It stands to reason -- somebody who has to justify her reasons must have some hefty reservations. It is true. Absolutely true.
Concerns:
1. As a gal who used to mock home schooling and home schoolers I am very aware of the stigma. Also now aware of cosmic comeuppance. Yep.
2. Myself. I have a mean voice. I can't find a balance. It's hard for me to listen to moms use a sweetie-pie voice that isn't actually their voice. I understand that it's a way of starting far at the end of the spectrum so that if things escalate, and the voice slides, there's a bigger margin. For me I always start with my regular voice, a habit I think shows respect to the children, BUT the moment anything slides I'm out of range of what I think a rational and fair mom-voice should sound like. I have lofty improvement goals in this department, but will say that I'm worried that their quota of mean-voice is going to be exceeded because there will be so much exposure time. Either this will desensitize them to shrews for the rest of their lives, or send some future therapist's kid to college. Oy.
3. It's inequitable. Having been raised by a single mom who worked long hours it makes me feel insensitive to do something that most families in this country can't do. My kids' upbringing is more enriched than mine was, but I fear it's also bloated. The stigma with home schooling is starting to change, but I worry that it's not because people are becoming more tolerant and open-minded, but because the people who make the rules (i.e. the educated/those with resources) are starting to do it more. I don't want to be lumped in with that group -- I feel like a traitor. For the record, if I have to be put in a group, I would rather be with the nerds and the weirdlings than the elites.
4. Traditions. The school memories that I want my kids to have include field trips on school buses, hysterical kid conversations in the lunchroom, goofy school pictures, exchanging valentines, and having adventures roaming the halls when they are supposed to be using the bathroom. This is the one that hurts my heart. The one thing I'm holding on to is that some of my favorite memories are when the traditions went wonky (hold up -- dibs on using that for a "reality show"... When Traditions Go Wonky...). It's the Christmas tree that was actually a bush that gets the most laughs, the 10th birthday when I was sick and had to put my candles in Jell-o that comes to mind, the trip to the swimming pool ruined by the hail storm that brings a smile... I think it will be okay.
And of course a smattering of things like: will they have friends when they go back, will they fail a grade because we don't do enough math, will they hate each other...
