Student moms who homeschool

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I have seen on here before that a number of you are moms who are nursing students and are homeschooling your child(ren). I am just curious on what your course of action has been to do both successfully. I have 2 boys (3 and 18 months) and we are very interested in homeschooling, but I also REALLY want to go to nursing school. Right now I have completed the A&P series and Microbiology and a few support courses. I was hoping to apply to attempt admission for Fall 2010. My oldest will be 5 then and I was hoping to give homeschooling a "trial run" for kindergarten. Many schools have an "expiration date" on the pre-reqs and I am afraid of having to take A&P over again. I busted my rump in those classes for those As and I REALLY don't want to have to do it again.

I would appreciate any tips or suggestions that I could use to discuss this with my hubby. He has a demanding job that keeps him busy at least 50-60 hours a week. He's not sure it's possible but I know many of you are making it work. Thanks in advance!!

I am homeschoolling my 5th grader for the first time this year and I just started the ADN program on Monday so I will have to let you know :heartbeat

We decided to homeschool him because he is a diabetic and the middle school here is not the best controlled so we were really worried about his health. He is smart so I am hoping that it wont be too hard but there is a good possiblity that I bit off more than I can chew but I hope not.

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K12 starts at K :) If you use their public school funded version you have to work with additional rules put down by the state (which may influence what grades it is available for and the exact curriculum/rules). I've come to realize that most of the rules we have to follow are state based, not K12 based. There's always the option of using their private version and bipassing the state laws (which would leave you with more responsibilities, but also more flexibility)

I really wish you the best with this. I think that, as long as the social aspect can still be addressed, homeschool is a great choice. That kind of adds another time issue though unless you have someone else who can bring your kids around to various activities.

You are right! I was referring to something else other than K12, and thought that this was K12. I just found out that they have K12 here for K-8th grade when I googled. Hmmm. Too bad I already bought/ opened our curricula and like it. Angelc I am so glad to see that you are homeschooling. You answered to a thread that I started a while ago and said you were going to. I am so happy for you that you got in and are homeschooling, keep us posted. This is doable people nothing to really worry about. Apparently we are in good company with others that have posted, and been the 3rd in the class worked full time, and still homeschooled. I feel lazy.:bow: Honestly, I find it easier than sending them to school. I would miss them, and do miss my son for that matter. This is an amazing journey!!

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hey, so I am a little late getting in on this thread and all, but just came across it and thought i would put my .02 in...

I have four children ages 7,5,4,and 1. I do homeschool, we use Abeka, and it works good. I do agree that it has been good for me to use a "boxed" curriculum while I am in school, but as soon as I graduate I think we will branch out and try a few different things!

We are kind of laid back, as in I don't mind taking a day off here and there especially if I have finals or something major. we do make it up though for example we might work on saturday. My children are young, so I have eliminated a structured science and health and history for now. In the summer, we will do a major focused study on these subjects. The kids *do* learn a lot about these things playing outside and from every day life. I am in louisiana and the schools here do not start testing on these subjects till third grade so I feel okay about postponing them during the school year and focusing on them in the summer. That frees up time during the week.

I have a babysitter who is homeschooled, she is 17 and can drive and babysit during the day. So, that has been nice she is very good and I trust her. She can help the girls with their work when they need help, and she understands about homeschooling.

So, my advice:

Get involved in your local homeschool group, if nothing else you might find a great babysitter! :)

The most important thing when they are young is math and reading, so focus on those... I read to my kindergartner a lot. Some days we just read books together for school work.

Let your family and husband help...that is a biggie for me, it is hard for me to ask for help.

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I am finishing up my last 12 weeks of nursing school and just started homeschooling my son and its been great. He is doing so much better now that he is not in public school. He is a kindergartner and we have been having a ball. There is a public school charter homeschool that he is part of. He goes to class and plays, cooks, paints and learns on Tuesdays from 9-1 and on wednesdays he goes to music and drama from 9-1 and every friday there is a field trip planned. There are school supplies available for assistance in teaching and a teacher who checks in with me and adds advice and knowledge. The parents are wonderful, the classes are not mandatory but useful on a social level for my son and I feel that for the first time in my sons educational life that we are on the right track. It is not easy while being in school, but honestly it was harder having to worry about him while he was in traditional public school. I am very happy with my decision. On a side note does anyone know of any online homeschool support groups that I can join? Well best of luck and well wishing.

Jenn

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My son is in 8th grade using K12, and I'm really having a tough time. We use the state's curriculum (its free) and I really like the offerings, but there are SO many requirements, and I'm finding it desperately hard not only to make sure my son does them, but to provide my part as well. I am really starting to miss the more laid back "true" homeschooling where there is no homeschool teacher and no schoolboard looking over my shoulder.

For instance: I have to submit records and samples of his work on a monthly basis, have a meeting with his teacher every three weeks, make sure that he spends 25% of his 36 hrs a week of school in online classes guided by teachers (they're great but being a mandatory amount he ends up just doing whatever he can get in on that is appropriate instead of what he actually needs help with/is interested in), and I just received a two page list of things we need to put together for the end of his first quarter (including writing assignments for both of us and a slew of other things we would not have normally done)

I dunno. Maybe its just because I feel stretched so thin that it seems like too much. I am in nursing school (40 min away) and work 4 days a week (60 min away) and am just totally wiped.

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You definitely seem as if you are taking on too much. You have to do what works for you, scorpiostudent. If this K12 thing worked for you that would be wonderful, but it sounds conterproductive. Have you considered Switched on Schoolhouse, it is DVD-ROM for the computer. I do however feel your pain. Your son is the age that mine was last year who just started back to school this year (9th grade). Not so old that the colleges are looking yet, BUT too old to just do reading and math and take it easy. I would maybe consider another "book" curriculum (ABeka, AOP). My daughter is doing FLVS (we live in Florida) that stands for Florida Virtual School, but that kind of accountability is not expected. I feel like for her grade (6th) she is doing great. Where do you live that the school board puts this kind of rigorous rules on you? I know Florida is easy, but I did not know other places were so hard. I am sorry about your difficulties. BTW, FLVS is available on a tuition basis for out-of-state students. You can find them at www.flvs.net for more info. I don't know how much it is. Feel free to PM me if you want.

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Thank you so much for the feedback. I'm in South Carolina and I think there is a lot of resistance here to virtual schools (K12 is one of our "South Carolina Virtual Schools" so probably fairly similar as far as the base programs go) Unfortunately, the home school community here is severely against it, because they are afraid that they are going to end up under their umbrella, and the schoolboard knows that every dollar that goes to virtual schools is one less towards their public schools - which in many cases are severely lacking. It really makes it much harder than it needs to be. Its funny that you mentioned SOS because that was what we last used to homeschool and I really loved it. I was just concerned that, with him starting high school next year, it would not be a smooth transition (we don't intend homeschool to be a permanent situation for us, just until I finish my LPN and we move to an area with a better school system so his being able to transfer into 9th or 10th without setbacks was important). I really would LOVE this program, if it were not for the state implied issue. The base K12 program is fantastic. Its just incredibly expensive. ($5,000 for the year, and the exact same materials - plus the SC mandated adjustments/additions - is free this way)

Anyways, don't mean to go on so much. :) I think it would be easier if my son was a bit older, but we're muddling through. He was abused by other students at public school in everything from verbal death threats to black and blues and having his items stolen and/or destroyed so going back to public school is not an option for us. Unfortunately, neither would nursing school be if I did not have a job to pay for the child care for my two little ones. As most of us understand too, our lives were never going to get better if I did not get an education and a career that I could be successful in, both spiritually and financially. (we moved to a non-tech area from Orlando Fla for hubby's job and there are zilch techie positions that pay well here - well other than hubby's, lol)

One day at a time! :) Only 10 more months to go!

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hey scorpiostudent! Just wanted to say I admire you, and all you other nursing students/homeschool moms who are homeschooling older children... I am realizing it gets harder as they get older...sigh...

I have heard about some homeschoolo groups being really snotty towards people who do the virtual homeschool thing and I just think that is terrible! I even know of a group who want let virtual homeschoolers join! :0 We homeschoolers all have the same intentions, to give our children what is best for them. We homeschoolers are always wanting people who send their kids to school not to judge us, but some of us are very quick to judge each other... I am sorry your homeschooling community isn't supporting you. Shame on them!!!

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Thanks. :) Its really not getting tougher with my son than it was a few years ago (we've homeschooled for about 3 yrs other than his stint at public school last year). Its just that as he gets easier, his work requirements get tougher. Unfortunately when he hits high school it will be even more so. (since high school performance influences college eligibility there are many more rules)

I agree on the homeschool philosophies. Here, the "homeschoolers" get very upset and make sure to correct you if you call yourself a homeschooler when you do a virtual school. I think it has more to do with the philosphy that homeschool is to allow your child to lead the learning process. Some don't even do any type of structured activities AT ALL...no math worksheets, no worksheets of any kind...just let them live and learn from living...great in theory, but I cant imagine it working if you want your child to go back into the school system in college or in my son's case... he would just play video games until his arms fall off. But then, many of those dont believe in television either, so I guess that would take care of that. :)

We do what we feel is best for our kids and ourselves and we will all be better for it. :)

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Specializes in LTC.

You said you wanted to do a trial run for kindergarten, right? Homeschooling is about teaching your kids how to learn in any environment. Why don't you start homeschooling now, while you have the time? Homeschooling isn't about recreating the school environment in your home (although that might work well for some families). It's all about learning. Two and 3 year olds love to learn.

Are you teaching your boys nursery rhymes and ABCs? How to count? How to be creative? How to sing? How to play games? If you are, then you are homeschooling right now. Congratulations!

Ok, I could go on and on but what might be most helpful for you is finding a good homeschool guide for parents so you can learn about the various ways to homeschool. Then you can see which ones will work best for you while you are in school. Here are a few links to books that might help you out. I loved these:

http://www.amazon.com/Homeschooling-Early-Complete-Successfully-Year-Old/dp/0761520287/ref=pd_sim_b_4

http://www.amazon.com/First-Year-Homeschooling-Your-Child/dp/0761527885/ref=pd_bbs_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222953231&sr=8-9

http://www.amazon.com/Homeschooling-Handbook-Revised-Mary-Griffith/dp/0761517278/ref=sr_1_37?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222953544&sr=1-37

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