Homeschooling a good idea for me???

[azuredw]

[Theodore]

[azuredw]

[4given]

[azuredw]

I really appreciate all of your input!!! This is just something that we have JUST started talking about. It has always been in the back of my mind but I've never thought of it as a possibility.

So what is your schedule like? We have a large church family and have a few parents that are already homeschooling and several that have been thinking about it. We have thought about meeting at the church a few days a week to school together. Do you have any experience with situations like that? I'm just wondering how productive groups like that tend to be.

I have to admit that my biggest fear is him not wanting to be homeschooled. If he said that he wanted to be homeschooled then I would do it in a heart beat! I am pretty sure that if we can keep him in sports or other extracurriculars he would be fine. It's always the fear of the unknown.

I feel that I could do a better job teaching him. What do you do in the older grades when they start learning about chemistry and biology? We live in Terre Haute IN and the the best Tech school in the country, Rose Hulman. If this was something that we did do I thought about calling them and seeing if they had any programs he could be involved in.

I hope this is the right forum to be posting all my questions and fears in. I'm sure everyone has had some of the same fears when thinking about homeschooling.

[momo3boys]

I would include your son in the discussion of this. You don't want to spring it on him and say "guess what we decided".

Talk to him about the benefits shorter days, sleeping later...
and be honest about the negatives, not seeing his friends during the day, not riding the bus...

Remember he is a teenager, and they are unpredictable.

[Theodore]

To be honest, the first 3 or 4 kids are the hardest. After that, the oldest ones are able to work mostly on their own, and can start helping out with chores. A 13-year-old shouldn't be too much trouble, though - it's more a question of how well you can handle the other three

For chemistry, biology, or anything else involving lab, I'd suggest enrolling him in courses at the local community college. I think the age cut-off is 14? The courses cost like $300 each (if your state doesn't pay the full cost), but you don't have to mess with buying any lab or safety equipment.