[bobthecockroach]

Here's the way this will work. You ask questions, I post answers. I don't care if you're asking for information, to try to trip me up or for any other reason but please just ask questions. If I don't think I can give a good enough answer, I'll ask someone else to give one (most likely my mom since she homeschooled me). A lot of different questions about homeschooling are coming up in the other thread but a lot of them stray from the topic of the thread, so here's a place to ask any questions you want about any aspect of homeschooling. Don't expect immediate answers; I plan to take the time to think through what I'm saying. I ask that you give equal thought to your questions so they aren't vague and I can better understand how to answer them.

But again, please just ask questions and let me give the answers (in other words, don't jump in with an answer just cos I'm not around for a few hours/days ).

PS - I'm NOT going to enforce this with my new mod powers in here but I would appreciate it. Hey, if you wanna start your own thread, go for it.

[bluesy hobo]

I have 10 little brothers and sisters. I've been homeschooled my whole life. I am going to school this year. Now that I am finally hanging out with kids my age, I am overwhelmed at home by all the little kids. I almost hit my 11-year-old sister the other day because I couldn't take it any more. what di i do?

[bobthecockroach]

bluesy hobo:

Ten little siblings is an awful lot. I can certainly understand getting frustrated. I think sometimes the oldest in a large (assuming you're the oldest, if not, close enough ) gets frustrated because they're always having to help take care of the younger children. I imagine when you were homeschooled this seemed totally natural to you. Now that you've seen what other kids, and other kids' lives, are like you probably want the freedom that they seem to have (or maybe I'm getting way off track).

I think what's important to realize is that you're in that home for a reason. As tiring as it may be, you do have a responsibility to your younger siblings. They probably look up to you as a role model (even if they'd never admit it). When you're around them, try to always behave as if they were going to grow up to be just like you. It's gonna be tough but it's also very important.

However, you are not a parent, you are a sibling. It's not your job to be a parent. Try to find somewhere where you can get away and spent some time by yourself. Also realize though that life isn't like school. Aside from academics, there isn't much responsibility in school, so you can spend time just hanging out and being friends. There's a lot of responsibilities in life that make that difficult. This is one of those responsibilities.

So, in short, realize that you do have a responsibility to your siblings but don't let yourself get overwhelmed. If you need a break, take one (if you can). Try to look for simple practical ways to get a break. Maybe go for a bike ride or something. Post on CGR.

Hope that helped.

[bluesy hobo]

I've realized all that before. I live in Anchorage. There is a rich section of town called hillside. This is where all the million dollar homes and stuff. There is only giant mansions up there. No stores, no bike trails, no nothing. This is where I live.
It is also winter. Which means I am indoors all day. Trapped with everyone inside. I have tried different hobbies. I didn't like XBOX too much, and that besides music are all I can do indoors. This summer I was practising bass 8 hours a day. I am trying to make enough money to open up a home recording studio in my bedroom.
Any other ideas?
Oh yeah, my mom might pull me out of school at semester. Then I will be home all day long.
Some people can handle 10 kids better than me, but they don't have my brothers and sisters. If you knew, you would understand why I feel this way.

[bobthecockroach]

Originally Posted by bluesy hobo

Any other ideas?

Read the Bible. (That's my universal suggestion to everything)

Honestly, I don't know what else to suggest. I guess just think about what interests you and pursue it. Give me some time to think more, maybe I'll come up with a brilliant insight. (If someone else wants to chime in on this, feel free.)

[bluesy hobo]

Thanks for trying. I really need help of any kind.

[DreamChaser]

Heya,

Do you have a life?

[bluesy hobo]

Believe it or not I do. I used to hang out with a bunch of kids from church, but they were grass adix and stuff. I did a lot of stuff that I regret now. I stopped hanging out with them a couple of months ago. I realized they were teaching me to many bad things, like language.

[bobthecockroach]

Originally Posted by DreamChaser

Heya,

Do you have a life?

Was that directed to me as a question about homeschooling or to bluesy hobo?

[DreamChaser]

Heya,

You - it was a question about homeschooling.

(I was home-schooled too btw. I was attempting a parody of the question I was often asked by non-homeshooled children)

Sorry bluesy, that wasn't meant as a response to your post - guess I should of read the last post in the thread before I replied to it.

[bobthecockroach]

Originally Posted by DreamChaser

Do you have a life?

Well, right now I'm in college, but I'll apply this back to when I was still homeschooled.

Yes, I had a life.

I think in some ways I had more of a life than people in public school. They had to go to school for 7 hours or so and then do an hour or two of homework every night, but I only did about 4 hours of school work in a day. That means I had more time in a day to do things I enjoyed doing, to go to various homeschooling group activites, and to do church activities.

Now, you might say that I missed out on the socialization that goes on at school, but the point of school is education, not socialization. Socialization is extracurricular. Even if I had gone to public school, my focus would have been on education. To compare to today, my focus at college is on education. Now certainly I've made some friends but that's not why I'm there. If I had gone to public school I would've put in the time to do all my homework and would have had much less time in a day to things I enjoyed doing. Plus, there are plenty of homeschooling groups around now and there's ample oppurtunity to be involved with group activities in homeschooling. I was in Biology and Chemistry labs, art classes, band, and some other things I can't even remember. So, really, I think the socialization in public school and homeschool is about equal.

And I think the time involved in public school is excessive and unnecessary.

I think what's key to realize for those interested in homeschooling is that homeschooling is FLEXIBLE. If you want to have a life, then you can. If you want to shut yourself off from the outside world, well, then you can do that to.

[Mattlock]

This is a dumb question, but when you are homeschooled, are you taught by your parents? I don't know a thing about homeschooling.

[bobthecockroach]

Originally Posted by skilletswitch

This is a dumb question, but when you are homeschooled, are you taught by your parents? I don't know a thing about homeschooling.

There are no stupid questions... just a bunch of inquisitive idiots, but I don't think you're one of them. It's a good question.

Different parents go different ways on that one. My mom taught us for 90% of our schooling but a lot of parents do joint classes (especially with the sciences and english/writing, from what I've seen). Like I said, homeschooling is flexible. Now, you're not gonna get away with homeschooling your kids and not teaching them anything yourself. That would sort of defeat the purpose anyway, wouldn't it? I say teach what you know, get in groups for what's best learned in groups, and find teachers (other parents) for what you simply don't know.

In most cases, I think the parents do about 60-90% of the teaching.

[Awzmgd117]

i was homeschooled too, at various points and went to both public and private christian school, so i got to see alittle bit of everything, i was a military kid.

what i was struggle with when people ask me how i feel about homeschooling is the social bubble it creates. i was homeschooled at a young age, so it wasn't relevant to me, but i had friends later, who were homeschooled throughout high school. i always understood how they liked to have all the free time, i was always one with what i called wasted time in high school, where teachers taught concepts slow enough for everyone to catch on when i got it right away and was ready to move on. but at the same time, the kids who were homeschooled, were always a bit, odd. they really had no concept of pop culture or what was going on in the world. in short they lived in a bubble. i didnt think this was good.

so, i thought i'd see if you had anythoughts on how to rectify this situation. its something i haven't seemed to find an answer too. i mean i know there is social outlets for hs kids, but they are with other isolated hs kids. did you find this to be true, or if not what did you do different

[Shakespeare]

Any other ideas?

Since I'm allowed to chime in Let me get this straight, you want time to yourself, you're locked indoors, and you don't have very many hobbies? Well, you like music, try picking up a new insterment, or study music, sample diffrent kinds of music, lock the door and leave nothing on but your cd player/radio/whatever. I'm sure being locked up with 9 other kids is crazy! Make your room your space, where you can go and be by yourself. Try new hobbies, you never know what you'll like! Call a friend, chat online, see what there is to do in your area. If yuo do go back to homeschooling, study what intrest you Those were the best years of my homeschooling, when I studied whatever fascinated me. (Which was Shakespeare) I hope everything works out for you