*Edited to add:
The pressure is on! It's a new year and income season is rolling around! People are thinking of what to do with their money and the things that will be happening this upcoming year. My oldest will be turning 4. She's a year past the age to enroll in preschool and two years (thanks for pointing that out Heather) under the age to start kindergarten. The questions have started rolling in. The pressure is building up. "Just when will you start homeschooling her Robin?!" they demand. Sometimes they're innocently asking and are just curious and sometimes they're pointing fingers and looking cross. Comments are made on how it's unlegal to homeschool without a GED (yea I dropped out but statistics still stand on my side) and if you challenge that accusation with saying you'll show them the law they reply with, "don't bother!" Seems they're just looking for a reason I can't do it. Oh and of course my children will be unsocialized and by that they mean they won't be able to keep up with who won American Idol or the next famous boy band that rolls around! Perhaps this one gives me a sense of pride because I'm aiming for godly children not wordly ones. And there's the famous "I couldn't do it because {insert an excuse that they're using to secrelty imply to you that you can't do it either}." I just smile. Grin and bear it! Oh life is interesting at times and the Lord sure does put an interesting group of people into your life. If ever there is a time to remember "love your enemies" I would say a discussion about homeschooling is definitely one of those times! :)
The pressure is on! It's a new year and income season is rolling around! People are thinking of what to do with their money and the things that will be happening this upcoming year. My oldest will be turning 4. She's a year past the age to enroll in preschool and two years (thanks for pointing that out Heather) under the age to start kindergarten. The questions have started rolling in. The pressure is building up. "Just when will you start homeschooling her Robin?!" they demand. Sometimes they're innocently asking and are just curious and sometimes they're pointing fingers and looking cross. Comments are made on how it's unlegal to homeschool without a GED (yea I dropped out but statistics still stand on my side) and if you challenge that accusation with saying you'll show them the law they reply with, "don't bother!" Seems they're just looking for a reason I can't do it. Oh and of course my children will be unsocialized and by that they mean they won't be able to keep up with who won American Idol or the next famous boy band that rolls around! Perhaps this one gives me a sense of pride because I'm aiming for godly children not wordly ones. And there's the famous "I couldn't do it because {insert an excuse that they're using to secrelty imply to you that you can't do it either}." I just smile. Grin and bear it! Oh life is interesting at times and the Lord sure does put an interesting group of people into your life. If ever there is a time to remember "love your enemies" I would say a discussion about homeschooling is definitely one of those times! :)
So other mommies of soon to be 4 yr olds or already 4 yr olds my advice is to just relax. Your child is only 4. Preschool is easily done at home. I'm sure your child is already on a K level (for real google it! My Kayelee is K ready) Your child may be ready for K but that doesn't mean you have to rush into it. Just relax. School will come in time. In the mean time teach her God's Word. That's where real knowledge is - Proverbs 1:7. Teach her manners. Teach her creativity by handing her a pen and paper. Read to her. Take walks with her. Spend time with her. And find encouragement by reading this blog post by a homeschooling mom to 15.
*I wanted to add that if you choose to school your child at age 4 that is totally ok! It is your decision. I'm not against "educating" a child at 3 or 4 yrs old but am definitely not an endorser of sending a child that young to public school. This is ultimatly a decision each family will have to make based on their circumstances and beliefs. I highlly advise you pray for wisdom during the decision making process. The point of this short post was ultimatly to link to the the post that I did link to. It was meant as a short encouragment linky for other moms who feel "the pressure is on."
*I wanted to add that if you choose to school your child at age 4 that is totally ok! It is your decision. I'm not against "educating" a child at 3 or 4 yrs old but am definitely not an endorser of sending a child that young to public school. This is ultimatly a decision each family will have to make based on their circumstances and beliefs. I highlly advise you pray for wisdom during the decision making process. The point of this short post was ultimatly to link to the the post that I did link to. It was meant as a short encouragment linky for other moms who feel "the pressure is on."
Much love in Christ <3
He he he, my children go to public school and still can't tell you who won American Idol... in fact, they probably don't even know what it is.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm pretty sure you legally don't have to school your children (at home or in public schools) until after their 6th birthday. That was the law in Colorado, and I think I saw it in our Texas paperwork as well when we transferred.
That's what I thought too. Someone, who has a 5 yr old, was telling me it's 5 and I keep forgetting to go back and check. I'll update this post if I'm wrong.....thanks for that. :)
ReplyDeleteThey CAN start kindergarten at 5, but legally they aren't required to go to school until they are 6. But again, most people don't know that, and assume that just because most kids go to school at 5 (or 4) means that everyone has to.
ReplyDelete