So, I had a lot of fears about sending the kids off to school this year...for the first time ever. One of my biggest was whether or not my older boys would be accepted coming in mid-stream. I've had several friends who put their kids in private school in the middle of their schooling. Some were from public school, some from homeschool, none of them ultimately happy about the situation. The biggest problem was socialization...or the lack of it...on the part of the students already attending the school. It seems many private school students are just simply incapable of welcoming a new student into their midst. They have formed their cliques, the rosters are filled, and there are no openings.
Add to that my children's choice of extra-curricular activities (namely, ballet). Sending them to a Christian school offered me no sense of ease. The only place my boys (and their parents) have ever been bullied about their dancing has been in the church's we've attended prior to finding PFB. So Christian meant nothing, except that they might try to back up their bullying with their own twisted form of Scripture. (Thou shalt not dance if you are a boy...or you'll be gay...or you are gay....or whatever else narrow-minded people think these days.)
I reasoned, to make me feel better, that at least Spock and Mr Great-heart were in a 3rd-4th grade combo class so they'd have each other if no one else. And if there was bullying and the school did nothing about it, we'd know it wasn't for us and we'd just simply have to bring them home.
I have been pleasantly surprised, however. It has not been what I feared at all. The kids have been friendly to mine and the boys are making friends. And, so far, there hasn't been one problem with their dancing. Not sure if it's really true (sometimes kids say things just to be talking), but some of the boys have told them they too danced at one time or another. One fear conquered.
My second biggest fear was the fundraising sales. Yes, I feared the candy sales, and all that. Why? You might think it's coz I have no experience. I mean, we don't sell things to fund homeschooling (though maybe I'll have a garage sale to buy Babycakes' curriculum next year ;)) so what would I know about it. No, that's not why. I feared it because for 25 years I have listened to parents complain about fundraisers and how difficult and annoying and inconvenient they are. As an (mostly) introvert, the thought of going up to a complete stranger and asking them to buy a $1 candy bar was already intimidating, but add to that all the comments from "experienced" school parents and I think you can understand why I was nearly having a panic attack yesterday when we went to pick up the candy. But, again, it's really not as bad as I thought. In less than 15 minutes after school yesterday, the boys had already sold 18 candy bars. Now I'm regretting buying out the other box. :D
BTW, wanna buy a candy bar?
Add to that my children's choice of extra-curricular activities (namely, ballet). Sending them to a Christian school offered me no sense of ease. The only place my boys (and their parents) have ever been bullied about their dancing has been in the church's we've attended prior to finding PFB. So Christian meant nothing, except that they might try to back up their bullying with their own twisted form of Scripture. (Thou shalt not dance if you are a boy...or you'll be gay...or you are gay....or whatever else narrow-minded people think these days.)
I reasoned, to make me feel better, that at least Spock and Mr Great-heart were in a 3rd-4th grade combo class so they'd have each other if no one else. And if there was bullying and the school did nothing about it, we'd know it wasn't for us and we'd just simply have to bring them home.
I have been pleasantly surprised, however. It has not been what I feared at all. The kids have been friendly to mine and the boys are making friends. And, so far, there hasn't been one problem with their dancing. Not sure if it's really true (sometimes kids say things just to be talking), but some of the boys have told them they too danced at one time or another. One fear conquered.
My second biggest fear was the fundraising sales. Yes, I feared the candy sales, and all that. Why? You might think it's coz I have no experience. I mean, we don't sell things to fund homeschooling (though maybe I'll have a garage sale to buy Babycakes' curriculum next year ;)) so what would I know about it. No, that's not why. I feared it because for 25 years I have listened to parents complain about fundraisers and how difficult and annoying and inconvenient they are. As an (mostly) introvert, the thought of going up to a complete stranger and asking them to buy a $1 candy bar was already intimidating, but add to that all the comments from "experienced" school parents and I think you can understand why I was nearly having a panic attack yesterday when we went to pick up the candy. But, again, it's really not as bad as I thought. In less than 15 minutes after school yesterday, the boys had already sold 18 candy bars. Now I'm regretting buying out the other box. :D
BTW, wanna buy a candy bar?
Sara, your fears about sending the boys "to school" away from your homeschooling efforts made me reflect back on sending my only boy to school period as a single mom and him effectively with no dad. Not the same, but still fears. So I can empathize with you on all fronts, especially the fundraising candy sales, etc. I'm glad things are working out for all of you, especially you! You're an awesome mom!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sherrey. The Lord has really been with us through this whole thing. It's a difficult adjustment but the kids have had a great attitude about it, even the one who wants to come home already. :D
Deleteoh the dreaded World's Finest Chocolate!!! Glad you survived it!! :) I remember selling it to my neighbors when I went to Christian school a long long long long time ago. Still have nightmares. :)
ReplyDeleteGlad you have found your school to be a good fit for your boys - that makes my heart happy!! And you're so right on with the cliques and the "false doctrines" of the thou shalt not dance, thou shalt not have long hair if you're a boy, thou shalt not have short hair if you are a girl and I could go on. Personally, I'm tired of "majoring on the minor" and the pettines. Glad you're not dealnig with that! :)
:D Yeah, I figured we might be OK when on the first day I saw one of the dad's drop off his kids and his hair was longer than Braniac's ever was. :)
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