Roles of the parent.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 05-02-2003
Roles of the parent.
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Tue, 03-07-2006 - 3:29am
I think in the old days men use to tell women the what to do, or what not to do. Today we let other women tell us what is right for us. I have never seen two situations that are the same in any relationship. The roles are changing as we type right now. Women use to think it was worth it to spend as much time at home with their children as time would give them. However, that is not the case today. It is all very sad if you ask me because you have some men that are saying "I will stay home for the kids", and at the same time the women opt not too.I have three girls, the oldest is 8 and the youngest is 3 months , each child has a four yr space. Some parents need duel incomes. I think as children get older it is okay to get work outside the house, but as they are growing and learning new things I would like to see that for myself if I can. I have another year of college and then I will have to work, and I am not looking forward to it. The idea of being away from my children is scary to me. I find it hard to even let them go outside and play. However, I am getting better with it. Both my parents worked, and I recalled how much I wanted to be with my mom. I would have been happy just to go to Walmarts with her, but she never really had the time. It is not a matter of what is right or wrong, but what is the need of the family? Can a family make it on one check? That depends on the location, the home, car, and the life style that the parents want to have. Some could say if you want to be safe, you both have to pay because safe comes with a high price tag. Others could say different. The truth is stay at home moms are on the downfall due to the different types of families today. Is it bad or good, I do not know. However, I can tell you it is life.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 07-16-2005
Thu, 03-09-2006 - 7:14pm

I don't know why, but I'm still having a hard time accepting this. I've read that HS'ers finish up their day much earlier than traditional schools and even take longer vacation breaks.

I didn't go to public school, but one of the nice private schools in my area. I don't recall sitting in class waiting for others to catch up. Perhaps I was the one catching up and everyone was waiting for me! I rarely could not NOT learn from other curious student's questions. After class, I had some kind of sports practice. Then I went home and studied 4 hours. Then, I went on to the Ivy League and law school.

An education is as good as you make it....I think the average student in the average public school is NOT looking out the window and daydreaming, but CAN learn from other students' slowness/curiosity.

A novel concept in my little competitive town is for the "A" and "B" students to hire tutors. (In my day, only failing students hired tutors.) Perhaps in that, there is a bit of the HS'ing concept of efficiency and tailoring the education to the student.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-16-2005
Thu, 03-09-2006 - 7:16pm
I'm not sure that I distinguished homework and learning. I was joking that any work done after 4 pm is homework. My bad attempt at humor.
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-16-2005
Thu, 03-09-2006 - 7:24pm
I find the co-op fascinating. I'm like, why not just send the kid to public school at that point? Unless the school district is inferior, I see the co-op as the parents hand-picking classmates ~ that's just so unlike the real world. My and DH's approach to education is to get our children ready for the real world.
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-16-2005
Thu, 03-09-2006 - 7:36pm

I would not be comfortable using standardized testing to make sure "my" HS'd child was at least at the level of the local public school. Our school uses standardized tests to see how ITS students compare to other students in the district. We have minimum district standards of education.

Additionally, the purpose of standardized testing required by No Child Left Behind is to compare schools nationally. Basically, Bush wants to say public schools are overwhelmingly performing at an unacceptable level...so let's enact the voucher system. (Thankfully, that never came about, but we're still left with NCLB testing.)

Until the SATs or ACTs, my opinion is that standardized testing is not an adequate gauge of how the HS'ing student is faring. Rather, it's a broader, district-wide or even nation-wide gauge.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-16-2005
Thu, 03-09-2006 - 7:38pm
LOL. Don't get me wrong. I'm happy with our arrangement.
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-05-2000
Thu, 03-09-2006 - 7:42pm

Homeschooling isn't for everyone including children as well as parents. When I homeschooled the girls, "school" started at 8am and went until lunch time unless we took a "field trip". During those 4 hours, we covered reading, writing, arithmetic, science, and history. We started homeschooling when Joy was 5 with Kindergarten, added Erica 2 years later. Angela basicly grew up with homeschooling since she was born when Joy started 1st grade. Reading, writing, and math were taught separately by ability. Science and history were taught to all three girls with activities geared to their ability/educational level. In our homeschool group, we had parents who taught for 6-8 hours a day, 5 days a week, turning one room of their house into a classroom. Others were like us and were more laid back. To some extent, we had a child-led schedule. If one or more of the girls were interested we took more time and a more indepth look at a subject. Or skimmed one and went on if they caught on fast.

Chris

The truth may be out there but lies are in your head. Terry Pratchett

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-06-2006
Thu, 03-09-2006 - 8:41pm

My daughter made an argument the other day for me to homeschool on the weekends only. Something tells me she's just looking for a 2 day school week, lol.

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-06-2006
Thu, 03-09-2006 - 8:45pm

Which is why I wonder why home schooled kids don't test better than they do. Everything I've read puts them above average. With all they have going for them and the weeding out of those for whom it doesn't work, they ought to be, at least, in the top quartile.

I find it bothersome that it gets presented as just better than average and not fantastic with all it has going for it. Makes me wonder how effective it really is. I'd love to see someone compare home schooled kids to other kids with the same resources and involved parents who go to public schools. I have a feeling they might not measure up.

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-08-2003
Thu, 03-09-2006 - 8:51pm
What bothers me about homeschooling is that people claim they are homeschooling, but when you ask what they are really doing it is more of a co-op situation where groups of like-minded parents gather all their kids together and bring in "experts" to teach them all.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-28-2003
Thu, 03-09-2006 - 8:53pm

There are a lot of reasons to homeschool and sometimes the quality of the local public school has nothing to do with it. There is still a huge difference between a homeschooling co-op and public school.

My babysitter is in a homeschooling co-op. Her mom doesn't love teaching science so the girl goes to a co-op for science instruction. In turn, her mom does a unit in literature that is her specialty and passion. It is a way for the parents to utilize different resources, (specialize if you will), allow their children a chance to be instructed by other grown-ups in greater depth or with greater expertise than the parent can provide, and a chance for the kids to socialize and learn in a group setting.

A woman I know homeschooled her child and the neighbor's child on a half-day basis. She did it because both children were highly gifted and they needed something very different than what was offered at the local public and private schools. She taught them (and they mastered) first grade through sixth grade curriculum the first year. Although it wasn't technically a co-op, the reasons why they were being homeschooled wasn't because the kids were being handpicked in some unrealistic fashion but rather because the situation satisfied everyone's needs best. I don't know what about that situation didn't prepare them for the real world except for the fact that they weren't required to waste a lot of time learning material at what would be a snail's pace for them.

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