Parents and school involvement

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-17-2003
Parents and school involvement
2586
Thu, 08-23-2007 - 8:49am

My question stems from a personal experience. My middle child is starting kindergarten next week. I've become fairly close with one of my dd's friend's moms- this is her first child entering the school system. She WOH, I do not, plus I have experience with the school, so she's been calling me with questions and comments.

It started to go bad when she called to complain that the kindy orientation is during the day- when she is working. Then it led to complaints about the parents' read aloud program (when the kids are in library) and other opportunities for volunteerism in the school. I get that these things aren't convenient for her, but I'm getting annoyed with the complaining. How can the kids have an orientation at night when they go to school during the day? None of these events are mandatory for parents or kids. And plenty of activities are scheduled for evenings: Back to school night, the PTA picnic, etc.

She thinks because she can't participate, no one should be able to, apparently. Plenty of WOHP do show up for these things. I think she's being unrealistic if she thought she could put a couple of kids through school without ever taking a vacation day. Am I wrong? Am I missing something here?

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-12-2005
Thu, 08-30-2007 - 5:39pm

Now we are up to 2-3 hours at a time instead of over an hour??? My dd was there over an hour two times a week.

My kids have friends that they have chosen. Why would you assume otherwise? They don't have to go to preschool for that.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-27-2005
Thu, 08-30-2007 - 5:40pm
I never said you are not doing a good job or any other homeschooling parent. I just think that sometimes it is a little more lax (from what I have heard before)than a school setting.
I know they are not sitting in class for 6 hours. They have art, gym, music, lunch, recess and other things they go to. They are expected to be disciplined for the majority of the time though and are expected there 5 days a week. My school never has 2 weeks break like the homeschooler that I heard about (she wasn't the only one, her friends also who homeschooled did this schedule).
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-12-2005
Thu, 08-30-2007 - 5:41pm
We can live without the standing in line, I think.I could invite the neighborhood kids over and see if they can form a line though....
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-27-2005
Thu, 08-30-2007 - 5:43pm
I think she means the overall discipline of "standing in line". It gives them the patience to know that they can't just do what they want. Hey, we all have to stand in lines for the rest of our lives so it is a good thing to learn young-lol!!
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-12-2005
Thu, 08-30-2007 - 5:43pm
My dd's teacher said he wished he could have a roomful of kids like my dd. Her other teachers raved about her as well. Homeschooling hasn't harmed my kids in any way.
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-14-2006
Thu, 08-30-2007 - 5:43pm
I spent a year and a half throwing those brekfasts. LOL.
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-27-2005
Thu, 08-30-2007 - 5:44pm
Do you think it has made her a little less outgoing? Is she more quiet in class?
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-12-2005
Thu, 08-30-2007 - 5:44pm
That's easy to teach though. My dd had to stand in line in ballet class.
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-17-2007
Thu, 08-30-2007 - 5:45pm

good try but if you check you will see i have said all along i was talking about 2-3 times a week for 2-3 hours at a time.

please show me where i said anything about your kids? cant do it can you? because i didnt. my 4 year old does have to go to preschool to be exposed to and meet other kids that i dont know - he just isnt old enough imo to go out looking for friends on his own outside of the structure of preschool. sure, he might meet a kid at the park but the odds of us meeting up with that same person several times a week over the period of a school year are pretty slim. other than the friends he has made at preschool his friends are the children of my friends as are most friends of 4 year olds i know.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-12-2005
Thu, 08-30-2007 - 5:46pm
Heck no! My dd is very popular in school.She participates in class discussions, gives presentations, etc without any problem. I do think that has more to do with personality than homeschooling though.

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