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Okay to make a long story short or shorter here I go. I home schooled my ds and dd last year. My ds has is LD, which is why I pulled him out of public school in the first place. I was planning on home schooling this year and started off doing that but ended up putting both in school in October. I miscarried in July and then got pregnant again very quickly! Neither was planned so that was a shock I wasn't even over the sadness of loosing my baby when I go pregnant again. I am pregnant and have been very sick with this one. I put them in school because I could hardly function, take care of all five kids and school at the same time. Well now I am feeling better finally about three weeks ago. And have this overwhelming feeling of wanting to home school again. I am seeing a change in my ds behavior and don't like it I don't have time to really work with him and my dd because I pick them up and when we get home it make dinner, clean up , get ready for bed etc. They need to go to bed kind of early because they have to get up early! I am running two or even three times a day out to drop and pick kids up! I am just not feeling like I am living what God had planned for me. I know when the baby comes things will be crazy, but I wonder if I should start home schooling again? Would it be to much for my kids to pull them out only after being in school for a few months? I hate to switch them back and forth. I have all the stuff to home school as that was my plan this year where would I start then? I have BLHFHG and LHFHG . Were would I start with these programs? What should I do? I am looking for honest real answers here! You won't hurt my feelings. I just want to do what is best for my kids!!! Please help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sheila mom to five great kids and one on the way!

yayadaisy wrote: I hate to switch them back and forth. I have all the stuff to home school as that was my plan this year where would I start then? I have BLHFHG and LHFHG . Were would I start with these programs? What should I do? I am looking for honest real answers here! You won't hurt my feelings. I just want to do what is best for my kids!!! Please help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First let me say congratulations on your pregnancy. Being sick is good that means healthy and staying the full nine months so that is a blessing. I am over joyed for you! Now for the answer and I will be honest. But I can only be honest for what is in my heart. I have BTDT for putting my kids back in ps after hsing for a year and doing it because I felt it would be better for them. I also have in common that I have a child with special needs that also comes with LD. And I also have six kids. So know that I am speaking from all of that. You really have to search your own heart hard on this, but here goes.

If it were me I would pull them out for good and I mean for good. At least until 8th grade but for me personally I mean all the way through. I would work through the hard times and I would view those similarly to hard times in a marriage, you just work through it. We all have them I am in one right now and our school will be longer this year because I have needed to take time off for my health and just because life got hard. But this is what we do so I am committed to go no matter what. I feel it is a call from God. But it is my call from God and I think you have to really search your heart and see is it your call from God. Is that feeling God showing you that it is or Satan attacking you because it is not, only you can answer that. If you search your heart and find it is your call then I would pull them out now Christmas vacation is the perfect time and just get started beginning of Jan. If you decide to do that I would start where you left off on the programs and not worry about finishing the guide within the year, eventually you will get "on track". History and Bible are cyclical and in the end where you are and leave off is not the issue as much as just learning it well is.

Ok that is my honest, heart searching, putting myself in your shoes answer. I hope that it is helpful and I hope there is nothing hurtful. I can only answer for myself, it is all really anyone can do. But I wanted to give you the brutal truth of what my answer would be for me because it is what you are asking for and I am hoping it will help you decide one way or the other. One word of advice, pray for God to show you His will and His call for you in this clearly and to accompany it with peace beyond all understand. In that ignore logic because logic has no place in determining His call for you, wisdom maybe but not so much logic. Ask to hear His voice on this. I know He will be faithful to answer!

Praying for God to bless you in this!

Water2wine did a better job of this then I can do, and I don't know how helpful this will be as I've never been in your situation. But it sounds to me from what you wrote that you WANT to bring them back home. It sounds like it's not really simplifying things having them in school, because it seems that you are running around a lot anyway. It really might make you feel better having all of them at home. And I know you're concerned about going back and forth, and I truly understand your concern. That's why if you bring them home, I'd have to agree with w2w, it needs to be for good. You have to "really mean it." And I know it's hard when you're pregnant and feeling sick and have a bunch of kiddos running around the house. And I know it will be difficult with a newborn. But the thing with hsing is that you can take breaks when you need them. You can go through the summer if you need to, or whatever you need to do to make it work out.

I can really tell that your heart is hurting here, and I can completely tell that you're trying to do the right thing for your kiddos. Just keep praying. I know you'll do the right thing for your kiddos.

Sheila,

I was actually just thinking about you this week and praying for you and wondering where you were. The Lord must have brought you to my mind! I knew that you lost your baby just a week after I did this summer...and I'm so glad to see that you have another on the way. Congratualtions!

I agree with everything water2wine said. I agree that it's hard to know what would be best for our kids sometimes...and there seem to be a lot of "voices" telling us what they think is right. If it were me, I'd very prayerfully consider what my husband and I believe God wants us to do and then commit to do it. I actually have a friend that lived here in my area that pulled her kids in and out of school (one year 4 or 5 times). That was really hard on her kids. I also know that in our family we are committed to homeschooling, but at the same time know that if we feel God is directing us otherwise sometime in the future we aren't going to homeschool just to homeschool. I guess what I'm trying to say is that we know the future is in God's hands and "flexible" as far as the plans we make.

Praying for clarity as you seek God's wisdom on this.
Kathleen

Sheila,

I tried to respond to this post yesterday, and my computer died on me about halfway through...I didn't pay attention to the warning I guess. So, I'll try again now. The ladies have given you great advice from their hearts, and I doubt anything I say will be anymore meaningful.

I am so happy for you that you are expecting again. I also want you to know I am sorry for the previous loss you suffered, and I am lifting you up in prayer now that God will heal those wounds and make you able to truly enjoy this pregnancy experience...sickness and all.

I have been where you are now as far as putting your kids back in school. My children have been in ps, private school, and homeschooled at various times. And I agree with W2W that it had to be a true call from God until I was able to stick with it. I had put my kids back into private school and was working at the school in after care and as a pre-school aid. I was at work from 8-6 every day...and I was taking classes when I wasn't in the classroom. I was focused on pursuing my 'call' to teach (it hasn't escaped me that I did indeed have a call to teach, it just wasn't what I thought it was!), so I was trying to get my classes done so I could get my degree. Hence, my poor children were in school/after care until 6 each evening. Then we had to pick up my youngest and get home to make dinner, do homework, get baths, and go to bed. My dh often made it home before me and got dinner started...and I felt so guilty because he had to work...I did not. It was the worst year! My littlest had sleep issues...I had to sit with him for over an hour every night to get him to go to sleep. By January of that year, we all knew we could not have another year like this. I committed to be off work the next year by 3 p.m. and I told my boss this...and I had a pre-k teaching job lined up when the year ended. I took 5 classes over the summer...why did I still not see what God was trying to show me?...and had to take school work on vacation with us so I could keep up; I still had to drop one class. During our vacation, I really started to 'get it'. It was so peaceful in the mountains, and we had such fun just being together as a family...and I was missing out on so much because I had to work each morning while my husband took the kids swimming and hiking, etc. My re-evaluation of my life continued when I returned home and I took the kids out of daycare..they were home when I worked on my school work and it was tough, but I was glad I had them back. After just a few weeks at home my littlest ds's sleep issues began to go away. And my older children's behavior was getting better. However, there were other things the Lord had to show me. My daughter could not read....I knew she was struggling when she left kindergarten, but we had little time left to work on it and I also knew she could not handle the 1st grade pace in that school. I kept hearing Deuteronomy 6: 5-9...I didn't actually know the reference then, but I found it.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commands that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

These verses were constantly running through my head, and I couldn't make those words fit what I was getting ready to do..which was put my kids back in school for someone else to teach, while I was going to be teaching other people's children. That was not what God wanted for my family...I know others do it and it is what He has for them at the time. So I approached my husband, and after many days of prayer and deliberation, and his doubting me because I had tried this hs'ing thing twice before, he agreed to le me try for the year. I had promised to stick it out no matter what...that I would not quit even if it got hard I wanted to quit. I knew that God would get me through...and He did. We are now on our 3rd year homeschooling. There have been many days that I've wanted to give up...but the Lord has always reminded me that it is His plan for my family, even when I don't see the 'big picture' and I think I'm failing.

So, all that to say, if it is God's will for your family then I would say pull them out and don't send them back after Christmas. If you and your husband are both in agreement, then make that commitment to bring them home. I only differ from others in that we don't say 'for good'. I know many feel called by the Lord to homeschool through High School....and I would love to do that. However, right now for me it is year by year. We always re-evaluate at the end of the year, according to what we feel God is leading us to do according to our circumstances. And, my dh feels they should attend school for High School...I'm praying the Lord will change his heart on that, but for now I'm enjoying the years I have. It is hard...and I am expecting #4 right now (due in March) and I'm floundering a bit as to how our schedule is going to work...but I still feel confident that the Lord has a plan for me if I can just trust Him to lead me. I pray that you will know His will for you in this and that you will have the strength to do whatever it is He leads you to do...even if it means the kids are in a school and not at home.

I would agree with others too and say just start them where you left off...and you can finish the manual when you get there, or move into the next one without finishing when the new school year starts. Remember, teachers in school often don't finish either. I'll continue to keep you in my prayers. Please keep us up-to-date about the situation.

yayadaisy wrote:What should I do? I am looking for honest real answers here! You won't hurt my feelings. I just want to do what is best for my kids!!! Please help!

I can hear the condfusion in your post. We are often plaugued with doubts because we've tried before and failed. You and your husband need to talk about it and pray about it until you come to an agreement together. I wouldn't worry about pulling them out after such a short time in school. If the two of you feel the Lord leading you to pull the kids back out, then trust the Lord and do it.

I couldn't have said it any better than the ladies have already done, so I'll just add my agreement to the wise, Christian counsel you've received and let you know we'll pray for you and your husband to have clarity and peace with your decision.

Blessings,
Carrie

Thank you all so much for your thoughts!!! I really appericate them. I am still not sure what I am going to do right now, but am leaning towards pulling them out. I made a nice list of pros and cons of having them in school and as you can guess my cons part is much longer! I just need to talk to my husband about it more and see what his thoughts are on it. I will let you ladies know later.

Sheila