What are the pro's and cons of homeschooling?

[agw]

Hi. I've been lurking a bit for a while now. I came here for the first time back in Nov 05 to find Cookie Press tips for a cookie show. It was quite helpful.

I've been a consultant for about 1.5 years. To me it isn't a money making venture. I'm doing it because I love the product line and just don't want to pay full price for it! I definitely want it to be a hobby that pays for itself, and it would be doing so admirably if I could just stop myself from buying more than I make in commissions!

I'm married and have 2 girls ages 4 and almost 6 yrs. Doing PC has allowed me a much needed escape from SAHMom-dom.

I'm looking forward to gleaning great information from here, and sharing the occasional insight as well.

agw

 

[monica_sweetconsultant]

hi welcome to the posting part of the board..lol!!! you sound about like me in this business. i told my recruitor/director that i was not in this for the money i just wanted the products and anything else that came with it would be icing on the cake. i am also a sahm but wanted a career. me and my husband finally agreed on this. i get the break i need and want while earning a little money here and there. mostly there because i want everything in the catalog!! oh well thats what happens when you love your job right?!!

 

[DebbieSAChef]

FREE products!Same here!! I am also a SAHM with four kids. I home school the oldest two, chase my 21 month old around and nurse my 3 month old all at the same time!!!
I love PC products and the added income is my icing on the cake as well. I sometimes feel funny at the meetings because everyone around me has goals to become a director, sell so many thousands a month, earn income to cover the cost of this or that.
When it's my turn I say I want the pans FREE and whatever extra income I do make, will be used on my husbands gifts, and my children's field trips and an occasional McDonald's, Burger king, sonic, or taco lunch.
I would never turn away a recruit, and I always am sure to ask everyone if they would be interested, but as far as walking across the stage at conferences or becoming director, it's not for me!! I have enough on my plate and this is not really a career for me, although my income has been very nice!!
And the free and discounted products are great!! Shows are fun!! Meeting new people is also a great experience for me since I get to share with them about Jesus Christ in my life and leave them with gospel tracts!
Debbie

 

[KennethandTiffany]

SAHM here too!I am also a stay at home mom, I have a 5 year old son, 4 year old daughter, 2 year old daughter and 7 month old son! I am proud to say that I have mastered the art of using the computer, eating lunch, making phone calls and nursing a baby all at the same time! I homeschool also, which keeps me busy! PLUS, I have a photography business that caters mostly to homeschool families in the metro Atlanta area. Needless to say, I find very little time for myself! But I wouldn't trade it for the world!

 

[monica_sweetconsultant]

this isnt really related to PC but i noticed both of you said you homeschool your children. i am trying HARD to get my husband to agree to homeschooling our 3 children who are 8, 6, and almost 5. Being christian i dont agree with alot of the things taught in class and want more control over there education. also on one of the buses in our district , thank god not my sons bus, a 13 year old girl stabbed a boy with a screwdriver because he picked on her all the time. talk about a wake up call. just wondering if you could give me the pro's and cons of homeschooling.

 

[kristenskitchen]

HomeschoolingOk, I'm new here as well, and while browsing I found this thread about homeschooling. I have a lot of experience with homeschooling as I was homeschooled for most of my school aged years. I was raised in a very Christian home where I was the oldest of five kids. Most of you will probably not like my opinion of homeschooling. I am writing this to show the not so good side of homeschooling and why I will never homeschool my son:

First of all, let me tell you what a typical day was like for me growing up: I would wake up around 8 or 9 in the morning (nice, because its later than most kids wake up) and start by eating whatever I could find in the fridge (my mom was also into natural foods and making her own bread which was great...on the days she actually made bread and cooked for us) next, I would probably change one of my siblings diapers and then do my "chores" which included just about everything in the house you could imagine, including mowing the lawn when needed and cleaning out our old, run down cars. Basically, on a typical day, I wouldn't start my "schooling" until way after lunch. When I did finally sit down to try and learn something, it was all self-taught. This was because my mother, even though each school year was started off in the right direction, was always either too busy, too tired, talking to one of her other homeschool mom friends, helping my younger siblings with their schooling or nursing or doing something that basically meant I was on my own. Well, let me just tell you, my mom really did try. She did obviously teach me to read and write, but other than that (math just wasn't her subject) I was on my own. My dad was supposed to help me with math and science when he got home. ......Sure. That never happened. He would come home from working a 12+ hour day and want nothing to do with using his brain.

So, after spending most of my first 14 years stuck at home, I decided that I would go to high school if it killed me. I came to this conclusion when I asked my mom once how I would get my HS diploma. She told me I would get one from the the homeschool group we were involved in and then take my GED. (!! !!) No! I told her I wanted a REAL high school diploma. She shrugged her shoulders and told me, "sorry honey". ~ Not good enough. ~

Finally, I did end up getting my way and had to start HS a year late. Yes, I did get good grades, but I believe that was because I totally LOVED my classes and because I didn't really talk to anyone in my high school so I had lots of time to focus on my school work. Because I was already very mature for my age by that time (taking care of kids all day makes you feel an aweful lot like an adult) I didn't really click with my peers.

So...as a result of my personal homeschool experience, there is NO WAY I would homeschool my son. My husband and I plan to have a maximum of two children so that our income will be sizable enough for us to provide our children with a comfortable lifestyle (no more counting on Goodwill to have our clothing sizes) and the ability to live in an area near nice schools and possibly even private schools. I'm not in anyway saying my experience is typical or saying you would do the same, but I felt the need to express my opinions on the subject. I hope no one take offense.

I just felt that more than half my school years were spent doing things that really were not my job and I think socializing in a public school (or any school that involves more than four other kids) is absolutely neccessary to develop into a well adjusted adult. I don't feel well adjusted. I take things too seriously, I find it hard to let loose and have a good time with my friends and I don't want to have many children because I honestly feel like I've raised mine already. I feel cheated out of my childhood basically and I guess if I were to give you "perspective homeschoolers" any advice, I would say do everything in your power to prevent what happened to me, from happening you your children. I understand its perfectly normal to expect your kids to help out and for interuptions to happen (they happen in public school as well) but raising and taking care of your children is ultimately YOUR job, not your kids and teaching them while at the same time helping them become well adjusted adults is a HUGE responsibility when you are doing all the educating and preventing them from socializing in a school. I know that might bring a lot of negative responses, but like I said, its just my opinion.

While I'm at it, I might as well throw this one out there...I don't think anyone (unless they've been educated in every subject in college) is fully qualified to teach their children every subject all the way through high school. I know that doesn't mean you couldn't, or even that you shouldn't, but like in my situation, my mom was not a math person. That was left up to me and my dad was suppose to "help" me with it. Needless to say, I still have to take remedial math in order to continue taking college classes. That's a huge disadvantage to me. I have to pay more and spend more time taking classes in order to get my college degree. I also had to take two math classes for the first year I was in HS because I missed my freshman year and was unable to pass the freshman final I took to determine my math level. So, my senior year, I was taking Physics at the same time I was taking a sophomore math class. Not fun.

Anyway, I think this is long enough and I'm sure I've got a few people steamed by now, BUT, that was really not my intention. If anything, I hope this helps you make a more "educated" decision (no pun intended) on whether to homeschool or not. If any of you want to email me about this or anything about my experience, feel free.

So, since its inevitable, Fire Away...

~Kristen

 

[monica_sweetconsultant]

HI Kristin,

I am not mad or offended. i asked for pro's and con's. it sounds like you had a rough time. i agree with some and disagree with some of it. i would be the one to do the homeschooling because i feel like its a wifes/mothers job to do it. i wouldnt bother my husband who spends his day working to come home and "work " some more. we are not into the organic foods..lol..gotta have my french fries!! but anyways...we are very much invlolved in churh but not that deep. i guess the main thing i disagreed with was the social part. this is my thing and i will probably be in the hot seat as well but oh well. what kind of people do you want influencing you kids? do you believe we came from monkeys? see where this is going? at least at home i will have control over the education part. i wont have to worry about my kids being forced to watch harry potter which is a huge no-no in our house. anyways back to the socializing. our kids play sports, go to church, and we are very involved in teh music industry so we are always around people and other children. so they get there chance to play with other kids and get the chance to be kids.

i thank you for your response because it does show that homeschooling isnt for everyone. i personally and this is me only here, think that homeschooling should be mandatory. in georgia there was rumors for a while of that happening. but anyways anyone else is welcome to respond to.. i would like to hear some pro's from someone that has homeschooled. thanks!!

 

[kristenskitchen]

SocializingWell, I realized we are totally off the subject of Pampered Chef, so I thought I would throw in that one of the reasons I am doing PC is to be able to afford to send my son to a "good" school. I use that term loosely for several reasons that I wont go into, but the main one is that every school has its problems. Wheter its the staff or the other kids or whatever.

But, as far as the socializing thing goes, first of all, no I do not believe in evolution. I believe that God created Adam and Eve and that's where we came from and that has not or will not change. However, because I was not educated on evolution (just shown the cons versus a neutral viewpoint) that led me to seek more information on it on my own once I was older. Because of this, to a certain extent, it tested my faith. So, I believe that yes, it is good to socialize with people of different faiths during youth because that affords you the opportunity to hear their side and their beliefs and then, had my parents been more open minded, discuss those beliefs with me at home. Basically, I could have laid to rest all my thoughts on the subject and made it much less taboo to me as an adult. I still get a twinge when some mentions how this or that "evolved" or is "evolving" and its taken me a long time to understand that the word evolution is not a bad word! For example, you could say that our businesses are slowly evolving over time. Its basically a fancier name for change. So, while I certainly will want to educate my children on the differences and why creation coincides with our beliefs, I will also want to talk with them about evolution and the reasons we believe what we do. I honestly don't think you'll be able to avoid your children running into other people (not neccessarily children) that believe in evolution and the best thing you can do (in my opinion) is educate them on both sides of the spectrum so they can make a valid point and thereby a stand for creation.

Ok, I'll stop now! Thank you for your response!

~Kristen

 

[agw]

Hijackers. S'ok, I don't mind.

I will, however, distance myself from the homeschooling and religious direction my intro thread has taken. I am a spiritual person, but can no longer say I am a Christian. I am a SAHM, but it is by NO stretch of the imagination a "best fit" job for me. I'd be far happier working in the microbiology lab that I left after by second kid came into the world.

Anyway, back to the hijack discussion in progress. Carry on!

Thank you for the welcome, too, btw!

 

[kristenskitchen]

Sorry!!I'm so sorry, I got off on a tangent and forgot to say welcome! So: WELCOME, WELCOME, WELCOME!! Glad to have you here on the active posting side!!

~Kristen

 

[pchefinski]

this isnt really related to PC but i noticed both of you said you homeschool your children. i am trying HARD to get my husband to agree to homeschooling our 3 children who are 8, 6, and almost 5. Being christian i dont agree with alot of the things taught in class and want more control over there education. also on one of the buses in our district , thank god not my sons bus, a 13 year old girl stabbed a boy with a screwdriver because he picked on her all the time. talk about a wake up call. just wondering if you could give me the pro's and cons of homeschooling.

I think this is a topic that does have a little something to do with PC. One of the main reasons why I made the decision to sign with PC was so that I could be able to stay at home and not only raise my children (only have one right now, but trying for another), but to school them as well. Coming from the opposite end, I was public-schooled. I adamantly refuse to send my children to public school. To this day, I feel like an absolute moron when my husband and I are talking and I don't know something about US History that I should know, like why the Stock Market Crash happened (I'll admit it! lol). The public school I went to taught the students what they needed to know to pass the tests. That's it. Nothing that was lasting. I was not a student that slacked off, I was an A student; in the top 12 of my graduating class. I was in a classroom of 30, with very rarely an opportunity for one-on-one involvement with the teacher. We did projects that kept us busy, but didn't teach us anything. The public school system, in my opinion, cannot give each child the specialized teaching and attention that he or she needs. Though I came away an A+ student upon graduating, my brother was lost in the public school muck and dropped out.. because he's a hands-on kid and the only hands-on program at the school is gym class. (well, there are a couple others, but basically) Remedial classes weren't the answer though he was thrown into them. If he was taught hands-on, one-on-one, he grasped the information, and learned it well. But at public school, that isn't something that is available.

Another reason my husband and I are going to homeschool our children is for the discipline. There is a current confusion as to whether school officials are the "parents" of the students while they are in attendance, or whether the real parents are accountable. It flops back and forth, and no one wants to take responsibility for the actions of the children, but are quite eager to throw the blame on the other. There were numerous times that the school would claim responsibility for the student during school hours, then toss off the responsibility on the parent for the same time. It was a constant battle, a continual fight, with no satisfactory decision at the end. My husband and I want our children's discipline (when its needed) to be constantly the same.. Children need boundaries set for them, and discipline that is the same every time. It is a cause and effect principle, one that offers stability for the child in how he sees his actions and the consequences of them. Also, discipline is something to be done in LOVE, not in anger or frustration, and is meant for growth and maturity. Public school does not discipline in love. This is extremely important to my husband and I.

My husband was home-schooled, and he is a very well-educated, well-rounded man. His mother could tailor his schoolwork to him, focusing on things that he excelled at (English, History), and giving extra attention to those that he struggled with (Math), turning them into things he did well with. His sister knew when she was little she wanted to be a nurse; their mother tailored her studies and gave her specific courses focused on that -- she's an A+ student at nursing school now. His younger brother is dyslexic. My mother-in-law worked with him one-on-one to overcome that, and he just scored at the top for his ASVAB test for the Army. They didn't miss out on things because of being home-schooled. They learned what evolution was from a scientific, Christian standpoint. They had field-trips that were educational as well as fun. They played sports (one thing that I wanted to make sure our children had a chance to do if they wanted) through community teams and had gym class at the local Y. They were not raised socially inept; they were active in ministries through their church and were very involved with the local homeschooling network. They were raised with good morals and high values and standards, and do not feel they were robbed of anything in their childhood.

As one who had to endure what I feel was the garbage of public schooling, I look forward to homeschooling my children. I am so excited to learn along with them, discipline them in love, and to help mold them into adults with the good morals, values and standards that both my husband and I live by.

I also believe that by home schooling our children, as well as pursuing my PC business, I will be demonstrating to our kids that hard work pays off and the many responsibilities and rewards (like Bermuda or Disney World) of that hard work.