Faerie

Hi,

I'm Brenda and after giving unschooling alot of thought over the
past months started just this past Monday with my 6-year-old
Daughter Bre'Anda. We live in Texas. I have put off going to the
school to get her legally withdrawn and know that it must be done
tomorrow...Friday...but, I just feel so nervous.

Am I the only one who has felt like this or have any of you mothers
had that feeling of dread about withdrawing your children from
public school. I do feel its the right thing for my daughter, Im
just afraid of failing.......

I dont know any other unschooling mothers in this area and feel
really alone.

diana jenner

Faerie wrote:

>I'm Brenda and after giving unschooling alot of thought over the
>past months started just this past Monday with my 6-year-old
>Daughter Bre'Anda.
>
You gotta tell us how you pronounce this: Bree-anda or Bray-anda??

>We live in Texas. I have put off going to the
>school to get her legally withdrawn and know that it must be done
>tomorrow...Friday...but, I just feel so nervous.
>
>Am I the only one who has felt like this or have any of you mothers
>had that feeling of dread about withdrawing your children from
>public school. I do feel its the right thing for my daughter, Im
>just afraid of failing.......
>
>
I feel that dread every year I have to drop off my exemption form (my
kids have never been schooled, but we have to file exemption every year
in SD)... I chalk it up to the schools having done their job on *me* :)
I feel so defiant against the system - exciting and scary at the same
time! Recognizing that school-think in my own head and NOT acting upon
it is a big part of my own deschooling process. One month per year in
school... I've still got a way to go <g>
Fear of failing? Welcome to parenthood! It's all choices, choices,
choices... Do your best with what you know *right now* - if that is
keeping your daughter home and unschooling with her, then that's what
you should do and where your focus should be. I say enjoy the NOW, the
later will be taken care of when it eventually becomes your NOW :) This
is the only time -ever- you will have *this* joyful 6 year old soul in
your care: cherish it, appreciate it, revel in it.

>I dont know any other unschooling mothers in this area and feel
>really alone.
>
Most of us here can relate to this one... again, it's a pit of mixed
feelings (some days I /SO/ long to be the normal, mainstream mama),
calmed by the results - my kids are amazing humans, I must be doing
/something/ right <vbg>

Good luck tomorrow! :) diana


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Pam Sorooshian

Where in Texas are you? I know unschoolers in Texas - some of them are
here on this list!

pam


>> I dont know any other unschooling mothers in this area and feel
>> really alone.
>>

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In a message dated 1/20/2005 8:55:52 PM Eastern Standard Time,
faerieotrouble@... writes:
> Am I the only one who has felt like this or have any of you mothers
> had that feeling of dread about withdrawing your children from
> public school. I do feel its the right thing for my daughter, Im
> just afraid of failing.......
>
I feel like this every now and then. This is our 1st "official" year. Our
son did Kindergarten last year because I "chickened out" when it came time to
submit our intent to homeschool. He loved K and excelled, when I finally got
the nerve to do it, he wanted to stay. So we finished the year and then summer
flew by and the dreaded reporting came again and I felt alone and a little
scared. Which was strange because he and his brother have been home with me all
along except for a short time in childcare when I worked in the same school.
I am terrified that I may be ruining his future but then I see how happy he
is and varied his interests are. So we did it!!!!

This is time we can savor and can never get back at the same time, so I think
that makes all the twinges of fear go away. I knew this was "right"
somewhere inside and I always have and now that we are in the midst of it, I can't
imagine life any other way.

Sometimes I miss the "normality" of the PTA moms, school events, and such. I
worry that he feels different when he's with the boys in Tiger Cubs-they all
go to school. But then I remember those are far and few between events and
that we have so much more to fill up all the other times.

If you feel like it's right, live for the now and have a fabulous time.
Always think of the things you've gained and not of the things you "might" have
missed. You'll love this time. Even if you ever do school again, this is time
you'll cherish forever.

And I am completely alone here in VA :o) But this list is amazing and that
helps!!!!

Pamela


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Angela S

<<<<Sometimes I miss the "normality" of the PTA moms, school events, and
such. I
worry that he feels different when he's with the boys in Tiger Cubs-they all

go to school. But then I remember those are far and few between events and
that we have so much more to fill up all the other times.>>>>



Would you worry that he didn't fit in if they were all abused and your son
wasn't? It's a bit of a stretch, but why don't you help him to see how
lucky he is to be the one who isn't the same. I still think to myself and
say aloud at times, "This is so cool, most kids are in school and here we
are (camping, or riding, or hanging out in our pajamas, etc)." When that
school bus goes by my house I realize just how much time my children would
spend away from me if they went to school. I think they are just so lucky!



Angela

game-enthusiast@...





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[email protected]

In a message dated 1/21/2005 7:53:08 AM Eastern Standard Time,
game-enthusiast@... writes:
> Would you worry that he didn't fit in if they were all abused and your son
> wasn't? It's a bit of a stretch, but why don't you help him to see how
> lucky he is to be the one who isn't the same. I still think to myself and
> say aloud at times, "This is so cool, most kids are in school and here we
> are (camping, or riding, or hanging out in our pajamas, etc)." When that
> school bus goes by my house I realize just how much time my children would
> spend away from me if they went to school. I think they are just so lucky!
>
>
I feel the same when I see school buses. One thing that really stands out is
when kids are standing out in horrible weather when they could be in their
jammies or whatever. The Kindergarteners get a bus ride but 1st and up walk to
the school and we live at the farthest end of the neighborhood. If we ever do
get up that time of day and I see these little kids walking about 3/4 of a
mile on a very busy road, it scares me.

I am thankful for where we are now, just a little afraid too sometimes.

Pamela


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Jenny Altenbach

>
> >
> I feel the same when I see school buses. One thing that really stands
> out is
> when kids are standing out in horrible weather when they could be in
> their
> jammies or whatever. The Kindergarteners get a bus ride but 1st and
> up walk to
> the school and we live at the farthest end of the neighborhood. If we
> ever do
> get up that time of day and I see these little kids walking about 3/4
> of a
> mile on a very busy road, it scares me.


We have an elementary school at the end of our street so every day I see
little kids walking down the block with GIGANTIC backpacks on their
backs and I wonder what on earth they need such heavy packs for in 2nd
grade. I mean, those backpacks alone are enough to convince me not to
send my kids to school!
Then the neighbor's dog barks at them and they have to cross a busy
street at the other end and I just feel so sorry for them.

Right now my 4.5 yo is happily taking apart a broken computer printer.
He's using it to cut up dried apples. Later we're going to the Natural
History museum to see their seismograph of the big Christmas earthquake
in Asia. Then we're going to the playground.

Jenny

>

Sylvia Toyama

We live on a block with an elementary school at one end and a middle school at the other, so we see kids going to and from school in two batches every day. Yes, all with HUGE backpacks, some using those little luggage carts (mostly mid-school kids). I'm always amazed to see little kids -- 6 or 7yo -- walking in groups on the way home. They look so small and lost. I remember when we brieflyconsidered sending Andy to kindergarten, thinking it kinda odd that they have a separate, fenced playground for the kindergarten kids -- keeping them away from the older kids. I had to wonder what kind of atmosphere it was that they felt the need to segregate that way. More worrisome, that after only one year (and not much physical growth) they'd be out there on a playground with much bigger kids and only a few teachers to supervise. Yikes!

Jenny, we saw the seismograph last week at the museum -- it was really impressive just to see how big it was, and to see the sections before, as it built towards the big quake.

Sylvia

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In a message dated 1/21/2005 1:11:21 PM Eastern Standard Time,
salten@... writes:
> We have an elementary school at the end of our street so every day I see
> little kids walking down the block with GIGANTIC backpacks on their
> backs and I wonder what on earth they need such heavy packs for in 2nd
> grade. I mean, those backpacks alone are enough to convince me not to
> send my kids to school!
> Then the neighbor's dog barks at them and they have to cross a busy
> street at the other end and I just feel so sorry for them.


The backpacks are crazy, you'd almost think that they could have school
copies and home copies of books to prevent the early onset of the "hunchback" look.

We have a crossing guard at the end of the street but that intersection has
seen a ton of accidents. As the flock passes, there are very few excited or
happily animated faces. I'm sure school isn't miserable for all kids but I bet
if the choice were there, a good many of them would rather be at home with
family.

A few kids down the block, were outside last night and I could hear them
wishing for a snow day again today. They were out yesterday for a little dusting
and hoped it would freeze up for today. These same kids are rarely out in the
snow if we ever get any so I know it's the excitement of a day off from
school and not the fun of the weather. From our side, my kids are hoping it'll
stick and accumulate enough for snowmen, angels, and snowball fights. And their
new thing is to use the plops of snow from their boots in the living room for
their action figures to walk through.

Does anyone have any fun and unique ideas for snow play? We get it so rarely
in decent quantity but it would be fun to do new things.

I don't miss school at all but I'd sure miss what I have now.

Pamela


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Kristina Kahney

Hi Brenda,
Where in TX do you live? I live in the Houston area.
Kristina




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Kristina Kahney

b229d655@... wrote:
<<when a school bus goes by my house I realize just how much time my children would spend away from me if they went to school. I think they are just so lucky!>>

LOL! Just today we went to a park with some friends that was right across the street of an elementry school. When we were leaving my daughter (7 1/2) said "those kids are just NOW going home?" when she saw kids loading up on the school bus. It was between 3 and 4 and we were already talking about what to do for dinner. How sad to only see your children for a few hours a day...when do you get to know them as they grow and change? Feeling grateful as well :)
Kristina


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Jackie Chovanes

On Jan 21, 2005, at 8:12 PM, b229d655@... wrote:

>
> Does anyone have any fun and unique ideas for snow play? We get it so
> rarely
> in decent quantity but it would be fun to do new things.

Hi,

I've been lurking here for about 3 weeks, and will do a better intro
later, but just wanted to share that my kids (ages 4 and 2) like to use
their beach toys (pails, shovels, different shaped molds, sieves, etc.)
to make snow castles and such. They also love it when I fill up squirt
bottles with colored water so they can "paint" the snow.

Jackie, mom to Sophie (4) and Livie (2)
jchovanes@...

Renee Seawell

Hi Pamela: I have homeschooled my children for the past 8 years. This year due to much needed
speech therapy and reading problems, I enrolled our daughter in public school.

She is 9 and absolutely LOVES it. I MISS HER EVERY MINUTE OF EVERY DAY but after much prayer I
realized we were at a season in our life where this decision was called for. I've just ask God to
hit both of us over the head with it when it's time for her to come home to school again.

I do still homeschool my boys. I firmly believe that you should cherish each and every moment you
have with your children at home. We never know what the future might bring and we have to realize
it's about them, not us. Blessings to you in your unschooling and please keep us in your prayers.

Renee in GA



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In a message dated 1/23/2005 3:18:20 PM Eastern Standard Time,
Rseawell@... writes:
> She is 9 and absolutely LOVES it. I MISS HER EVERY MINUTE OF EVERY DAY


I am glad she loves it. And I'm sure you miss her terribly.

I think about the future at times too. What if I had to go back to work?
What if we didn't pass the end of the year SOL's (this will be the 1st year for
that)? That kinda stuff.

We are all greatful for what we have now. I can look back at Kindergarten
last year and I know how hard it was for me to drop my oldest son off each day.
It was half-day, only three hours but it seemed like forever. Not to mention
the strain on our family. It took a lot out of all of us especially his
little brother. We suddenly had a schedule and times were just not real happy.
My son, however was having a great time and doing very well.

We are all happy now. He finished the year. And then never asked about it
again.

It's a wonderful thing, what we have.

Pamela


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