From Home School to Public School: 5 Things I Wish I Would Have Done

5 Things I Wish I Would Have Done Going from Home School to Public School

Making the decision to home school over public school can be a tough choice for many families. But, for some, choosing to place your kids in public school after homeschooling can be equally challenging. If you homeschool and are considering public school, you may be asking yourself a lot of questions.

I have probably struggled with many of them because after thinking I would only ever homeschool, I sent two of my older boys to public school.

Will it be best for our family? I thought it was the best decision for our family at the time. Looking back, I'm not sure it was because our problems didn't go away.

Will I feel like a failure? I was filled with a lot of emotions, and my heart hurt, but I thought I was doing what was best at the time. I comforted myself by saying we could try it for one year and see how it goes. I tried to not let my pride get in the way. I had homeschooled my oldest all the way through high school, and I felt accomplished that we made it. I was now a homeschool veteran, and I worried about letting my readers (and myself) down. After I got my boys in school, and got over the initial pain, I started to feel relief because our home was more peaceful (at least during school hours).

But, I wish I would have done things differently.

5 Things I Wish I Would Have Done Going from Home School to Public School

5 Things I wish I would have done going from home school to public school: 


1. I wish I would have talked about the time frame and kept homeschooling as an option. I wish I would have said, "Let's try this for one year and see how it goes" and really meant it. Truth is, as soon as they walked through those doors, I felt like I had lost that chance.

2. I wish I would have kept the lines of communication open.  I wish I would have asked, "If I send you to public school, will you tell me about your day and put up with my twenty questions?" I wish I would have gotten them to agree to that up front because I wanted to know every little detail and they would not tell me anything.

3. I wish I would have convinced them before going that I will always be their teacher no matter what because I am their mom, so I didn't have to hear, "They do it different in public school, so you can't help me. My teacher said so."

4. I wish I would have made sure they know that I'm still the mom! For some reason, what mom thought didn't matter anymore, and what their teachers thought mattered more.

5. I wish I would have taken more time to really think and pray about it. I made a rash decision because when I inquired, I was pressured by the school to get them in right away. So, I did not give it careful consideration and did not think of the possible consequences.

I never thought there would be a time that homeschooling wouldn't be right for us. I thought it would always be the best decision. I was a homeschooler for life. But sometimes things change. I was concerned about my health, concerned about our relationship, and I didn't want to argue or struggle to get school done. So, I sent them to public school.

But, I wish I would have taken a vacation instead. 

9 comments

  1. Thank you!!!!!!!!!!! For your honesty. I am in the midst of decision making, too.

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  2. Thank you so much for sharing. I love the last line. This homeschool journey can make a soul weary in some seasons. I've many times felt as you did when you made that decision. I so appreciate your insight and experience. I admire you so ❤️.

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  3. Your honesty is heartwarming. Thank you for sharing your story.
    Blessings, Dawn

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  4. Oh boy do I understand this. I put my boys in school two years ago because getting through the day was so tough. Now on the other side I'm not sure it was the best. Seriously, considering bringing them home. It's not easy.

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  5. Thank you all for your encouragement. I appreciate your support! Hopefully, I will be able to share Part 2 soon - the part where I actually bring my public school kid HOME! :)

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  6. I just wanted to say, many times we make decisions from the best place, at that time... honestly by our thinking.

    Sometimes it is the best, and sometimes it is not.

    I believe there is grace in that... God knows the heart, and we need to give our mama heart some grace too. "I know".

    Blessings.

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  7. That really means a lot to me. Thank you! ❤️

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  8. Nice post. I've dealt with these struggled lately. I sent Liv to public school last year, after she'd begged for a year, and we couldn't afford Montessori. She loved it at first, and she made the honor roll, but she then started hating it, and it was a horror every morning. I pulled her out at the beginning of the next semester.

    I leave it as an option for the kids. William wanted to go, but he doesn't get to go to the public school he wants, and he doesn't want to go to the one in our district, so I guess we will homeschool again, but I told him he'd have to cooperate, because he'd been complaining hardcore, and it's not fair if he complains about it but also complains about his ps option. I joined a hs group and hope to be more involved in the coming school year, so I hope it goes well.

    I'm planning on probably putting Elizabeth in kindergarten this year so she can get daily speech therapy and to make things easier on me. She's been in speech and OT for 1.5 years now.

    I have such mixed emotions. It makes me sad to put any of them in ps, but at the same time, I've been experiencing difficulties. I've been taking college courses, and now I'm about to pull out of the courses I enrolled in for the fall, and I'm planning on homeschooling in the mornings and writing in the afternoons to bring in income, and I am seriously wondering whether I'll be able to pull it off.

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  9. Tara, you are reasonable and fair in giving William the choice, so I hope for your sake that he doesn't complain. If he is willing to be homeschooled, hopefully it will work out and he won't. It might be a process though as he comes to terms with his disappointment.

    If the speech therapy is working for Elizabeth, and it would be easier on you, I can see how you'd want to put her in.

    It's really not an easy decision, especially if you are passionate about learning as a lifestyle. I'm sure you will make the best choice for you and your family. That's really all you can do - we can only ever do the best we are capable of at any given time.

    I'm glad you wrote. I have been thinking about you for the past month. I hope you are happy and in good health. ♥

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