just keeping on going..

Today is one of those days when i begin doubting and start rallying myself to continue homeschooling..

it's nearly a week since my deadline in my post grad problem set, and i really need to confine myself somewhere to tackle it ... (a hospital basement may be my best try for isolation.)

From 11 to 2 (lunchbreak included) we did a 3-hour session (a first, since we usually do 1-2 hours sessions at a time, but our day started late, i woke up at 830, not 6 am.)

we covered a lot actually, ranging from multiplication-division, to cursive writing practice and drawing, to English grammar practice (we did this "unconsciously" while telling stories over coloring)... it should have been enough to "justify" to myself that yes, this really is the way to go for her. but my own assignment was gnawing at me to give it more time.

but then, when i put her to bed for her afternoon nap, she hugged me real tight and didn't let go, with this contented smile and sigh. She said that she's just so happy with homeschool... i asked her again what about outside school she didn't like (not that i don't know, but i would like to hear it again to give me reason to continue..)

And she simply said, "The teachers don't allow us to do what we want. They always tell us what to do."

wow. to be a child and not be able to do what you want.

the thing that keeps me going is not to subject my child in misery.

She's a 5 year old "drop out"

we tried again to enroll her in "mainstream" school last year.. (because we were new in town).

it was a disaster. but a good experiment nonetheless. we therefore conclude that homeschooling is best. (much like breastfeeding..)

and she had a 1001 reasons why she wanted to go back to homeschool..(besides her number 1 reason that she misses me and enjoys our time together..

1. her classmates were too loud and noisy she could barely hear the teacher
2. the teacher talks at them and does not listen
3. she's not allowed to go to the library during class hours.. after class, the library is closed.
4. she's not allowed in the playground after class because nobody can supervise (parents/fetchers can only wait at the gate)
5. she's not allowed to finish answering her textbook from cover to cover.
6. A classmate (a girl) keeps on bullying her (obviously the classmate must be having issues at home)
7. her classmates eat junkfood all the time and makes fun of her favorite snacks (oatmeal, and oatmeal cookies).


and the list goes on and on.. but we should have stopped at number 1.

much like breastfeeding, children thrive best in homeschooling because of the 101% attention, which allows us to be more sensitive and responsive to their needs and interests.

and so the journey begins once more... ;)