I'm sorry about this but i just need to vent... I'm from the Uk and am starting homeschooling my 11 year old in september(due to family circumstances it was decided to wait till then ),her elder sister goes to school which she does very well at and is enjoying it but my youngest who is partially deaf has been having issues and thats just ONE of the reasons why i decided to home school. BUT here in the uk when you say you home school your looked at like your a alien,and finding homeschooling groups and forums like this for uk homeschoolers is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. I'm finding i am finding better information regarding curriculum through US sites then uk ones -just trying to get my old brain in to changing everything to uk versions lol. I just don't understand why i'm looked down on and find it so hard to find the support when all i want to do is help my dd and encourage her to do well,and make her learning expereince fun and pleasurable instead of her being made to feel like shes in a prison -thats her description lol she hates having to sit still and her mind is constantly on the move. I'm sorry for rambling and venting and would just like to say a BIG thankyou for all the help i have already received from you wonderful ladies you are a true inspiration!
we are still considered aliens here too for the most part. when we moved here I put in our city and a comma followed by the word homeschool in the search engine. like this: Tucson, homeschool and a few groups popped up, I don't know if you need to put n anything else for your area.
I am so sorry for you! You are truly amazing to be "going against the grain". I just read a little about hs'ing in the UK on HSLDA.org. Their international section is nice. Thank you for your vent as it has reminded me how blessed we are in the US to have increasing freedoms and respect for hs'ing. Please don't let your frustration make you falter on your hs journey. The HS pioneers in the US have paved the way for us today, and I am so grateful that they never gave up despite the injustices they suffered. You are a HS pioneer for your country, and we pray that you will find the successes that our HS pioneers eventually found here!
I'm the neighborhood alien hehe. There are quite a few around here that we waited at the bus stop with that live in our neighborhood. They think we're nuts. One mom has actually spread some lovely rumors about dd and I. You know what though, only WE know what is best for our child and while it's hard to ignore the negative feedback at times, I know what's best for my child and they don't. And while their child is sitting a public school classroom counting to 20 in 1st grade and mine is adding double digit numbers, well that there tells me it's the right thing! Anyhow, try to remember that YOU are the parent, not them and maybe you can start your own group! I just started a hiking group- not very productive yet with the Easter holiday and people not wanting to go far, but I do have 2 other homeschoolers that are really interested.
Faith, I'm so sorry you're having to go through that! If I could I'd give you a hug! I agree with scholar---you're helping pave the homeschooling road where you are, and you can be proud and excited about that! I think you're doing the right thing for your dd! It's absolutely true that she shouldn't have to feel like she's in prison! You, as a homeschool mom, can open a new world to her! She can enjoy learning again! She can walk around while studying spelling. She can lay on the floor during history, she can get up and get a drink and go to the bathroom when she needs to! That will be so good for her to feel some freedom, yet be guided in her learning by the one who loves her most in the world! No ps kids get THAT!!! Can you move over here to the US? You're making a choide that is best for your dd! Don't let anybody make you feel bad about that! It's hard! But you can believe that your dd will be soooooo much better off because of it! Keep up the good work! And please check in with us often, ask questions, join in on the discussions, and be a part of our Homeschool Spot family! We will give you the support you need!!!
Deena,that is so funny you ask can we move to the US ...We are actually planning ( fingers crossed and toes lol) on emigrating to the states it just takes alot to get us there. And thank you all for the wonderful replies.
Faith I feel like an alien a lot!!! My family and church friends are supportive but everyone else thinks we are crazy. Dh and I had friends that stopped talking to us and inviting us places because we homeschool. It sucks but at this point I don't care anymore. Good luck!
I think that all homeschoolers feel like that at some point. Here they aren't to bad to homeschoolers but last fall when my son played football I could definately feel the difference. One thing I don't get is that they think that our kids should be in the ps system and that they aren't getting socialization but when we try to be part of them they act as if we shouldn't be there. I think that it is being afraid of the unknown.
Faith, Well, I am glad you found us. Ya know, when I first heard of my friend homeschooling, I thought she was nuts. lol. I thought her kids would be freaks or something. I had no clue! I was so used to the cookie cutter way of doing things that I accepted that as normal and proper. I think that is why people look at you like an alien. People just don't understand why you would choose to do that. Many can't even see the benefit of it for the child. It can be an uphill battle as far as acceptance...but you need to do what is best for your child. In time, your child and you will be a good testimony for homeschooling and eventually people will see you have something they don't. Afterall, I am now a homeschooler! I haven't had too much flack for my decision. I do have a cousin who says I wasted my life staying home instead of "doing" something. LOL. I can laugh now but it did hurt me at first. He has no kids, bad marriage, and is a total jerk....so why listen to him anyway. I think I am quite accomplished for having a successful marriage, three wonderful children, and an intact family unit. But, hey, that's just my opinion also.
