Furious With the Head Start Staff! A Heated Discussion About Why My Son Won't Be Attending Public School

As you may have seen in previous posts, I had decided to let my son attend head start so that he could develop some social skills and get early social interaction as most kids really need. He's an only child and he's not around that many people really. He liked it, then he didn't like it, and now he doesn't want to go. I had already made up my mind to Homeshcool him even before I was pregnant. I always knew I would homeschool my child because of the effect that school has had personally on myself, and both of my brothers. The feeling was even 10 times stronger once I realized that my son and I were moving back to my hometown. I know what these schools are like, and from the state of the people in this town.... nothing has changed! Soon after I moved back here I saw my second grade teacher. Yes, she actually remembered me and we had a long discussion about these schools. She informed me that a few years after I was gone she dropped all of her kids from school, quit her job, and homeschooled her children. The teachers notice, the parents notice, so why are the people doing something about it the "Odd balls"?

I have tried for nearly 3 weeks to get my son to go back to school. And by try I mean all I've done is ask him. A few times I got him up, fed him breakfast, and got him dressed for school but he refused to leave the house or get in the car. He refused with his words, his actions, and even his screams. That was it for me. I'm not going to make him go if he doesn't want to go. I went to the Head Start this morning to sign the Drop papers and when I got there his teacher and the Secretary started drilling me on why he needs to be there and why am I not letting him go? They ganged up on me, preached to me, yelled at me..... I was furious!

His Teacher said, "What are you going to do when he's older and he wants to go out. He can't stay home forever. He's not going to have any of the social skills he needs to function in this word with other people". My response? I looked him dead in the eyes and said, "I went to these schools. I grew up here and attended these schools until I was almost 18 years old. I have no social skills other than what I've learned myself through working with other people. I know what these schools are like. I know how these people are. We are strange people who aren't like all of these other people and the amount of ridicule and bigotry my child will endure will be way past an excessive level by the time he reaches 4th grade. Maybe even sooner. Aside from the people who attend and work at these schools, I have plenty of other problems with the Public School System!" I went on to explain what those problems were, getting cut off in the process and basically being called an idiot without the actual word being used. I then explained to them that I have always known I would homeschool my children, and when he's done with head start he won't be attending any other Public Schools. Then what? I tried to make them understand that this isn't a practice run to see if I'll let him go to school. This is far from that. It was simply so that my son could be around and interact with other children. If he doesn't want to do that, then I'm going to listen to him and do whatever it is that will make him flourish.... NOT send him off to school so that he can be a "perfect little robot" as my mother would put it.

What I've seen at this head start is that "head start" is not at all what it once was. I don't know about other towns or areas, but from what I can tell this place is nothing more than to prepare them to shut up and listen during "real school". The things my son has come home repeating... well there have been some doozies. The one that made me the most uncomfortable would be "Get in Line! I'm gonna put you in that Line!" It's not even the worst quote I've heard him repeat from school, but for some reason it made me so uncomfortable like my skin was just crawling around on my flesh. This is all that matters to them. What matters to me is my son's ability to have critical thought and to be a free thinker! He doesn't need to go to school just to learn to follow all the rules and become a mindless little worker bee. No! I want him to explore the world, discover what HE is interested in and capable of... Not what someone else thinks he should be interested in or capable of. He's an amazing boy, and I want him to know that! Not that he is just like everyone else, because he's not.

Still, they would not just accept my decision and kept hounding me, so I had no other choice but to pull out the religious card. I told them straight up that we were "different", and that I had plenty good reason to feel the way that I do about it. You have to understand where I'm coming from. This town is a very small place in the center of Louisiana. This is "God Country" as far as anyone here is concerned. Why, since I moved back here, as an adult, I have dealt with so much discrimination and cruelty.... more than I have in the past 8 years. We've only been here just over a year. I'm not getting this from kids in school. I'm getting this from the adults, at my job, in my face, all the time! What do you think they are teaching their kids? And kids are especially mean when they want to be. It's at the point here where even if someone feels in their heart that they were an athiest..... They would NEVER tell their own family. That's how you get abandoned, shunned, cast out.

I grew up here, so everyone I went to school with knows I'm "weird". I had no problem coming here being exactly who I am openly without regrets. I still have no regrets about that. I am who I am and anyone who might not like it can step aside and get out of my way. I really don't care. There aren't that many people here that I care about outside of family. Even some of my family have nothing to do with me because I'm "different". That's their problem and only goes to show just how bigoted and hateful these mindless sheep can be. The fact of the matter is that I'm not going to be something I'm not to please others, and I wouldn't want my son to think it's ok to do so. I will not let the idiocy of others stifle his or my spirit. We are perfect just the way we are. Another fact of the matter is that we aren't going to live here forever. I know that I don't belong here. I never did, and I'm willing to wager that my son doesn't belong here either. I can't make that decision for him, though it will take him time and maturity to figure out where it is he belongs so in the mean time... I say we don't belong here.

I agreed to let him go back to head start next August simply to get them to leave me alone so I could walk out of the room but I doubt it will happen. If by some chance my son says he wants to go then I'll let him, but I mean what I say when I say that at the end of his head start experience there will be no more public school for him.

Needless to say, I have plenty of things to express about my experience with these people at this head start. I refrained from saying anything too ugly as I've mentioned how small of a town this is. Anything too drastic could send out a wave of gossip and even cause me to lose my job (which has nothing to do with anything, but that's how things work around here). Many staff members and parents come into my store all the time so I'm sure I haven't heard the last of this. I'll be asked for the next 3 or more months, I can almost bet! Regardless, my decision has been made. He is my son and it's no one's business how I chose to raise him. It is especially not the business of a "teacher" I've caught sleeping at his desk while the aid attends to his class. No joke. I saw this with my own eyes. So no, he has no sway over my choices or my reasons for making them.

Thanks for reading my rant. Have a great day!

Is Unschooling For Your Child? What Is Unschooling?

I find myself falling under this type of Homeschooling more and more. I think it's very important for my son to learn about the things that HE is interested in. I still have that urge to structure a curriculum based on what I think he should know at any given point, but I haven't done that yet since he is only 3 and have seen in the time he's been alive that he learns so much better when presented with something and allowed to explore it rather than trying to teach him

what I want him to know about it.

One reason why my 3 year old can count to 100, say abcs backward and forward, knows all basic colors and shapes, and knows all the planets (I'll explain Pluto later) and can even tell you who named Jupiter..... Is because he loves music. He loves to sing and dance, and knowing that he loves music, all I had to do was find songs that he enjoyed. The rest is history. Of course he doesn't like all the songs I find, so we just stick to the ones that he does like.

He learns all of these things because when he finds a song that he likes he wants to hear it a million times until he knows every word. When he became interested in the planets, my mom crocheted all the planets and stuffed them. He places them in order by himself and sings songs about them. I gave him planet flash cards to play with and he does the same with them. He even knows how to spell Sun now (among many other words he's learned to spell). What I'm saying is that if your child is interested in something I think it's great to provide them with whatever you can and let them explore it on their own as opposed to "teaching" them what you think they should know. It's important to find things that will expand his knowledge on the subject that he can discover for himself.

I've been doing this with my boy, and I just sit back and watch him light up and flourish.

That's not to say that I don't throw a few facts and things at him here and there to get that little wheel turning. It's just in my nature, but I'm not going to force information on him that he cares nothing about until there comes a time when he just SERIOUSLY needs to know something.

Here is a great explanation of Unschooling and I wanted to share it with everyone.

Thanks for reading! Have a Wonderful Day!

Having Trouble Potty Training? This Helped My Son So Much!

I spoke about this book in a previous post and wanted to share it with everyone. The book is well tattered at this point because we've had it for a while. We had a hard time getting my son to use the potty. A few months after he turned 3 I saw a video of one of my favorite people in the world reading this book to his kids. It was adorable, and also I wanted to find out who wrote the book so that I might find it for my son. Listening to Misha Collins read this book, my initial thought was, "This is a bit graphic for a 3 year old." lol. But after thinking about it for a while, I realized that it would be really good for him to learn these things about his own body and sensations, and that it would help him understand why he needs to go to the potty. I came to the conclusion that the Author of this book is a genius!

We received the book a day or tow before I went into the hospital where I spent the next 5 days. I had only gotten to read it to him a few dozen times before I left.... He liked it and when he likes a book he wants you to read it over and over, and over. While I was gone, my mom read the book to him. I'm sure she got to read that thing a million or more times because he seemed to really enjoy it. She said that one day he looked at her and said, "Go Potty like Joshua? I want to use the Potty like Joshua." or something to that effect. So this book really helped my son understand that he must use the potty.

After searching the title and author, I found this book on Amazon (becuase you know I like Amazon) for less than $3. There were several versions of the book. Ones for girls, ones for boys, ones with sound buttons, and ones without. The original I think is a longer version than this one, but this one was fun for him and had all the important stuff in it.

So if you are having trouble potty training, this may be the thing for you! It's always worth a try!

Here, for your entertainment, is Misha Collins reading the book to his two adorable kids.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9kNGeS804M

Grandmothers Are Gold

Did I mention how grateful I am for my mom? She has been so good to my son and I since we moved back home. When I started my job here, I had never been away from my son since his birth and it was hard for me. I'm not sure if it was as hard for my son as it was for me, because he had his Grandmother every step of the way. She got up in the mornings to be there for him when I had to work early, and she has been there for him every single day..... Playing and laughing with him, teaching him things, helping him with things. She kept him while I was in the hospital for 5 days, and then basically bed ridden for the following week. During that time, she potty trained him with the help of a book that I had bought him prior to my stay in the hospital. (I think I'll make a post about that book.)

What I'm saying is that she has been so good to my son, and I don't know what I would do without her. When I see them together I can see the love in both of their eyes, in their smiles. My little boy loves his Grandmother so very much! And I'm so grateful that she is here with us.

I love you Mama!

A Wonderful Samhain

We had so much fun on Samhain day. It was the first Samhain that my son and I were able to do much, and he had a blast! He's still talking about it, so I know I did a good job! My mom and I stayed up the night before cutting out a paper tree to put on the was so he could tape fall leaves to it. He was so excited to do that, and he played with that for a few hours at least. We bakes some cookies....

We did lots of fun crafts like a qtip skeleton........

And making a pumpkin face on an orange paper plate with

black cut out paper shapes.......

And since my son is too young for a knife, we decided to draw pumpkin faces.......

But one of the best things we did on Samhain day was take a trip to the Cemetery,

Where my son gave his first offering and prayer.........

It was pretty special. It was such a great day. We were all so tired that evening that

our dance party didn't last very long. I don't think that my son could have

had any more fun! I hope your Samhain was just as special.

I'd love to hear about it!

Thanks for reading!