So today, this happened.
Which was a bit startling. Big has, on her choice, gone to the local academy, joining year 11 to do GCSEs. She looked very happy and excited in her new uniform, which fitted her pretty well, and was thrown together in a week. All good fun.
(Or not. If you follow me on twitter, and experienced the saga of The Wrong Blazer. Still, fixed now, although I do have the original one to send back for a refund yet.)
I don’t quite know how I feel about this change. It’s complicated. Maybe I’ll wait until the end of the week to process it properly and write it up then. The main thing is that she drove this, so I support her, even if a tiny bit of me feels like a home ed failure. The lesson to take from this is not to create your identity around your children, but around yourself. Still a work in progress there apparently.
Anyway, once she set off, that left 3 children to focus on. So far this morning, Smallest has done her hammering set, then a bunch of stencils, and then found an addition/subtraction game I picked up cheap in Lidl and worked through the easiest set of sums. She’s now trying to teach Tigerboy to add and subtract, mainly be whispering the answers to him so that he can call them out 😉
He’s had a go at hammering, spent some time on CBeebies on the computer and is now point blank refusing to coperate with being taught maths by a 5 year old. No change there then.
Small is here as well. He’s working on a plan of education for this year. I hope. We’re not precisely seeing eye to eye on that one, but it will sort out in time one way or another.
So, basically, we’re still home educating. But we’re school using too. Like I said, changes.
Comments
14 responses to “Monday morning changes.”
What I see if a hugely successful home educating scenario which has helped a capable young lady reach a stage where she feel comfortable and confident to try something new. No failure as far as I can see (and my your children are growing up fast!).
Aw Jax, she looks great in her uniform and I hope her day goes well. Unfortunately as they get older they like to start putting their own plans and thoughts into action and it’s not always the way we see things going but we hope that we can support them in the decisions they make along the way. It was in no way a failure from you and you continue to do a great job with Home Ed and your younger ones. 🙂
When you said yesterday that there were changes this year, I wondered if this was it. Not sure why you regard it as Home Ed failure – she’s had 10 years of Home Ed and feels comfortable and confident enough to join her peers for the final hurdle of public exams. I’d call that a resounding Home Ed success and kudos to you for guiding her to this point.
One point of observation I have is that if she’s made the decision to do the public exams, she may as well be at school and doing them with friends. If she were at home she’d be studying the same syllabi but just on her own. It would be different if she’d chosen a more alternative, individual, creative route into adulthood, but she’s chosen to join the maintream system. Big is shining proof that Home Ed works and is not limiting or burning bridges in any way. Good luck to Big for a wonderful year of adventure and success. xxx
Exciting stuff!
Eek went in Yr11 to sit GCSEs. We had a bit of a tough time finding a school to take him at that late juncture, though. I hope you had an easier time of it. X
What a beautiful young lady she is. I am so proud of her and you. I hope it goes well and I know she will do well. She has amazing parents to guide her. Well done to all your little ones, you are doing a great job x
You have all my sympathy on the complicated feelings xxx It’s a big change, and I definitely needed more than a week before I could do much reflection. Am feeling similarly unsettled atm with Violet about to head off to university …. Everything should always just stay the same! 😉
Our No.1 started 6th form last week. I’m no HE expert, only having been doing so for two years, but for it seemed there naturally came a point when he was ready to be taught and not be self-sufficient, and even more so he was ready to be surrounded by other teens, and go do ‘normal’ teen stuff. It’s a huge transition, and it’s exhausting; but so far so good. Of course, he’s only been out of school (a different school) for two years, so he feels vaguely familiar stepping back in again. Good luck to Big – and to you.
And I think the fact that she made her own educational decision tells you just how successful you are as a Home Edder…
Like other people who’ve commented, I’m sure her decision to go to school can only mean you’ve raised a confident young woman who is able to carve her own path in life. And you’ve supported her, despite preferring the home school route. Sounds as though you’ve done all you can.
There are no words to describe HOW much I admire anyone who home schools. I honestly take my hat off to you. And please please don’t feel like a Home Ed failure because your eldest has chosen school school. Pleased to have found you through #BloggingMumsClub
Thank you. It’s a really odd feeling having her off and about. Happy to have met you too.
Gosh that must be a huge change for both you and your daughter. I’m beginning to realise that it’s time for me to find my own identity. I took on another job this term as I need to get my head out of teenage angst and into something else – for my own sanity! I hope she gets on really well and that you and your other two left at home settle into the new life 🙂
Three at home 🙂 she’s doing pretty well thanks, but it’s still really weird!
I wonder how these changes are going? Hope Big is happy (am sure she is, as I’m sure the three at home are too). The kids grow up, stuff happens and we can’t control it anymore. What will it all be like in ten years time?!
I need to do an update post, lots gone on in the last three weeks but generally speaking it’s going OK.