I'm losing my mind and need some advice!
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 12:56 pm
Hello all. This is the first year I've decided to homeschool. I KNOW that it's whats best for my kids. My oldest is 8yrs old and would be in the third grade. For her entire school life she was very far ahead of her peers, but they never fed that they would just compliment her at conferences. Anyways, last year halfway through the year she started getting 64%'s and 50's on tests and I was concerned so I asked the teacher and she said "Oh, don't worry that's great compared to the other students most of the kids are getting 19%'s or 20%'s so shes at least doing better than they are. That just wasn't enough for me. We struggled for the remainder of the year and a week before school was to start this year I took matters into my own hands and decided to homeschool. Leaping in head first without even an idea as to how many options were available for how I would homeschool her. I am finding that my head spins from morning until night and I haven't been getting to bed until usually around 2:30am because I'm up looking up information and tips or ways to do this. I have two other children, a 4year old and a 5month old so I am also up very early. Probably not helping much in the way of my sanity but I can't sleep. My husband is gone for quite a while out of state earning his CDL then off to drive over the road for a year so Im really doing this on my own with noone to bounce ideas off of.
I do have a homeschool group that I get together with. A wonderful group of ladies and they all do their own thing. It's being strongly recommended that I try unschooling, since I'm so overwhelmed with it all but I don't even know where to begin with that. I am extremely sad to say that I haven't a clue as to what my daughters interests are. Well - I know she likes workbooks and puzzles. She likes to challenge herself. But as for her favorite animals or hobbies I just don't know.
I'm to the point of tears now, worrying that I'm failing my daughter. I know I shouldn't feel that way because it's only technically the third week of school but I can't help it. I know she could soar through this curriculum and I know her potential is unlimited I just don't know where to go with that. When I ask her what she's interested in she gets stressed out. I really think she's afraid she has to have the right answer - she's lost the ability to come up with her own opinion - something I once lost as a child after years of being suppressed and I want her to know she's so important and that her opinion is valued in this family.
(deep sigh) I guess I just need to vent. I need advice and probably some therapy LOL. Sorry I rambled on so long I just felt the need to give some background as well. I know there are tons of books out there adn tons of styles as well. We all want what's best for our children and that is different for each one. I just need some encouragement. Has anyone ever let their child just go through the curriculum workbooks on their own for fun? My daughter could probably finish an entire lifepac math book in a week if I let her but I worry that she might not be grasping things that way. But thats what she wants so should I just let her do it??? Aghh....see still so many questions.
Thanks for letting me vent. Can't wait to hear from you!
I do have a homeschool group that I get together with. A wonderful group of ladies and they all do their own thing. It's being strongly recommended that I try unschooling, since I'm so overwhelmed with it all but I don't even know where to begin with that. I am extremely sad to say that I haven't a clue as to what my daughters interests are. Well - I know she likes workbooks and puzzles. She likes to challenge herself. But as for her favorite animals or hobbies I just don't know.
I'm to the point of tears now, worrying that I'm failing my daughter. I know I shouldn't feel that way because it's only technically the third week of school but I can't help it. I know she could soar through this curriculum and I know her potential is unlimited I just don't know where to go with that. When I ask her what she's interested in she gets stressed out. I really think she's afraid she has to have the right answer - she's lost the ability to come up with her own opinion - something I once lost as a child after years of being suppressed and I want her to know she's so important and that her opinion is valued in this family.
(deep sigh) I guess I just need to vent. I need advice and probably some therapy LOL. Sorry I rambled on so long I just felt the need to give some background as well. I know there are tons of books out there adn tons of styles as well. We all want what's best for our children and that is different for each one. I just need some encouragement. Has anyone ever let their child just go through the curriculum workbooks on their own for fun? My daughter could probably finish an entire lifepac math book in a week if I let her but I worry that she might not be grasping things that way. But thats what she wants so should I just let her do it??? Aghh....see still so many questions.
Thanks for letting me vent. Can't wait to hear from you!