https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 11 May 2026 22:34:37 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/temperament-to-homeschool-your-own-kids#post-2300533 Thu, 24 Sep 2015 08:56:39 +0000 Mamaof2 2300533@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrbee: oh wow! nice! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/temperament-to-homeschool-your-own-kids#post-2300522 Thu, 24 Sep 2015 08:53:22 +0000 mrbee 2300522@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Peanut: Thanks for the thoughtful response! Interesting about the importance of learning how to do things you don't like... that's a great point!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/temperament-to-homeschool-your-own-kids#post-2300505 Thu, 24 Sep 2015 08:47:19 +0000 Mrs. Tiger 2300505@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Peanut: thanks for writing all that up, I really appreciate your perspective!</p> <p>I think Mr T and I would do a decent job homeschooling but thankfully it doesn't need to be in the cards for us 😊 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/temperament-to-homeschool-your-own-kids#post-2300501 Thu, 24 Sep 2015 08:46:26 +0000 mrbee 2300501@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mamaof2: He doesn't have homework this year! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/temperament-to-homeschool-your-own-kids#post-2300484 Thu, 24 Sep 2015 08:37:47 +0000 Mamaof2 2300484@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrbee: How does he do with you when you are doing homework? That could tell you how things will go! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/temperament-to-homeschool-your-own-kids#post-2300369 Thu, 24 Sep 2015 07:49:38 +0000 blackbird 2300369@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nope. nope nope nope nope nope. Sounds like my second worst nightmare ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/temperament-to-homeschool-your-own-kids#post-2300320 Thu, 24 Sep 2015 07:14:01 +0000 Mama Bird 2300320@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Interesting responses! The idea is pretty appealing to me, at least for the elementary grades. Not sure it would actually work though - my son learns a lot from me on our walks around town, but I totally hit a wall when it comes to getting him to draw something or sit through a book. No idea why, because everyone in day care says he's a great learner and has a good attention span. So homeschooling probably wouldn't work for us even if I didn't have to work.</p> <p>And then there's the social aspect of elementary school. In day care there aren't that many kids so the teachers can make sure everyone more or less behaves and isn't horribly mean to the other kids. That's not going to happen in school. I hate the idea of throwing the kids into that environment, but it's probably better to give them an introduction to it in elementary than in the older grades when kids are even meaner :bummed: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/temperament-to-homeschool-your-own-kids#post-2300253 Thu, 24 Sep 2015 00:53:12 +0000 looch 2300253@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It would take a lot of discipline for me to plan, but I know I could do it. I love the process of learning and I am really tuned into modifying methods to suit the learner.<br /> Where I would potentially fail is feeling like I am not doing enough to keep up to grade level. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/temperament-to-homeschool-your-own-kids#post-2300101 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 20:54:33 +0000 Mrs. Peanut 2300101@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrbee: This is a loaded topic that I'm willing to answer with a bit of trepidation, but I'll do my best. Disclaimer: this is my opinion and may not be true for all schools/scenarios. This is based on my experience as a teacher in 3 different public schools and several homeschool families that I know. </p> <p>I feel the flaws of structured school systems (public, private, charter, or parochial) are: lack of individualization (both on a learning style level and meeting a student's needs level), high strain on teachers leading to their focus to be on objectives other than student success, and a broken system of teacher effectiveness through standardized testing. </p> <p>The long versions behind the flaws of standard education: Your child is valued by their teacher, but they are one of many. The squeaky wheels get the grease. The students who really struggle or really excel get the attention. The middle of the road average student will "do fine". It's true. We are only human after all and can only attend to so many kids and things at once. Homeschooling is great for that because nobody knows your child better than you. I may have to teach the planets, the water cycle, and the parts of speech. Your child may not be ready for that or may be way beyond that. That's what we have to teach anyway because we have to work with the standards (what the state tells us to) and the majority of the students will probably need that particular instruction. If most of my students can't write a complete sentence, the kid who is writing whole paragraphs will get bored. The system of teacher effectiveness is what I consider to be broken because it's all about standardized testing. I'm all for holding teachers accountable for what goes on in the classroom, but creating unrealistically high standards, testing students on those standards that they aren't developmentally ready to master, then punishing schools for not reaching them isn't the way to go about it. I could write a book on that, but I'll spare you. :happy: </p> <p>Flaws in homeschooling include: lack of socialization, it's a hard lesson to learn as an adult that it's not all about what you want to do, and it's very dependent on the parent if it's a good experience or not. </p> <p>I know that socialization can and will occur when homeschooled children go out into public for field trips and sports, but there is something to be said about being forced to spend the whole day with other people that you may not like. It prepares your child for the workforce when they will probably have a coworker that they won't like and have to deal with all day. As students, children can learn effective ways to deal with people they clash with. They can make mistakes (yelling at others, hitting, etc.) without adult consequences. </p> <p>If you are homeschooling, you are likely basing at least some of your instruction on your child's interests (as you should, really). Rely on that too much though and it could be challenging for your child to transition into a work setting when their boss won't give them choices of projects to work on. Also, these are more rare situations, but I have experience with families who just aren't cut out for teaching. I have seen parents who do all of the child's work for them. I have seen parents who aren't concerned that their child isn't progressing. This is the exception rather than the rule in my experience though.</p> <p>Finally, I am not an expert on everything, especially when it comes to the high school grade material. I am terrible at advanced math and I've always struggled with science. I feel as though my child would be better off with a teacher who has focused all of their energy and schooling into being a good math or science teacher than me who is barely fumbling through it. I feel as though I would be doing them a disservice if I taught them their higher level math courses. </p> <p>Most of my concerns are with long term homeschooling rather than short term though. I'm sure your children would be fine in the short term no matter what you did, to be honest. :happy: Homeschooling is perfect for some families and structured school is better for others. They're your children and you know what's best for them more than anyone else. Best of luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/temperament-to-homeschool-your-own-kids#post-2299815 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 18:43:14 +0000 mrbee 2299815@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Peanut: Would love to hear your thoughts on the flaws of each side, especially as a teacher!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/temperament-to-homeschool-your-own-kids#post-2299813 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 18:41:44 +0000 Mrs. Peanut 2299813@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I know that I could because I'm a teacher. :silly: For my future LOs, I don't know. I have considered home schooling, but I probably won't. There are flaws with structured school and homeschool. They all have positives and negatives. I think it really is your comfort level and temperament. For me though, I feel fine guiding learning but I don't know what my LOs will be like yet. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/temperament-to-homeschool-your-own-kids#post-2299786 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 18:15:04 +0000 daniellemybelle 2299786@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Baby Boy Mom: @Greentea: I agree that from where I stand right now, I would say yes because it's really what I am doing right now as I am a SAHM. I actually think I would really enjoy homeschooling because I would get so much time with LO! And I have that typical FTM anxiety any time she is away from me.</p> <p>Having said that, we are big advocates of traditional schooling and would not choose to homeschool. But, it's not because I couldn't hack it. :) I say that now though - I realize I don't know what it's like to have an older child!</p> <p>ETA: I'm exploring very light/informal homeschooling resources for preschool, just to teach LO while she's home with me. I've toyed with the idea of skipping preschool next year but I think it will be good for both of us. We'll definitely keep her in preschool part-time though and I will supplement at home until kindergarten. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/temperament-to-homeschool-your-own-kids#post-2299653 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 15:32:04 +0000 Torchwood 2299653@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Well, I plan to homeschool, so I really hope our temperaments work well together. A bit hard to tell at 3 months. 😉 But I also lean strongly towards unschooling. If she goes for that, I think we'll divert (divert? I'm not even sure what I typed that autocorrect went there) well. But the sequential part of my personality should be able to provide whatever level of structure she might prefer as well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/temperament-to-homeschool-your-own-kids#post-2299626 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 15:13:15 +0000 Baby Boy Mom 2299626@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes if I had to- it's basically what I'm already doing SAH. If I were in your shoes I would either take the unschooling route and just have books available to explore topics that naturally arise like were mentioned above. Or I would just focus on learning another language via immersion and possibly supplemented by a tutor in the beginning. REally that would be a gift to your kids. Just from personal experience- my family moved away for a year when I was 9 and while I went to school in the other country there were no similarities whatsoever. When we came back a year later I just joined my grade and it was really no big deal. I wouldn't worry about keeping up at this age! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/temperament-to-homeschool-your-own-kids#post-2299524 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 14:16:39 +0000 mediagirl 2299524@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@gingerbebe: what great insight! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/temperament-to-homeschool-your-own-kids#post-2299495 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 14:08:21 +0000 gingerbebe 2299495@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think its so exciting you guys are exploring this subject! I think a lot of people have this fear (I did too). I used to think homeschooling was like being in a traditional classroom where you are trying to teach elaborate lessons and be a teacher-type all day long. </p> <p>From my knowledge and research of homeschooling, it seems its rarely like that. For one thing, most homeschooling families I know (at least those with younger children) finish their "school day" before lunch time. They may have some worksheets later, but the formal "learning" part is much shorter and not that overwhelming for both parents and kids because the lessons are brief daily bursts of math, phonics, writing, history, and possibly a language that individually don't take too much time. Most parents do something similar working on their kids' homework with them anyway on a day to day basis. The hardest part seems to be finding curriculum that works for you and with your kids' personalities or inclinations (particularly with regards to math and writing).</p> <p>Afternoons seem to be a mix of activities like music, art, science, silent reading, field trips, or extra help on something that didn't make sense during the school day lesson and you can alternate those subjects every few days so you're not stressed about becoming an expert on planets all at once or something.</p> <p>I agree with @coopsmama that its really cool how you can organically pull in whatever you are doing to reinforce your learning. For instance, while you are living in El Nido, it would make sense to learn about tides, astronomy, sea life, ecosystems, erosion, how islands are formed, Spanish colonial history, Asian history, languages like Tagalog or Spanish, historical influences on the food, art projects filled with fishes and beaches, etc. </p> <p>A lot of homeschooling parents tell me what's also nice and actually less stressful than traditional schooling is you can group stuff so that your kids are learning the same macro subject with age appropriate adjustments, whereas when they are in school, you have to juggle 2, 3, 4 different historical subjects or science concepts for each kid. Instead with homeschooling, everyone can be learning about Egypt at the same time, but the younger one is learning how to draw their own hieroglyphics while the older one is learning about different periods of Egyptian history or the science behind mummification.</p> <p>The more DH and I learn about homeschooling, the more appealing it becomes to us, especially with the online support and even video curriculum that is available. A local private school near us also provides homeschool support in specialized subjects as kids get older (i.e. lab science, upper division math, orchestra, etc) so you can hybridize it too. We don't know if we'll be able to do homeschooling just from a time perspective, but we have a few years to explore our options and we've agreed we can split up subjects to make it more reasonable for each other. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/temperament-to-homeschool-your-own-kids#post-2299458 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 13:56:39 +0000 honeybear 2299458@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>To the "will they listen?" concern: In my experience, my son's willingness to listen is aided considerably by the flexibility homeschooling affords. If we find ourselves in a situation where he isn't listening, we have the time and flexibility to identify the problem, solve it, and then return to what we were doing. Sometimes the problem is with what we were working on, and in that case we make the necessary adjustments, but more often it's as simple as taking a break or a nap. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/temperament-to-homeschool-your-own-kids#post-2299327 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 12:44:32 +0000 Greentea 2299327@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think so. I think it takes a lot of patience, and probably isn't always ideal for the parent, but I think of it like being a SAHP- I would do it if it was very meaningful or beneficial, even though I personally think SAHP or homeschooling would be really tough! I have high standards... I think I would have to figure it out/ see how it went.</p> <p>I would try to combine learning with tons of outdoor exercise- we already do things like visit the Arboretum- she loves learning each species of tree... we tell her it is a tree park! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/temperament-to-homeschool-your-own-kids#post-2299325 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 12:42:04 +0000 birdofafeather 2299325@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i think i'd have to really reset my expectations of what "school" looked like. i feel like i excelled in a really structured environment so school was pretty easy for me. i did what i was told when it was assigned... i wouldn't want to be that for my kids and the parts of homeschooling that are appealing to me are the parts where you get to get your work done without the busy work and still open up space to learn... but i don't know how that works! ha. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/temperament-to-homeschool-your-own-kids#post-2299304 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 12:30:01 +0000 hummusgirl 2299304@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think I could do it if I went more of the unschooling route - basically being a guide/coach and following their lead, rather than a formal "sit down and I'm going to lecture about X and give you a worksheet." I think kids have a natural curiosity and can learn a lot about a lot of different things by taking a more organic approach. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/temperament-to-homeschool-your-own-kids#post-2299293 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 12:20:43 +0000 coopsmama 2299293@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes. Absolutely. Homeschooling is really so organic. You can't think of it as formal lessons like in a school room so much as learning that takes place as you live life. That's how I see it anyway! Of course my kids wouldn't want to sit and listen to me lecture about something but there are so many way to integrate studies without it seeming formal. My Mom was successful in doing this and it really set me up quite well for college.</p> <p>My son just turned two in June and already knows all of his letters and the sounds they make and is beginning to understand how sounds form words. Again, he's only two. He's never been in a formal program -- this is just stuff he's picked up as we've gone about our day and played games. He knows his colors, shapes, and numbers. It amazes me how much he just picks up without having to sit through anything or go to a preschool program. </p> <p>All that to say I'm quite confident we could provide a quality education at home for our kids -- at least for the early years! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/temperament-to-homeschool-your-own-kids#post-2299288 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 12:18:22 +0000 honeybear 2299288@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think this is one of those things that you figure out as you go. If you're motivated to homeschool, you find a way to make it work with your family's particular mix of personalities. </p> <p>I have had quite a few people tell me that they're not patient enough to homeschool, but I think they are mostly telling me that they don't have the right temperament because they don't want to say "I don't want to."* Patience is easy enough to practice, after all. </p> <p>For the record, I am not offended if someone tells me directly or indirectly that homeschooling is not their jam. Plenty of people have. ;)</p> <p>*I never ask people why they don't homeschool. But a lot of people seem to want to tell me why they don't. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/temperament-to-homeschool-your-own-kids#post-2299281 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 12:09:00 +0000 Bao 2299281@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Honestly I don't think so! I don't think they would listen and stay focused. But my kids are only 1 and 3 so maybe it's hard to tell since they are so young and don't listen in general. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/temperament-to-homeschool-your-own-kids#post-2299272 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 12:00:35 +0000 mrbee 2299272@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We're moving overseas, and plan to to homeschool our kids until we get a sense for the local school systems and/or other options. I've been reading up like crazy on homeschooling resources, but my biggest concern is actually that I won't have the temperament to homeschool my own kids - or that they won't want to listen to me.</p> <p>It's one of those things that maybe you can't predict without actually doing it... so I think I'm gonna try some lessons at home before we move, to see how things go. I'm hoping that if we keep the lessons on something fun and interesting, that will help hold their attention and focus! And if not, we will start looking into other options as soon as we settle in from the move.</p> <p>What do you think: would you have the temperament to homeschool your own kids? </p>