Going It Alone

As of Monday, I will officially be home educating my son. And I am officially dreading it! Here's the back story.

My eldest was due to start full time school in September. After moving to a new area at the end of June, we applied for a place at the local school. It turned out there were no places, but they offered us a place at a school in the next village, over two and a half miles away. Which would've been great, had I been able to drive! As it happens, I can't drive. I walk everywhere, and there was no way I was making my 4, 3 and 2 year olds walk that far each day! I worked out that my youngest and I would be walking 15 miles a day with the lunch time pick up for my daughter. 

So, the local school, where I'd already got my daughter into the nursery, took my son on in the nursery temporarily. He was able to do half days there until he legally had to be in full time education (the term after his fifth birthday), which is now. They made provisions for him, setting aside time to do age appropriate work with him, starting the reading books with him, so he wasn't falling behind too much. Then a few weeks ago, I got a call to say he was being offered a place to start in year one in September (the school is expanding, allowing for extra places). Suddenly having to have him at home after Easter didn't seem so bad.

That was then. Now here I am, faced with a whole term of having to play teacher as well as mum and I'm terrified! Where do I start? He's not the easiest child at the best of times, never mind when I'm trying to get him to sit and do something productive! 'It's only for a term' has become my mantra. I'm sure I'll cope. I'm just worried that my inability to teach will have him falling even further behind his peers. His nursery teacher assured me that he will catch up quickly when he goes back in September, he is a very bright child. And she has offered her support for the term, with the loan of reading books, printing worksheets etc. The school have been very supportive, and I'm sure with their help, I'll be absolutely fine.

Then there's my motherly instinct kicking in. Come September, he'll be going straight into year one, having never done a full day at school before. All the children starting reception year (my daughter included) will have done taster days before the summer holidays. They will at least have some idea of what it will be like. But my boy won't get any of that. He'll be going from two years at nursery, plus a term at home, straight into the more formal structure of year one. It worries me immensely that he won't be prepared. Is year one drastically different from reception? Or am I just being silly and over protective? And the school day; play times, lunch time, assembly. The other year ones will have had a whole year of practise. Will my baby just be expected to know where to go at lunchtime like the rest of them? 

I know, I'm over thinking things. He'll be fine. The teachers will know his background. I'm sure they'll guide him until he's ready. But in the meantime, if anyone has any home schooling tips, I'm more than happy to hear them!