Deciding to hold your child back.
I don't have regrets. I believe that everything happens for a reason and every piece of my path was there strategically to get me to where I am today. That being said... my oldest.
This poor kid, he's the first. The test child, guinea pig... he's been through a lot and he's so incredibly amazing. Considering I was 17 when he was born and his Dad and I had no idea what on earth we were doing... he's definitely taken the statistics and turned them upside down.
We started homeschooling him mid 1st grade, not really having any idea what on earth homeschooling "was" or what to do, where to go, and zero support group. We home schooled ourselves on homeschooling. Eventually we realized that he was VERY dyslexic and not just being "lazy"... we felt horrible. And it was a struggle to learn and adjust to try and help him. But really at this point -- we had destroyed the kid's interest to do anything with writing/reading/spelling.
We muddled through, juggling two little sisters and our growing business. Homeschool styles and plans changed constantly as we tried to figure it out and our son just flopped along with us. We got by, but not in a way I'd like to put on a poster of success.
Recently we realized that he had also been having problems seeing. Of course with some of the behavior we just chalked it up to the dyslexia and aversion to certain topics... but alas, he couldn't see and we didn't catch it when we should have. Parents of the year? Yep -- we won it. *sigh*
With glasses on, dyslexia really coming together as we have learned and worked through it, and now with us finally getting the hang of our homeschool "style" as you see shared here publicly - we finished last year off really strong and are super excited for this year!
Our oldest is 12, turning 13 in September. Technically he should be going into the Teens level this year... but we're keeping him back. He is "technically" in 7th grade since his birthday was after the cutoff date when he started public school. Friend's kids his age are all in/going into middle school. Him? No way. For a few reasons.
I decided to go with The Good & The Beautiful for language arts with the Big Kids & Teens. Doing several of the assessments to see where we felt he fit best, he was no where near 7th grade level. He tests well on his standardized testing that we do each year, and is even above grade level in most all areas. But looking at the very thorough packet from The Good & The Beautiful - I don't feel like he has a strong foundation. Sure he can pass through a test, but looking at his spelling skills, writing skills and reading skill & confidence - he is NOT there. And that's ok, I would much rather spend time building a SUPER strong foundation than pushing him along.
Maturity. It's a weird call because our kids have always spent a great deal of time interacting with adults, they work in the business along side us and are phenomenal. Regardless of age or education level - this kid can keep right up. But, I feel like he is still a boy. And that is just fine. I look at other "middle schoolers" and go 'no way'. Yes, kids in public schooling are subject to waaayyyy more than I would ever be comfortable with my children being subject to- in a Biblical stance on many levels. But he's just not that guy yet. His little sisters are by far his best friends - and I wouldn't want it any other way. Their bond is amazing and they are lacking in nothing. I want the Teen's program to really focus on the bridge between being a kid in school and becoming an adult in the real world. Is he ready for that bridge? No way.
So he will be "held back" and we're totally ok with it. I think it is going to be the best call for his personal development. If later down the line he picks stuff up quickly and sails through levels quicker than scheduled-- that is fine. If we need to stay back and work a little more on the foundation, that's just fine too. I just know that although we have an idea of what "grade" our kids should be in (part of why I did age blocks, grades seem to rigid and unnatural) sometimes that just doesn't work. You know your kids, you know when they're really getting it and when they're being pushed along. Don't let "the grade" pressure you -- put your kiddos where they really fit and can blossom! :)
xoxo
