# Is anyone currently homeschooling??



## fobhomestead (Aug 12, 2010)

Hello!
I was wondering if there was anyone out there who is actively 100% homesteading as well as homeschooling their children. This is what I will be doing in about 14 days, and would love to know what some of the hassles/lessons learned were when you started up. My kids are 15 and 8. I want to teach them (and learn with them) the different ways to be self-sufficient (as well as the current events, etc.).


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## gypsysue (Mar 27, 2010)

We just finished homeschooling the last of our 7 kids. It's weird not to be starting a new year. 

It's a serious committment, especially if you start from the beginning. Once the kids have the basics down good, the rest isn't so hard. You can gear their lessons toward their interests and learning abilities.

Two of our sons are 15 months apart and have always been close buddies, but they are nothing alike. In schooling them, the older one liked to stay with his lessons until he was done with all subjects. He was very focused and conscientious about it.

The younger son couldn't focus for more than one subject at a time. Between subjects he had to go out and jump on the trampoline for 5 minutes, or ride his bike or swing or something. Then he was ready for the next subject. I could see THAT going over well in public school. He's very smart, but he did his schoolwork the fastest way he could to get done, and would try to bribe me out of lessons: "Can I run the vacuum cleaner instead of doing my math? Mow the lawn? Wash the car?"

Teach them to be self-sufficient by being so yourself. Have them learn alongside you, which I suspect you're already doing, with your homestead project! It's a great way for you all to learn together! 

You're practically neighbors to us. We're not far from the Montana/Idaho line, not far below Canada. We can almost see it from here! We probably have similiar climates to deal wtih.


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## saintsfanbrian (Oct 30, 2008)

We are starting this year with our daughter. The son is getting some of it too. They are 6 and 4. My wife is using the "unschooling" method where she teaches them through things they are interested in and by going shopping and cooking and things of that nature. It really is interesting. My 6 year old is already learning cursive writing. She thinks it's pretty.


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## fobhomestead (Aug 12, 2010)

*Here was my thoughts*

That is so awesome!! I was hoping there were people here who have homeschooled, and I am glad there are a lot of us in the same area! I really want to know if I am on the right course in my thinking. I know that I have to go by Washington law as far as keeping records and doing the "curriculum" that they recommend (one unit math, art, science, etc) but after that, I plan on really going a different direction. 
I am not interested in teaching for 6 hours a day in the traditional schoolbook manner. I would like to incorporate learning into fun activities (like I just ordered that game Quiddler- it's like scrabble in a card game) that can teach my younger son how to spell as well as sight words, etc. I will be doing some basic sit-down-at-the-table and do these worksheets type of activities, but what I really want to do is hands on learning. We are moving at the end of the month and I will have to start homeschooling right away. We need to put up fences, and build a couple of pole barns (I am freaking out over that one!!) and to me, that is all math stuff. I also want the kids to learn how to use and research on the internet. I am also planning on them writing a daily journal (for my son a ½ of page) that I will correct at night, and then in the morning he can re-write the corrected paragraph. When we get the goats, I will be teaching them to keep logs (I guess it's important to keep a record of how many pounds of milk your goats are producing). They will also be making goat cheese, ice cream, butter, etc. I want them to make goat soap as well, and they can get a firsthand experience in chemistry (lye is caustic). Plus the garden, etc&#8230; 
So, that is where my thinking is taking me. I just want to know if it is feasible and what some of the obstacles are that others have run into. Has anyone had a problem with the schools? What other things am I missing? I did buy a book on homeschooling for the different ages. I guess the most important part is making sure we have the right "hours" logged for each subject?


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## gypsysue (Mar 27, 2010)

Gee, your kids are going to get "gym" class and home-ec and shop and all kinds of exellent education just doing these things right alongside you! Make sure the paperwork meets the state law, but keep in mind, your actual education time extends from the time they get up until the time they go to sleep at night. Even if you aren't sure you've gotten the required number of hours for each subject, you're getting a lot more than you're probably counting. You can be explaining things and pointing out things all day. They'll pick up tons of useful information, REAL things that will help them be productive adults, right along with the book-learning. 
The journal idea is exellent. That's exactly what we did, and the kids love to read back over it and see what we did. We used spiral notebooks and they'd put the date and the day of the week at the beginning of each entry. 
We're still on the email-newsletter list for our local homeschool organization. I've known some of the kids since they were born, and after more than 20 years of homeschooling, I can't imagine not knowing what the rest of them are up to and how their kids are doing, and what activities they're having. It's been a lot of fun.
Now our oldest daughter is homeschooling her own.

How did they do?

1st child got a scholorship to the University of Montana, designs websites and does webhosting, and is married with 4 kids.
2nd child owns his own rain-gutter installation business, makes good $$$. Married, no kids yet.
3rd child became Dairy Dept. manager of a major grocery store at age 19 (still is!). Married, no kids yet.
4th child is assistant manager of the Health food dept. of same store.
5th child is married with one child, one on the way, and big into gardening, etc.
6th child is a fireman (structure and wildfire).
7th child just got married a couple weeks ago, plans to attend college and become a chef.

That's what's become of my homeschoolers! They were raised off the grid, and gardened, raised animals, cut firewood, went hunting and fishing, as well as family activities such as backpacking, rafting, kayaking, bicyling, etc.


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## saintsfanbrian (Oct 30, 2008)

Gypsysue - that is awesome. I am hoping one day we will be in the same boat.

My wife uses every opportunity to teach. The grocery store (since we still live in town) is useful for math and reading.


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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

Home schooling works well if both the parent and child want to do it, Our son homeschooled last year and really liked it. He is an only child . Just the chance at self reliance and time management alone are worth the effort. no where in the "real" world do you encounter life with a large group of people within 15 or so months of the same age , just that alone may be part of the social woes of current society.
Like Gypsysue said education starts at the time kids (well really anybody) wakes up until they go to bed, once kids get used to this idea they seem to embrace research as a tool (that they like) as opposed to a stupid school assignment. I think one of the biggest advantages is the abillity to complete a task or at least take it to a natural stopping point instead of closing the books when the bell rings to start another "class".
And of course homesteading and home schooling fit very well together :flower:


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

My son finished his home schooling this year (he was 16:congrat and now that he has turned 17 has started his on-line auto tech class. 

It has worked out well for us.


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