If there is anything I know about homeschooling, it is there are many paths to becoming a homeschooling family. It's interesting to talk with people about their motivations and reasons for making this choice. I may say I'm not a typical homeschooling family, but the truth is, I don't think there really is a "typical" family anymore!
When I graduated from college, my five year plan didn't really include homeschooling a child in the seventh grade. Step-parenting wasn't something I had really thought of all, as very few of my friends or families were blended families. When I met my husband D, however, step parenting was something I had to consider - he had full custody of a then ten-year-old boy. Those first couple of months were tricky. At the time C was very reserved, and I'm not sure we had an actual conversation until I'd been dating his dad about 6 months. There were some strained and awkward moments at first!
Helping C with his homework was one of the first ways I got to know him. As I spent time a couple evenings a week at their house, D and I began to share homework duties. It quickly became evident that school and C didn't really get along well. My husband was working hard to give C a good education, but single parenting and a curriculum that didn't meet C's needs was not helping. Before I came along, he'd spent large amounts of money on tutors and extra help, and C was still struggling just to be an average student. There were days I felt so bad for both of them - learning was such a chore, and honestly, sometimes his assignments were so stupid. Lots of busywork came home, and not a lot that actually helped him master the skills he needed. D had just finished fighting a huge fight with the school to hold C back a year - the school was so motivated by NCLB money it was willing to pass a student who had mostly F's. Their situation was a prime example of the public school not working.
While I was seeing what it was like to parent a child in the public school, D was having some of his misconceptions about homeschooling changed. Until he met me, the few homeschoolers he'd met were the underachieving, not-really-taking-care-of-their-kids-type. He thought homeschooling was a way lazy parents took to keep from having to get their kids on the bus in the morning. Then he met my family and friends! After meeting my siblings and the many homeschooled adult friends I have, he realized that homeschooling was not a sure fire way to ruin a child.
After dating about 8 months or so, D and I began discussing our future together, and one of the subjects was, of course, homeschooling. I wanted to have a child or two, and I wanted to at least consider homeschooling our children if we were able. D was very agreeable, and we soon began talking about homeschooling C as well. It had become evident by this point that C and I worked well together, and that I was able to teach concepts in ways he understood. We agreed that if it was something C wanted, and we could swing it for me to stay home, homeschooling was something we would consider.
Shockingly, as we began to broach the idea of homeschooling to C, he was thrilled. I don't think I can express just how much C hated going to school. He would get ill some days from worrying about it. It was so unhealthy! We had all the usual conversations about how homeschooling wasn't a free pass, he'd have to really work, and if anything, homeschooling would mean more work and higher level work. He was in on all of it.
So the "almost decision" had be made - we were going to consider homeschooling C!
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