Home schooling advice.

[JulieSherris]

Now, I have no input on the whole home-ed discussion, but we have a totally different experience of Ireland from Mabu, it would seem.

We live in the rural west of Ireland, deep in farming country & the daughter lives a few miles away in the local village with the 7 yr old granddaughter.
In her class she is one of 7. There's about 62 kids in the whole primary school. And boy, does it show! 8 kids from the school were chosen to start an organic garden as part of a Galway project - she was chosen because she rattles on to her teacher about how we do things here & how she helps. (Oh, and her little competition essay where she spoke about planting green poo - she meant manure, obviously!! )

But every little thing is picked up almost instantly - she has reading books with no pictures now, because her reading is streets ahead - she goes to a 'remedial' teacher for extra work since February, because she already worked through her maths & english books for the year. I guess a lot of education choices is down to geography - had we still been back in Blackpool, she would have been 1 of 33 or so & probably overlooked.

My MIL says that she feels sad when she thinks of Leah being brought up to be so 'primitive; - hahaha!! This is the same lady who asked when our hens were going to start crowing like normal hens....
I know how I prefer us all to live & it's certainly not in a UK city with the standard 3 bed semi & all mod cons (been there, done that) - you live your life how YOU want to live your life - sod the rest of them.
(Oh, & we don't have council tax, water rates or NI payments here either - well, not yet anyway!!)

[MKG]

You tell 'em, Julie!!!!!

(I'll hide behind you )

Mike

[JulieSherris]

Well, maybe it's an age thing Mike, but I get sick of hearing about how other people always think that it's an inferior way of life.

As a family, we're raising a kid who will pop to the veg patch & pick the right sort of herbs, she can pluck & prepare a chicken, she can use a PC, she loves puzzle books, she watches news programmes - she also loves Jedward, so we're failing there, but at least it shows she has her own mind (sort of!)

We make-do & mend with different things around the home, but blimey, we're happy. We have no debt apart from the mortgage, hubby earns enough to pay the bills & the projects, & on a daily basis there's no stress, no need to keep up with them next door, no hurry to do anything at any particular time. I don't have to get the fake nails/tan/extensions, & so far, somehow, my world hasn't collapsed without them either!

So, Green Pea, go live your lives, if the others don't like it, don't invite them over - they'll be more interested in your life than you are in theirs anyway!

[MKG]

"but blimey, we're happy."

... and there, before your very eyes, is the secret of the universe (very well guarded!!!!) as far as I'm concerned.

It's an ageing hippy thing. It must be - all the ageing hippies are still trying to tell the world.

Not that I think Julie's an ageing hippy. Well, I'm not sure about the ageing bit

Or the hippy bit.

But it's still the secret of the universe.

Mike

[oldjerry]

There is so much that you can do re 'social contact' that doesn't involve state schooling.Cubs/scouts/guides, choirs/music groups/youth clubs/woodcraft etc,etc,

[Mrs H]

Well, maybe it's an age thing Mike, but I get sick of hearing about how other people always think that it's an inferior way of life.

As a family, we're raising a kid who will pop to the veg patch & pick the right sort of herbs, she can pluck & prepare a chicken, she can use a PC, she loves puzzle books, she watches news programmes - she also loves Jedward, so we're failing there, but at least it shows she has her own mind (sort of!)

We make-do & mend with different things around the home, but blimey, we're happy. We have no debt apart from the mortgage, hubby earns enough to pay the bills & the projects, & on a daily basis there's no stress, no need to keep up with them next door, no hurry to do anything at any particular time. I don't have to get the fake nails/tan/extensions, & so far, somehow, my world hasn't collapsed without them either!

So, Green Pea, go live your lives, if the others don't like it, don't invite them over - they'll be more interested in your life than you are in theirs anyway!

What a refreshing post Julie! We too hav adopted a similar way of life, although r still payinf of debts so money continues to be a source of stress, but we're getting there!!
We live rurally on a farm now and our son attends the local primary school, it has 42 children in it. There r 4 in Finns p1 class!! He loves school and thankfully as it is so rural it follows on what we teach him at home. He is learning all about growing veg now and this morning he was telling me how we need to set up the wormery!!
People think we're crazy and certainly r families (who r arseholes anyway!!) Tell us we r doing the wrong thing sending him to such a small school. How? It is like a big family, I hav no worries while he is there, he loves it and all the kids play together no matter what age. He is happy and we r happy, apparently this isn't enough for some folk.
Had we not had access to such a small school we would most certainly hav considered home education as the nxt closest school has over 30 in p1 alone.
Children need to be loved and cherished and encouraged at every step and as parents we have to do everything in r power to ensure this.
As Mike says happiness is the key, after all what is life if u aren't happy? X

[Mabu]

Now, I have no input on the whole home-ed discussion, but we have a totally different experience of Ireland from Mabu, it would seem.

Oh don't get me wrong, if you are Irish and in a rural Irish area then that's fine, it sounds like your kids go to a damn good school. Thing is, I'm not Irish and have verrrrry specific views on how I want to raise a child.

[JulieSherris]

No no, Mabu - I'm not Irish - I was raised deep in the heart of the London - First the elephant & castle & then in brixton before moving to Kent & finally in my late 30's in Blackpool, so I'm a hapless townie who has settled very happily in rural farming Ireland, strangely.

I'm as heathen as they come, as are my 3 girls AND the granddaughter, who goes to a catholic school. She understands that we're living in a catholic country - she also understands that we don't HAVE to get involved. I've even caught her smiling at one of her friends for the blind faith. The little girl said 'but you HAVE to go to church and to mass...' Leah said 'actually, you don't HAVE to go, if there really IS a god, he or she would hear you wherever you are!' That's my girl!