> I never thought of homeschooling my older son,because I also have a
daughter in public school and she is 16 and always did great. Can
someone please give me some advice. I am so confused.<

For me, I would ask him if he would rather homeschool? or unschool even at home. Sounds to me like he thrives when he's with his family & you. You can still pull him out of public school and start homeschooling.

Wishing you the best,
Lalita



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

Joanne

Hi Barb,

You're aware this is an unschooling list, right? I only ask because
the advice you receive will reflect that.

You say your son is a great kid and that he doesn't like school.
Seems easy to me Barb...take him out and start unschooling right
along side him.

You say he learned to read at four and taught himself guitar, but
you don't understand why he doesn't like school. School has nothing
to offer him and it seems he knows it.

Stick around and read a while. This is a great place for parents to
wrap their head around unschooling. Consider this your homework. :-)

~ Joanne ~
Mom to Jacqueline (8), Shawna (11) & Cimion (14)
http://anunschoolinglife.blogspot.com/

Ren Allen

~~It's as if he just quit on
school. ~~

Good for him!!:)
School isn't about learning, it's about conforming. Trust that he can
learn anything and everything he needs for his unique life's journey
without school of any kind, if that's what he chooses. Get him out
today if that's what HE wants (and it sounds like he does!!). Let him
choose what he learns and when he learns it. BE together doing the
things you all love, pretend like school doesn't exist and life will
get better for him.

Please read, read, read about unschooling. I think you've accidentally
stumbled onto the answer.

Ren
learninginfreedom.com

Vanessa

Barb,

I would just take him out of school, and start the deschooling
process. It is ok, if one child likes school, and does well with
it, and the other one doesn't.

I just pulled my kids out of public school, at the end of last year
(they were in 3rd and 4th grade). Since having them out, they are
learning what it is really like to live life, and enjoy the things
they like. There are no more tests, no more spelling, and no more
learning about uninteresting things. Now they learn at their own
pace, and are more relaxed.

When my daughter was in school (she's 9), she was labeled with "she
struggles with math and always will.", and now that I have her home,
she is more at ease with adding and subtracting stuff, and has done
much better with it.

When my son was in school (he's 11) he wasn't a very good speller,
and would add letters in the words, even though they didn't belong
in it. He would get very upset, and frustrated. Now he is much
better at spelling, than he ever was in public school.

They are still deschooling, and telling me different things about
the horrors of public school. We are healing together, for the
things we all had to deal with.

Life is so much better on the other side. It may be video games,
and computer, and shopping and movies, but they still learn, and
they are having more fun now, then they did in public school.

Time to let go, bring your son home, and spread your wings.
Unschooling is great, and I am really enjoying getting to know my
kids again. Take care, and best of luck to you and your son.

---Vanessa














--- In [email protected], "jenjon1964"
<amparo0914@...> wrote:
>
> Hi everybody,
> You are all
> such nice ladies I was hoping for some advice from all of you. I
am
> homeschooling my twin boys that just turned 7 and we are doing
great.
> My problem is with my 14 year old son. He goes to public school
and
> is
> in 8th grade. He is having a lot of difficulty passing his
academic
> classes. He is very smart and he does good on his tests and
> quizzes,he
> just doesn't do his homework. He has been like this ever since he
> started going to school. He just doesn't like it. He would lie to
me
> when he was little by saying he did his homework when he really
> didn't,and it has just escalated even more. I can never tell when
he
> tells the truth. He's failing all of his academics due to this and
He
> was and still is so sad to go to school. I have no problems with
him
> at home,he is a great kid. He just doest like school. I'm
> not sure what to do. I've taken things away from him like the
> playstation, computer etc. I've punished him,he doesn't hang out
with
> friends, he likes tobe home with us. It's as if he just quit on
> school. This
> is the same little boy who wanted to read when he was four,and he
> did,he has also taught himself how to play the guitar, so I don't
> understand. The reason I never left him home was because I never
> thought I could. I found out about homeschooling from a mom at the
> park. Since my twins were a little delay I started to homeschool
them
> because I knew they were not ready for a classroom, and we love
it. I
> never thought of homeschooling my older son,because I also have a
> daughter in public school and she is 16 and always did great. Can
> someone please give me some advice. I am so confused.
> Thank you in advance,
> Barb
>