Wednesday, March 7, 2012

The High School Decision

It is almost spring, which means it is time to think about the next school year.


After 9 years of homeschooling, we are at a crossroads. The Young Adult will be in 9th grade next year - high school.
(Am I really old enough to have a child in high school? Didn't he just get out of diapers? They told me it would go fast when he was little, but I scoffed at them. I was too tired to even care. But now? Some days, I would love to go back and hold my little boy for a while. Sniff!)
The Young Adult announced last year he thought he wanted to try public school. My rule with the boys is that we are okay with them trying public school, but they cannot enter during their middle school years. I mean, there is so little good about middle school....shudder.....
Besides, 9th grade would be an ideal time to enter the school system, as everyone is headed to a new school, and being new would not be so hard.

I felt mixed by his decision.
 Part of me cheered - I could relax and let a school keep track of all his work, grades, classes and assignments. I would not have to worry about keeping a transcript. Or college requirements. And he could try that attitude he gets on some school teachers and see where that gets him!
Part of me was sad - He is getting such a great education at home and through the parts of homeschooling that are not at home. He would be giving up a lot of freedom

But, I understood his reasoning. He wanted to see what he had been missing, to be with peers, and to meet girls.

But he, too, has been conflicted. I gave him the deadline of March to make his final choice. He has talked to friends on both sides of the schooling fence, asking opinions, weighing options.

The Decision has been made - he has chosen to continue his homeschooling journey.

And I am starting to figure out exactly what I am going to need to do to help him with this adventure.

Pretty funny. The woman who said, when this same child was an infant, "I am not sure we will be able to afford private school when he is older. We went to public school and we turned out okay. All I know is - I am NOT homeschooling."

Here is to a new adventure!

3 comments:

Patty said...

Big decisions indeed! My older girls informed me that they want to try public high school. I told them that we are "willing" to talk about it when then time come. I think the time will be here before we know it.

On a side note...I thought of you at the grocery store this past Monday LOL I saw lots of "lite shoppers".

Neen said...

What a mature decision. My kiddos have never been to trasitional school with my oldest in college, she is very proud of her homeschool record. I hope your son has the same success.

Melissa said...

What big decisions come so soon. Hard to believe high school is around the corner!