Would it be damaging for my oldest to be homeschooled/travel for 1st grade?

[Anonymous]

Make sure your schooling her (NOT "unschooling,") and she should be fine.

I would think 2nd grade is a good time integrate back into school. Any older and you risk falling so far behind socially that she might feel like she doesn't fit in. I know she'll have plenty of opportunities to be social while traveling but she will be 2 years behind her peers who have adjusted to the classroom setting and the social dynamics and nuance of operating within a group of same aged kids.

[Anonymous]

It's fine maybe? My kid basically didn't get kinder and most of first due to covid and he is still a grade level behind and has to work so hard all the time (at school, tutoring, with us). I have zero idea if he would have been that way without a crap education for 1.5 years but I am sure it didn't help things. It seems odd to say schools never should have closed and it damaged kids and then say there is no issue if it is due to travel.

And for what its worth I worked with my kid every single day we were go during covid, but I didn't have a curriculum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Now is the best time to do it! Just keep on top of reading and math (and really in math, all they learn in first is basic addition and subtraction, coins, and some charting/graphing).

Very much not my experience! I guess it depends on your school's curriculum.

Oh please. There is nothing the child cannot learn working with her parents. There are so many workbooks. So many books to read. The internet has everything she needs.

I would do it if I had a chance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think you would have to actually home school her...present some kind of curriculum to the school system. You can not just keep her out at 6. I am sure there is something you can buy or subscribe to. Otherwise...go for it!

If they were staying home I would agree with you, but as they plan to be traveling it won't be clear which school district would even care.

[Anonymous]

Yes, fine. I would do it.

[Anonymous]

We moved abroad for a year under similar circumstances, but stayed in one place so my 1st grader could go to school. It was an amazing experience! She became fluent in a second language which feels invaluable. Just another idea if you don’t want to homeschool. We loved the combo of being abroad without having to homeschool. We travelled a lot while there. And we lived right on the beach!

Staying in one spot gave us the benefits of travel while also allowing us to really get to know a new language and culture.

[Anonymous]

First grade? You did write first grade? Right?
First Grade? Like a 6 year old? FIRST grade??? Did you say First Freaking grade????

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you would have to actually home school her...present some kind of curriculum to the school system. You can not just keep her out at 6. I am sure there is something you can buy or subscribe to. Otherwise...go for it!

If they were staying home I would agree with you, but as they plan to be traveling it won't be clear which school district would even care.

Few countries are as tolerant of homeschooling as the US. OP may get in serious legal trouble by keeping her kids out of school in another country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you would have to actually home school her...present some kind of curriculum to the school system. You can not just keep her out at 6. I am sure there is something you can buy or subscribe to. Otherwise...go for it!

If they were staying home I would agree with you, but as they plan to be traveling it won't be clear which school district would even care.

Few countries are as tolerant of homeschooling as the US. OP may get in serious legal trouble by keeping her kids out of school in another country.

As tourists?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's fine maybe? My kid basically didn't get kinder and most of first due to covid and he is still a grade level behind and has to work so hard all the time (at school, tutoring, with us). I have zero idea if he would have been that way without a crap education for 1.5 years but I am sure it didn't help things. It seems odd to say schools never should have closed and it damaged kids and then say there is no issue if it is due to travel.

And for what its worth I worked with my kid every single day we were go during covid, but I didn't have a curriculum.

If you worked with him at home and had a tutor, he probably needs evaluated and figure out what's going on. There is more to it than just covid. That was several years ago. My kid skipped K. It wasn't a problem at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Now is the best time to do it! Just keep on top of reading and math (and really in math, all they learn in first is basic addition and subtraction, coins, and some charting/graphing).

Very much not my experience! I guess it depends on your school's curriculum.

Oh please. There is nothing the child cannot learn working with her parents. There are so many workbooks. So many books to read. The internet has everything she needs.

I would do it if I had a chance.

IF they actually do it. I would be a bit concerned because OP's only experience with school is half a year of kindergarten with her oldest and it doesn't sound super academic. I normally am very supportive of plans like this, but I think OP might underestimate how much work it will be to provide a 1st grader with a sufficient curriculum to keep them on grade level. Like if OP was talking about living in one place and focusing on homeschool, I'd say "oh yeah, no problem, you got this." But the plan at this point sounds very vague, and the emphasis is on travel and it's not clear where they will live or if they'll be in one place or several, and I think they could easily be lax about school and then their kid will show up to 2nd grade quite behind.

It's not that first grade covers so much ground, but it is a foundational grade and you need consistent instruction to maintain existing skills and build on them. I'm not sure OP understands how this would actually work.

[Anonymous]

My kid learned a lot of math and writing in first grade. It is a foundational year and I worry that your daughter would miss out. There are some great homeschool curriculums (Singapore Math is supposed to be really good for math) but what she learns from you might not match up with her public school curriculum. (If she is in private you can buy the curriculum and keep up with the work.)

[Anonymous]

As a former homeschooler, I say go for it. Try searching the welltrainedmind forums for better advice.

[Anonymous]

I would try to get your hands on a math workbook for first grade before you go. They’re not doing the same addition and subtraction that we did—they are exposed to phrases like “the say 10 way” and “tape diagram” “number bond” “ten frame” that they may be learning now in K, but if you don’t reinforce while in 1st, could be hard for your DC go get back into in 2nd.

But…sounds like a great experience. Go for it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid learned a lot of math and writing in first grade. It is a foundational year and I worry that your daughter would miss out. There are some great homeschool curriculums (Singapore Math is supposed to be really good for math) but what she learns from you might not match up with her public school curriculum. (If she is in private you can buy the curriculum and keep up with the work.)

LOL no

Smart kids will be fine missing everything up to 3rd grade