HOD Beyond LHTH

[labellefleur83]

I am sold on using LHTH for preschool. However, I am still considering options for when we begin the primary grades. My thoughts are all over the place. Who knew deciding on a educational path would be so hard!

A little background on "us" I went to public school and did well. I was in all AP classes and then went to a great private college where I thrived, graduated, and embarked on a career in HR before staying home with my DDs. Hubby was homeschooled using ABEKA, went to college, did amazing, and is now the smartest person I know with a career in Quality Engineering My reasons for homeschooling don't really have anything to do with the evils of public school. I just want to be around my daughters while they are young, and soak it up. Everyone scares me with all the doomsday "it goes by so fast" talk. I also am an educational snob who only wants the finest materials for them. No shame in admitting that.

My husband wants our daughters to go Christian private school. I figured it up and sending both our daughters through JUST elementary school would cost $90,000. I think it is one thing to look at the yearly tuition and think "we got that" and quite another to add it all up and see the total amount. I know that I AT LEAST could homeschool well through their elementary years even if we send them to private in the future.

I have a few questions about homeschooling in general, and then some specific to HOD.

Many homeschooling friends tell me if they could afford private school they would send them. Which makes me feel like maybe homeschooling isn't that great? One person (who kids are in private so they are biased) told me homeschooling is only what families who can't afford private do. Ouch! Seems harsh, but then my homeschooling friends tell me they would send them if they could? Then my hair stylist was telling me a story where she randomly said "my daughter homeschools, you know, they don't have lots of money." What is with this perception of homeschoolers being poor? Or do I just have this pie in the sky fantasy of my two DDs and I sitting around soaking up learning with each other on a daily basis with a cloud of golden light surrounding us and cupcakes for all?? Are there families who could send their children to private but chose to homeschool instead and succeed? PLEASE I am NOT trying to sound like a snob. I am just trying to process everything about homeschooling I am hearing. Especially since my husband is a homeschooling success story, but for reasons I can't pull out of him would like to send our children to private instead. He is not totally against homeschooling, it is just obviously not his first choice.

Second question is HOD specific. If I started with HOD for elementary years and then wanted to send the children to a private school....would that work? Coming from a public school background I am worried about the lack of experience with testing and meeting deadlines. ABEKA has strict deadlines and testing, etc, so my husband was used to that as well. Along those same lines if we used HOD through HS would they be prepared for college tests and deadlines? Is there anyone yet who has extended the current offerings for HS and had their children take the ACT or SAT?

I am attending an info session for Classical Conversations this afternoon. I have a heavy heart about it. The private school in question uses the classical method. They start latin in Kinder. Before discovering HOD I thought CC was the path we would take so we could transition to private easily. Especially since CC has weekly "class sessions." But I spent an hour last night pouring over every word in the HOD catalog. At one point I was crying because the pull to do HOD with my daughters so so strong! How lovely to move through all these educational levels with my precious gifts from God! I ADORE the philosophy of HOD. I ADORE the materials. But then we will probably put them in private school at *some point* so I want them to be prepared!

Thank you for reading through this lengthy post. If you made it this far

[psreit]

Hi. I read through your post and my first thought was to say "Relaaax!" First of all, why ARE you considering homeschooling? I would say that many families hs because they want to be in charge of their child's education for Biblical reasons. God has entrusted our children to us to care for and to teach. I realize not every family is willing or able to homeschool, and that is their choice. But, when making your decision to hs, do not let what others say hinder your decision. It is a personal choice. I know many 'materially rich' homeschoolers. I know some who are not materially rich.

We are just a middle class family. We have used public school, Christian school and homeschooling. When our older dc were starting out, homeschooling was just becoming known in this area. They spent some elementary years in ps, with good teachers and much success.(That was then. If I was starting out now, I would not use the ps) Our oldest did not wish to attend middle school, so we sent him to our Christian school. It was tough financially, but the Lord provided. Our oldest dd decided the following year that she wanted to go to the Christian school. That is when I decided to keep my second dd home, more so because I didn't want her riding the bus alone and because she had spina bifida and needed special care. After homeschooling her for one year, my ds chose to come home, so I decided to just begin homeschooling all three. I can honestly say, if I had to do it over again, I would have homeschooled them all from the start. I have 3 who graduated. I don't consider myself a great teacher and feel I could have done a better job in pushing them academically. I know so much more now about curriculum and what is actually available than I did back then. But, I now have a son who is a preacher, a daughter who has many talents, musically, learned secretarial skills in college, and growing up was what I would have considered an outdoor, farm-type girl. In fact, I often said I could picture her married to a farmer, which would have been as respectable as marrying a doctor or a lawyer. Well, she ended up marrying into a family of turkey farmers. Her husband is now learning another trade, but she would be content being a turkey farmer's wife if that is where God wanted her. Most importantly is that all 3 of them love the Lord and are serving Him in the place He has put them.

We were blessed to be able to adopt our youngest dd, so I have had the opportunity to hs in the younger years. For sake of time, I will just say, it hasn't been easy. My dd has some attention and learning problems. Those people who tell you that they would send their dc to school if they could, say that because we all have days when our patience wears thin. Sometimes it is because a parent feels they are not doing a good job teaching. There are some days I feel I am just not getting through to my dd. Sometimes it is because the children have behavioral issues. With prayer and Biblical discipline, that can be dealt with. If someone says they wish they could send their kids to school, it is probably one of those reasons. Or, it could be that the parent doesn't like being tied down with the children all day and wants time to herself. That is legitimate and mom does need time for herself. Homeschooling is a sacrifice. Yes, there are many other things I wish I could be doing, but my child comes before my earthly pleasures. I am doing what I believe is best for my dd, so even on hard days, I keep pressing on.

The bottom line is, you need to make a personal choice about schooling. Not based on what others say, but by what you believe the Lord would have you do for your dc. Search His Word. Pray earnestly about what you should do. It's between you, your dh, and God. If you beleive God is calling you to homeschool, then do it. Academically, your dc will be fine if you take them through HOD. Even if you decide to send them to school later. And you can't go wrong with the character and Biblical training in HOD. As I said, homeschooling is a sacrifice. You may need to set aside some of your own ambitions if you are committed to it. Don't worry about the future. If you decide to homeschool, you and dh may change your minds about sending them to school. Don't worry about that right now. Just decide what is best for now. One step at a time.

[Kalle]

I am a homeschooling momma that ended up having to send my three oldest to public school midway through last year. My children had a great transition. In fact the teachers were surprised when we told them at our first parent teacher conference. I used the Charlotte Mason philoshy and a mix of Ambleside Online and Simply Charlotte Mason materials plus others. My oldest daughter(8)just tested up to a year ahead in all of her state standard tests. My youngest in school hasn't been tested yet. My oldests teacher is out of town so we have not had a conference with him yet. He tested well last year though. I believe that many of Charlotte Mason's techniques take a higher level of thinking to complete. Especially having the children narrate what they have learned. You should try it yourself. It takes a lot of attentiveness and remembering to do it. The advice you were just given is the best. It is a decision between you, your husband and God.

[raindrops]

I think a reason why a lot of homeschoolers are not rich is because, well mama is home! If the children were public schooled, she could be working at a job that pays.

Sounds like you do not have to worry or make a decision about your childrens' schooling based on money, so in that you are blessed.

I doubt that at a private school your children are going to get nearly as good Bible education as they would with HOD. At least coming from you, it would mean so much more. Their educations should be MORE than just facts, we are raising the next generation! I am MORE concerned with character. . But I am also confident about all that HOD teaches. It is so good!

Make a decision based on love, and like the others have said, not on others assumptions. I think it is beautiful that you want to homeschool because you want to be WITH your children. That is soooo sweet, what better reason? (I've heard many parents who say they send their kids to school to get a break from them... they dread summer when they actually have to be around their own kids. ??? Really? Isn't that sad. I wonder how many behavioural problems are because the kids are in public school.)

CC is intense. I went to their open house and can see how it could be beneficial to some families. I have hears some homeschoolers say it adds "accountability" (and I do believe that was accountability for the MOM first. LOL!) I decided not to do it because it required review to be done st home and I think that would be too much, with HOD, for us. Plus, I would rather do fun co-op classes. We have been consistent with homeschooling because of the teacher guides (HOD)... so I personally do not need to be "accountable" to CC to remember to get all our subjects done.

Oooookay, hope I answered at least one of your questions. Heh. Sorry for any iphone typos.

[bethelmommy]

I have to be quick but want to address two of your concerns. First, we can afford to send our kids to private school and choose not to. In fact, my husband is the one that decided we should homeschool our kids. We all love it and dh is very happy with how our children are being taught.

Secondly, when we first began researching homeschool, dh and I were very drawn to the classical model. However, as our oldest moved through the preschool years and we continued our research, our thoughts and feelings regarding how we wish to teach our children changed and we now desire a Christ-centered education for our children that is literature rich. We love how Carrie has incorporated CM methods and keeps lessons short and balanced. Our kids love school. All the important subjects are covered and our kids are growing and maturing in so many ways. Honestly, dh has been so impressed with HOD that I don't think he'd let me switch to any other curriculum even if I wanted to (which I don't ).

[labellefleur83]

All I can say is THANK YOU! Everyone is right. I need to relax and go with my heart. Thank you for your uplifting comments!!

[TrueGRIT]

Just a few words . . .

My children are second generation homeschoolers,( meaning I was taught at home first). God gave me a calling to teach my own children.
When I first married my husband (PS), he was fine with homeschooling, then changed his mind, and wanted to send any children to private school 'to support them'.
I didn't feel good about it, but he was convinced, so I just prayed. By the time our oldest was ready for school he had changed mind again - toward their being at home!
Now he is steadfast and firm in a conviction to teach our dc at home until they graduate.
I say that to encourage you - who knows what you'll husband will decide later. Especially if he sees how/what your children are learning in LHTH, etc.
Make it fun and productive, and pray for God's best.
(Maybe part of his reasoning is because he didn't enjoy his experience - his curriculum is very teacher-intensive, classroom-like feel. Been there, done that.)

[labellefleur83]

True Grit Thank you! And I believe that is the same with my husband. His was very much classroom like...he just watched the DVDs of the teacher teaching in the classroom. I spoke with him some more as a realized writing my original post how much his hesitance was confusing me. He is an engineer and he needs data he can measure and facts he can manipulate. A Charlotte Mason approach to homeschool is different for him. He can't look at a flyer from HOD and see "this many kids make upwards of 30 on their ACT and this many kids went to Ivy League colleges" like he can a private school flyer.

And it is amazing how God speaks. Just tonight we had a couple from our church over for dinner. Her daughter started kindergarten this year at a local private school. She is so frazzled from all the running around she has to do on a daily basis just to get her back and forth from school- not to mention the other activities! And I want TO BE with my daughters, and for us to be a family, as long as I can keep us all together

I went to the CC info session tonight. I want to do HOD. case cased. Now just prayer for my husband to truly be on board with a not all the way traditional approach. Again, thank you for the encouragement!