It's night time now and I overheard my daughter telling her brothers that I'm making her go to school--that I never even asked her. She covered her mouth when I stepped in and asked her about it. I am so afraid of "making" her do either for me or anyone else. I thought she told me last night she wanted to go so I did all the paperwork, etc. today. She has met the school secretary, principal, and her teacher, while I thought that was what she had said she wanted.
We talked about it a little more---she is registered for school now so it could be nervousness---and I told her that it wasn't too late to change her mind but she needed to go to the Meet and Greet at school tomorrow. Once school starts, though, she needs to stay with it. Then she asked if she could just go until Jan. 1. I think she is looking for reinforcement that she won't be stuck if she doesn't like school.
Her primary reason is that she is upset about not being able to stay in gymnastics. Watching Olympic gymnastics has intensified her desire to excel there. To make it worse, the gym called to remind us the new semester begins Sept. 1. Then she plead to only stay in public school until Jan. 1. I think she is afraid of sealing shut her options and being stuck in something for a whole year. Hopefully, she will enjoy the whole year, but I felt very much that she wanted reassurance that she could still change her mind. I reassured her that we could talk about it at Christmas if she wanted to stop and that it would be possible to withdraw her--just a little stickier.
Then she wanted to know if she could still do the Campfire Girls. I am very leery of overcommitting when I have no idea how much homework she will bring home. She will have to pull earlier nights too so extracurricular activities need to wait.
The worst part is that I don't know if this is all just nerves talking or if I misunderstood and jumped too fast. Maybe she just wanted her own backpack and school supplies? That was another question she had--if she would have to return all that stuff if she didn't go to school.
The upshot is that she will go to the Meet and Greet tomorrow (and I think go through with the school thing) with the promise that she can go back to homeschooling at the beginning of the calendar year if she wants to.
However, there is one big thing about the school system in 3rd grade that I think is deplorable. They study "Social Studies" with not much history. Are you serious?! Shaundra and I will be reading American History aloud together in the evenings!!! Math can take a flying leap; history is far more important! (I wouldn't really cut math, but I wouldn't cut history either!)
3 comments:
I hesitate to step out here but may I gently say that this is why it really isnt advisable for a child to decide what to do about school. Children are just too immature to understand the full ramifications and far reaching effects of their decisions. Where to send a child to school and whether or not to homeschool is really a parents decision because it is a hard decision that needs made by adults. But thats just my loving opinion.
Thank you for your concern. I think this is what we are supposed to do at this time, but it is very scary because I generally dislike schools. That makes me a hypocrite, I guess. Bottom line, there are some things that I think could be valuable for her to learn and school is the easiest way for some of those skills. I do not foresee doing this for more than a year though. I am pleased with the teacher and the school has a very good reputation.
On the other hand, I probably wouldn't have even considered it if my daughter didn't keep bringing it up. (My sons are vehemently opposed to going to school.) I certainly don't want to do it if she feels I'm making her do it so her eagerness is very important. There will be enough mornings she won't want to get up without feeling like she is being forced to do it.
Last note: Please do not hesitate, Mrs. Darling, for making suggestions. I respect your opinions/reminders.
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