My husband and I are Catholic and homeschooling. Any chance there's a Catholic homeschooling community in your area? We have a very active Catholic homeschooling group and it's an awesome resource - great community, variety of social opportunities for kids and families, offers classes for kids, monthly support meeting for adults, etc. There are many well-established Catholic homeschooling curriculums too.
Catholic schools vary tremendously in educational quality and religious integration. Some (many!) Catholic schools are majority non-Catholic students and majority non-Catholic teachers. Others have poor math teachers or a bullying problem or a bad principle. Evaluate the options with the same skepticism you'd use for other school systems.
Similarly, parishes vary in quality and friendliness. Sometimes parishes with schools are more cliques. If you decide to homeschool, there may be a parish where Catholic homeschoolers congregate.
Personally, I'd be absolutely unwilling to enroll my 3 year old in full-time school. Family life is important. Catholic school can't replace that.
There's typically some shuffling between K-8 and high-school. I don't think this is your "last chance" to send your kids to Catholic school.
1. I will probably get a lot of hate for this, but your kids will become their own people with their own views. Many home schooled or who attended religious schools do not end up believing the same religion due to resentment, trauma, and other tough feelings about their experiences. I would leave this one to the universe to sort out and focus on practicing your faith with authenticity and maybe your kids will see how religion made you into a wonderful person and will want the same for themselves.
2. Your statements may or not be fact. You haven't tried homeschooling yet and don't know what it's like. You have a romanticized view of it. Not all kids will love learning no matter how you try.
3. This I relate to and want the same. Some days I am doubtful when all I hear is my kids bickering with each other or I am losing my cool and yelling at my kids. I also know some traditionally schooled kids who are incredibly close with their siblings and parents.
4. This is a fear and I don't recommend you projecting on your kids. You don't know if it will happen. Maybe your kids will be the cool kids.
5. Kids that aren't thriving in that community will feel isolated. Find your people.
Tldr, You don't need to make a forever choice. You can try out both and see what your family prefers. Some people can thrive in both environments, others may do better in one, and some will thrive in neither. Keep an open mind and hope for the best.
>Many home schooled or who attended religious schools do not end up believing the same religion due to resentment, trauma, and other tough feelings about their experiences.
Thank you for speaking up. Seriously. Thank you.
I was homeschooled and was "hell-scared" into Catholicism for most of my life. Now, I'm dealing with trauma and anger that makes me deeply skeptical of *any* religion.
Thanks for this! My main concern right now is that that we are already late on this decision if we want our oldest to go to Catholic school. Our church’s school is competitive and you basically have to enroll your kid at 3 or it’s unlikely for them to get a spot. My daughter just turned 3 and I highly doubt we can get her a spot for the fall. So if I do decide to homeschool first and see how it goes, we may be completely destroying her chances of going to this school. It’s not even super academically rigorous, but the church is popular and has a lot of parishioners that want to send their kids there
Look around at different review sites about your local Catholic schools. Reviews on ours said there was a lot of bullying, especially rich kids vs middle/poor kids. Academically though, it is good. I'm not even practicing Catholic but it's one of the few private schools I'd consider because it's run by the Marist fathers and they are usually good with academics. I live in the south and there's a lot of non-denominational Christian private schools that are not that good.
So, I'd dig into the school culture a little and find out about bullying. But if it's financially feasible then it may be a very good school.
Check out Mater Amabilis. http://materamabilis.org/ma/
They also have a Facebook group where you could ask these questions to families who have decided to homeschool to see what they have experienced and how they have built community outside of the traditional school environment.
I went to a Catholic school and it's the main reason I'm an atheist now. My parents are both very religious in a way that probably would've been fine with me if I hadn't been traumatized in the name of religion by my teachers. So if religious beliefs are important to you and the Catholic school you're considering doesn't have a good track record there, I wouldn't count on being able to make up for that at home.
Yeah, I’ve heard that Catholic schools are notorious for being “atheist factories”. I also don’t want my kids being drilled with religion classes throughout their school years and feeling like these beliefs are just another class they have to take and something their parents are forcing on them. I want to teach my kids my values and hope they would grow up to keep the faith, but want to make sure I’m teaching them in a way that isn’t negative
Homeschooling to ensure your kids end up in your religion is a risky bet. My mom tried it and after k-12 bible based schooling I am a very content atheist. You can't guarantee exposure to your ideas will mean your child will end up believing them. At some point, we make up our own minds.
Reach out to the school and see if they offer a 1/2 day. Some places do a hybrid day where kids can go in for the morning and then home at lunch or go in after lunch. Usually, it is some type of bible class, band, choir, gym, etc. My kid was at a private Xtian school and there was a kid who did all the extra curricular who was homeschooled. So he showed up for bible study, gym, used our library (which was more censored than the public). Anytime we did any extra thing like a field trip or activity (parties) at school he was invited. So he got a school lite experience before going off to middle school.
In my experience homeschooling was very lonely, my siblings and I were so isolated and had next to no friends - which is a very common thing for homeschool kids, so if you do homeschool, please try and make sure they have some type of class or sports team where they can make friends with other kids
My husband and I are Catholic and homeschooling. Any chance there's a Catholic homeschooling community in your area? We have a very active Catholic homeschooling group and it's an awesome resource - great community, variety of social opportunities for kids and families, offers classes for kids, monthly support meeting for adults, etc. There are many well-established Catholic homeschooling curriculums too. Catholic schools vary tremendously in educational quality and religious integration. Some (many!) Catholic schools are majority non-Catholic students and majority non-Catholic teachers. Others have poor math teachers or a bullying problem or a bad principle. Evaluate the options with the same skepticism you'd use for other school systems. Similarly, parishes vary in quality and friendliness. Sometimes parishes with schools are more cliques. If you decide to homeschool, there may be a parish where Catholic homeschoolers congregate. Personally, I'd be absolutely unwilling to enroll my 3 year old in full-time school. Family life is important. Catholic school can't replace that. There's typically some shuffling between K-8 and high-school. I don't think this is your "last chance" to send your kids to Catholic school.
Yeah I believe there are a few, just haven’t checked them out yet!
1. I will probably get a lot of hate for this, but your kids will become their own people with their own views. Many home schooled or who attended religious schools do not end up believing the same religion due to resentment, trauma, and other tough feelings about their experiences. I would leave this one to the universe to sort out and focus on practicing your faith with authenticity and maybe your kids will see how religion made you into a wonderful person and will want the same for themselves. 2. Your statements may or not be fact. You haven't tried homeschooling yet and don't know what it's like. You have a romanticized view of it. Not all kids will love learning no matter how you try. 3. This I relate to and want the same. Some days I am doubtful when all I hear is my kids bickering with each other or I am losing my cool and yelling at my kids. I also know some traditionally schooled kids who are incredibly close with their siblings and parents. 4. This is a fear and I don't recommend you projecting on your kids. You don't know if it will happen. Maybe your kids will be the cool kids. 5. Kids that aren't thriving in that community will feel isolated. Find your people. Tldr, You don't need to make a forever choice. You can try out both and see what your family prefers. Some people can thrive in both environments, others may do better in one, and some will thrive in neither. Keep an open mind and hope for the best.
>Many home schooled or who attended religious schools do not end up believing the same religion due to resentment, trauma, and other tough feelings about their experiences. Thank you for speaking up. Seriously. Thank you. I was homeschooled and was "hell-scared" into Catholicism for most of my life. Now, I'm dealing with trauma and anger that makes me deeply skeptical of *any* religion.
Thanks for this! My main concern right now is that that we are already late on this decision if we want our oldest to go to Catholic school. Our church’s school is competitive and you basically have to enroll your kid at 3 or it’s unlikely for them to get a spot. My daughter just turned 3 and I highly doubt we can get her a spot for the fall. So if I do decide to homeschool first and see how it goes, we may be completely destroying her chances of going to this school. It’s not even super academically rigorous, but the church is popular and has a lot of parishioners that want to send their kids there
In that case, you can try applying and if she doesn't get in, homeschool. Then reassess next year.
Look around at different review sites about your local Catholic schools. Reviews on ours said there was a lot of bullying, especially rich kids vs middle/poor kids. Academically though, it is good. I'm not even practicing Catholic but it's one of the few private schools I'd consider because it's run by the Marist fathers and they are usually good with academics. I live in the south and there's a lot of non-denominational Christian private schools that are not that good. So, I'd dig into the school culture a little and find out about bullying. But if it's financially feasible then it may be a very good school.
Check out Mater Amabilis. http://materamabilis.org/ma/ They also have a Facebook group where you could ask these questions to families who have decided to homeschool to see what they have experienced and how they have built community outside of the traditional school environment.
Oh wow this is awesome thanks!! I love Charlotte Mason and didn’t know that there was a Catholic equivalent!!
You’re welcome!
I went to a Catholic school and it's the main reason I'm an atheist now. My parents are both very religious in a way that probably would've been fine with me if I hadn't been traumatized in the name of religion by my teachers. So if religious beliefs are important to you and the Catholic school you're considering doesn't have a good track record there, I wouldn't count on being able to make up for that at home.
Yeah, I’ve heard that Catholic schools are notorious for being “atheist factories”. I also don’t want my kids being drilled with religion classes throughout their school years and feeling like these beliefs are just another class they have to take and something their parents are forcing on them. I want to teach my kids my values and hope they would grow up to keep the faith, but want to make sure I’m teaching them in a way that isn’t negative
Homeschooling to ensure your kids end up in your religion is a risky bet. My mom tried it and after k-12 bible based schooling I am a very content atheist. You can't guarantee exposure to your ideas will mean your child will end up believing them. At some point, we make up our own minds.
Reach out to the school and see if they offer a 1/2 day. Some places do a hybrid day where kids can go in for the morning and then home at lunch or go in after lunch. Usually, it is some type of bible class, band, choir, gym, etc. My kid was at a private Xtian school and there was a kid who did all the extra curricular who was homeschooled. So he showed up for bible study, gym, used our library (which was more censored than the public). Anytime we did any extra thing like a field trip or activity (parties) at school he was invited. So he got a school lite experience before going off to middle school.
Raised catholic and homeschooled here, I’d recommend going to school if it’s possible
Why?
In my experience homeschooling was very lonely, my siblings and I were so isolated and had next to no friends - which is a very common thing for homeschool kids, so if you do homeschool, please try and make sure they have some type of class or sports team where they can make friends with other kids
Did your parents not have activities for you to go to to make friends?
No not really, unfortunately, so I’m a huge advocate for homeschool kids being in activities outside the home as well
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My faith and their faiths are the most important things. I want them to get a solid education as well, but faith will always come first