What if child has to go into public school
Marla B.
Hi,
I'm posting this for a friend who has been very ill and in and out of the hospital. Her husband, as well, has been very ill and in and out of the hospital. Between hospital stays, drs. visits, and not knowing what the long term outcome is for either of them, they have begun to think that their 9-yo. son may need to eventually go to public school. They've always unschooled him and she's worried about his readiness for school.
I honestly didn't know how to answer as I feel that my kids are brilliant in many areas, but not always "school" areas, as that is not important to us. However, if you didn't have a choice and had to put your kids back in school, how would you answer this question.
Thanks for your input.
Marla Mom to Amy (10 yo.) and Lily (5 yo.)
I'm posting this for a friend who has been very ill and in and out of the hospital. Her husband, as well, has been very ill and in and out of the hospital. Between hospital stays, drs. visits, and not knowing what the long term outcome is for either of them, they have begun to think that their 9-yo. son may need to eventually go to public school. They've always unschooled him and she's worried about his readiness for school.
I honestly didn't know how to answer as I feel that my kids are brilliant in many areas, but not always "school" areas, as that is not important to us. However, if you didn't have a choice and had to put your kids back in school, how would you answer this question.
Thanks for your input.
Marla Mom to Amy (10 yo.) and Lily (5 yo.)
diana jenner
Having been the mom who's life seemed to be dictated by diagnoses, my advice
would be:
Don't think about school until it's in your life. A home filled with
illnesses and uncertainty, doesn't need the added energy expended in
thinking/worrying about school. There's a study somewhere about kids who
were never exposed to school nor school-think and enrolled for the first
time at 12, by 13 they were indistinguishable from their peers. (study makes
me sad, though it might bring comfort to this situation)
I, personally, wouldn't look to school as an easy fix in this situation... a
9 year old might very easily feel as though they're being "fired" from their
job in the family and could come to see school as a way for the adults to
keep him out of where he really wants to be. I hope this mama has a support
system who can help make the next few/many months joyful as they muddle
through their journey *Together*!
After that, if school isn't the easy solution, but perhaps the only one...
I'd reassure the child that this is a *for now* solution and when
circumstances change, the school participation can be revisited. Make clear
in THOUGHT WORD & DEED that the child is not being separated from the
situation because of any actions on their part.
If this is a terminal situation, and there aren't unschooling options, you
can sure recommend she contact Kelly Lovejoy - who has blanket offered to
parent unschooled orphans in their parents' absence.
I've got more rolling round my head, so if there are more questions and more
details, I can help some more :D
~diana :)
xoxoxoxo
hannahbearski.blogspot.com
hannahsashes.blogspot.com
dianas365.blogspot.com
would be:
Don't think about school until it's in your life. A home filled with
illnesses and uncertainty, doesn't need the added energy expended in
thinking/worrying about school. There's a study somewhere about kids who
were never exposed to school nor school-think and enrolled for the first
time at 12, by 13 they were indistinguishable from their peers. (study makes
me sad, though it might bring comfort to this situation)
I, personally, wouldn't look to school as an easy fix in this situation... a
9 year old might very easily feel as though they're being "fired" from their
job in the family and could come to see school as a way for the adults to
keep him out of where he really wants to be. I hope this mama has a support
system who can help make the next few/many months joyful as they muddle
through their journey *Together*!
After that, if school isn't the easy solution, but perhaps the only one...
I'd reassure the child that this is a *for now* solution and when
circumstances change, the school participation can be revisited. Make clear
in THOUGHT WORD & DEED that the child is not being separated from the
situation because of any actions on their part.
If this is a terminal situation, and there aren't unschooling options, you
can sure recommend she contact Kelly Lovejoy - who has blanket offered to
parent unschooled orphans in their parents' absence.
I've got more rolling round my head, so if there are more questions and more
details, I can help some more :D
~diana :)
xoxoxoxo
hannahbearski.blogspot.com
hannahsashes.blogspot.com
dianas365.blogspot.com
On Tue, Mar 17, 2009 at 11:36 AM, Marla B. <marla@...> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I'm posting this for a friend who has been very ill and in and out of the
> hospital. Her husband, as well, has been very ill and in and out of the
> hospital. Between hospital stays, drs. visits, and not knowing what the long
> term outcome is for either of them, they have begun to think that their
> 9-yo. son may need to eventually go to public school. They've always
> unschooled him and she's worried about his readiness for school.
>
> I honestly didn't know how to answer as I feel that my kids are brilliant
> in many areas, but not always "school" areas, as that is not important to
> us. However, if you didn't have a choice and had to put your kids back in
> school, how would you answer this question.
>
> Thanks for your input.
>
>
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Marla B.
Diana, Thanks for your beautiful, thoughtful response. You have such a wonderful way with your writing. I'll pass your post along to my friend.
Thanks!
Marla
Thanks!
Marla