I wouldn't go that far. High school serves as a great state-sponsored teenage dating service!
Could y'all ping the homeschoolers?
It's like I have this voice whispering in one ear, "why not? You always wanted more children."
Adoption is a huge deal. Your life, your daughter's life, and the life (or lives) of your adoptive child will irrevocably change, because you want more children. Are you willing to effect those lives to fulfill a personal desire?
I know there are a number of homeschool pinglists out there, I'm not sure who is in charge of what. IIRC, Motherbear is the mother of two adopted children. Prayers to you, whatever you decide.
I need to be in California for my 4th grandchild's birth for 2-3 weeks, and this isn't too much to ask, is it? But there's no one who can keep these kids here and continue their studies during the critical month of September.
I don't know how you can manage this all by yourself. I know some couples have done it working days, in deed, a family of doctors, but then, I suspect their children had no serious problems like the ones you are probably going to take on.
I don't know what state you are in, but you need to contact your local support group for homeschoolers and see what the requirements are before you make a committment to do this.
I could possibly get my granddaughter into a daycare somewhere, but who would take a 10 year old Asbergers student who is HUGE! I cannot think of anyone but family, and everyone is either working, or caring for sickly family members and couldn't handle the extra burden just now. This is just ONE type of problem you would run into with homeschooling adopted children all by yourself.
I hate to be pessimistic, and I love homeschooling, but you need help.
If you are thinking of adopting, keep your opinions quiet about public schools. If the question is asked, tell them, "Oh, of course they will be taught in the public schools."
The only way it would be even somewhat okay is if you become a foster parent and make that your full-time job. Look into it. It pays quite well in most states. That way you could be at home with all the kids. The difficulties and baggage these children come with can be overwhelming. If you aren't always there, you leave your own child there to face it alone. She is probably nowhere near equipped to handle the situation.
I don't have kids, and I know it's cool to bash public schools on FR but read your rant against public schools as exaggerated fear mongering. I don't think you can take something as local as a school system, and make these huge sweeping generalizations like "schools make parents the enemy".
Find out about YOUR school in YOUR town. Be actively involved in it, and decide. The schools in my town that I went to are still OK, and most of my friends' kids attend them. In your situation I don't know where else you expect to park a newly adopted child all day "day care?" and still expect you both to have the energy for school at night.
HOMESCHOOL PING!
No, but I have met single, working parents who homeschool. Their children are either old enough - and responsible enough - to stay home while Mom works, or they stay with relatives.
More specifically, are any of you single, adoptive parents?
I believe there are some single and some adoptive parents on the list I just pinged.
What about accessing the best in teaching materials? I know there are programs out there for the computer, as well as more traditional teaching materials, but I wouldn't know where to start.
Some of us shared some advice on the following thread earlier this "homeschool year": Click here
Hopefully we'll compile a list this summer so that we can share advice again before September.
I know there are also homeschool groups/co-ops of a sort, but I don't know how many other homeschoolers there would be in my area.
You might begin by checking the HSLDA site for regulations in your state:
There are also support groups listed on that site, too.
Good luck!
There's not enough info on your situation for me to guess at the likelihood of your succeeding.
bump for later reading
I work part time and homeschool. My DH teaches math in the morning and I take over when I get home. I know that it most certainly can be done as a single working parent. I would highly recomment reading "So You're Thinking About Homeschooling" by Lisa Whelchel.
I'll post more later when I have more time.
My advice as a homeschooling working single parent ? You need someone at home with a kid until they are about 10-11 or until you can rely on their trustworthiness. After that, if you have done your job, they can be fairly self-sufficient, especially if you are available for consulting at the end of the phone line.
However, I applaud you for your ambition to raise one or more of these kids. I believe your biggest challenge will be bonding with them and developing trust. You should read several books before even going on to the subject of curriculum - invest some time in yourself. Read "The Art of Education" by Linda Dobson and any book by Raymond and Dorothy Moore. There are lots more to recommend, but these are my favorites.
I brought my "wounded" kid home from school at age 11. I had an excellent relationship with this child but after years of "abuse" by various schools of this very gifted child, there was a lot of work to be done in repairing her image of herself as a capable child. She was an avid reader of very advanced material, but math skills were lacking, and she had some physical issues related to severe stress.
I settled on a program of 2-3 hours of self-directed, self-motivated study, with all other time as her choice(not to include TV, computer or video games of more than 1 hour per day). Read anything, shore up basic math skills, hands-on science, helping with chores at home, volunteer work at the Children's library, and volunteer work at a therapeutic riding stable. I required academic work, but she was allowed a voice and some choices. For the record, the skills I consider essential are reading and comprehension(and related skills), proficient writing, understanding how the world works(science and sociology) and good math skills thru algebra and geometry. Anything else is a bonus.
Curriculum was not the issue - doing "academic" work at her pace in any area was. Study - of something - must occur, along with reading, but completing a workbook or curriculum was never a goal. I bought a lot of books, spend money on science experiment supplies, private music and art lessons, horseback riding lessons, gardening supplies like seeds and tools, and good science and literature-related DVDs for evening hours. We used the library for a lot of free resources.
Five+ years later, I have a happy, healthy, motivated child who knows her interests and seeks out her own sources of learning. I regard as the highest compliment that she tells friends that when she has her own children, she plans to homeschool them from the beginning because it's the best plan for life.
I am convinced this is because I basically followed the Moore's strategy of balance in creating the whole person. Academics, service and responsibilities at home and out of the home, and hands-on work of some type following an interest.
I hope this helps.
Our experience. We agreed back in 1988, before we married, that any children were we blessed wirh - we would educate outside the institutions - public or private.
Had our first in 1989. In 2005 he entered 10th grade in high school. He cannot be abused by the system, because he had that 12 years solid formation.
By his Mama that was at home 24/7/12 years. And, I made $17,500 the year Ben was born. There is a larger story about our second son. But, the only way it worked for us was a Mama at home and a Daddy doing what he could to support it. Many times, that was tenuous, at best.
Why go into it one legged?
For clarity, here - I do recognize your good intentions. Get all the support you can from real people in your real area before you do this.
Sorry this is so vague, but my advice would be to try finding an involved & supportive church in the city that you're moving to. Particularly if you can find one with a lot of homeschooling parents.