Currently the oldest 2 boys are in public school and doing ok.  I do have concerns which are leading me to want to possibly homeschool, butI am nervous about the idea.

So Thing 1, my 10 year old is very smart in non-traditional ways.  He really struggles with handwriting and spelling and timed tests.  If you look at something he wrote you would think a 1st grader wrote it.  He is currently in 3rd grade, we had him repeat 2nd grade in hopes of improving some of his basic skills.  Bad choice on our part, as he is SO smart, so he is bored.  BUT, he has a GREAT teacher right now, who really appreciates him and allows him to be T1 and not feel bad about it. 

For instance with spelling, every other kid has 25 words on their list.  T1 has 10 words and Mr. S. grades it, but doesn’t put 50% F.  Rather he corrects the mistakes and says, good job, you got more right than last week.  Etc.  He also is able to read T1’s writing, which is pretty amazing.    The other thing he struggles in is math time tests, but again, it isn’t a big deal at all.  I know that if T1 was with a different teacher that these few challenges he has could be a huge obstacle and a teacher could really hurt his self esteem if they didn’t have the right attitude.  So, I have always felt that one day I will end up homeschooling T1. 

My biggest concern with homeschooling T1 is his personality.  He doesn’t like to be “taught” things, especially by me.  Homework is a nightmare almost every night.  He doesn’t even have much at all, 1 worksheet, practice spelling and do 20 min reading.  He LOVES to read, so that isn’t a problem.  Though it was when he was younger, but once he got it, he GOT it.  Sometimes he will sit and complain about the homework for 30-45 minutes before even doing it.  Once he does it, it takes 10 minutes tops.  Again, with a new teacher, who knows how much homework he will get… so another reason to be open to homeschooling.  But again, this is my main concern.  That it will be a fight all day long.   

I am looking for support in my area, maybe a co-op so it wouldn’t be all me teaching.  Also as I am gathering more information, I realize that he can teach himself a lot of things, with me more there to help him.  I think this would fit well with his personality.  Yesterday, I asked how school was going.  He said, “OK.  But I get more excited about books than school.”  Well, reading the right books can go a long way towards learning.  We did get him this really cool astronomy book, he has read the whole thing and teaches me things all the time. 

Thing 2 my 7 year old is an easy going, happy guy.  Frankly, I think I could easily homeschool him.  He does ok in school, but his teacher is not very good with boys, so he is not getting a lot of positive reinforcement at school.  He also says that he is bored.  Which in volunteering I can see why.  They go over and over things, even if most kids know it.  Again, I think that T2 has the personality to do well in school, but also would be a great homeschooled kid. 

Thing 3 is just a happy 2.5 yo and lately he likes to sit at a table with his notebooks and pen.  He likes to say, “next” and I tell him a letter.  He “writes” something and then says, “next”.   I think this stems from T1 always requiring me to spell things for him.  After a few letters, when he says “next” and I say another letter. Then he says, “I HATE homework.” and pouts.  I can guess where he learned that from too.   

My other concern is a personal one.  I enjoy my quiet time with T3 while the big boys are at school.  I will really miss that!  I like to get things done and things that interest me.  Sometimes I am so focused on what I am trying to read, I don’t want to take the time to fix dinner, or help with homework, whatever.  I think that is a bigger hurdle for me, loss of “freedom”… as well as the T1 personality issue.  Fighting with him all day trying to teach him sounds horrible.  Maybe it wouldn’t be that way?  But it seems hard to imagine.  Mind you he is great for other people.  His teachers have always said what a joy he is.  So I would be tempted to swap homeschooling with someone.    I teach your kid, you teach mine.  Or the teaching them together at times is probably more realistic.