Monday, February 8, 2010

KABBANY: The ups and downs of homeschooling (The Californian)

KABBANY: The ups and downs of homeschooling (The Californian)

KABBANY: The ups and downs of homeschooling (The Californian)

Posted: 08 Feb 2010 12:06 AM PST

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I recently toyed with the idea of homeschooling my fifth-grader because I am worried about the negative peer pressure he'll soon face in middle school.

But after hiring a math tutor last month because I couldn't even help him with fractions, I realized homeschooling might not be for me. I asked around to find out more about what it takes.

It's like a full-time job, requiring an extreme amount of dedication and effort, a few local moms told me.

To them, it's worth it.

"The biggest benefit is being able to learn right along with your kids, and having a family-centered lifestyle," said Sage resident Margaret Meyncke, who homeschools her sixth-, ninth- and 12th-grade children.

Meyncke, who is in her 50s, said the hard work is balanced by rewards.

"I get compliments often about how my kids are polite," she said. "They can carry on a conversation with adults. They aren't peer-oriented."

To teach advanced subjects, she turns to online classes, as well as local co-op groups, where moms divvy up subjects and teach what they're knowledgeable about.

"There is a wealth of opportunity for people who want to plug in," she said. "There (are) different ways of doing it."

Keeping her kids out of public school also keeps them safe from peer pressure, she said.

"You can avoid a lot of problems later on, that's a huge benefit," she said. "You are not constantly doing damage control."

Temecula mom Lucy Kelly, 44, has enrolled her 8-year-old in public school, but she homeschools her 13-year-old.

"It is indeed a full-time job," she said. "The most rewarding part is seeing that 'Oh, I get it' look. The hardest part is balancing schedules. But I look at it each year with an eye to what is best for this kid at this time. Right now, that's what works for us."

Homeschooling has also taken a toll on the family's pocketbook.

"It impacts us financially, and will for many years," she said. "We look at it as an investment."

The Kellys use the Temecula school district's Rolling Hills Academy kindergarten-through-eighth-grade homeschooling program. Out of curiosity, I asked how many students are enrolled.

A whopping 46, I was told. Compare that with the 28,000-plus students enrolled in the district.

It illustrates that for every mom who makes homeschooling work, there are many more who don't, or who have no interest in trying.

A friend of mine, Kim, attempted it with her four kids. It didn't last long.

"I quit for two reasons," she said. "The kids were not being pushed hard enough and challenged, and they were desperately lonely."

After looking into it, I realized I don't have the discipline to make it work. But I wish I did, and I praise the moms who do.

Contact Jennifer Kabbany at Jennifer.kabbany@gmail.com.

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