Question
Hello, we are over in the UK, back in full lock down, schools closed. I struggle with consistency, tiredness and forgetfulness. Even worse I feel humiliated and pathetic because I struggle with parenting my child and not knowing what to do! I've just renewed my subscription here and I am rereading The Well Behaved Child. I do feel that reading it a second time round more carefully is helping and I am trying to focus more on my sleep and taking more notes from the book.
I've had the conviction and desire on my heart to home school my almost 8 year old for 4 years although I know in our current state this would not be sustainable, which is why I never have (and we're not living in an area where home school is popular so we are relocating soon to be closer to family and friends and a home school community).
I am a single parent and my son's father has agreed I can home educate him (by law, I need his permission) if I can provide a better education than the school, better behavior and catch him up (he is behind in reading and writing). I cannot provide my son with a better education if I cannot discipline him and get him to do work and I do not want to take my son out of school (even though they are not currently attending in a physical sense) until I am confident I can do this and prove this. I also do not want this time wasted and him sitting around doing nothing and whining about screen time. The school tells me to keep trying with the work (which is not suitable for his ability, which I've mentioned, and there are gaps in his learning) and if not then not to worry. when physically in school they will explain issues about my son's progress and behavior but will then tell me not to worry because they will sort it, which is not empowering me as the parent and I am sick of my child trying to be the boss. I do just want to pull my son out of school but they know my intentions to home school and are against it, so I'd rather prolong their criticism and strengthen myself and my son's behavior before doing so.
I want to follow my convictions and fulfill the scriptures in discipline my child, believing he was gifted to me for a reason. I know I can do this with the right tools and strategies and support from this forum God has blessed me with. I was reading John's scenario in which he said they would be happy to hold his son back if he did not improve his grades. I am wondering if something similar would work with my son, if I tell him if he hasn't achieved certain learning goals by the time the schools reopen, I will keep him in school but pull him back a year, with hopes that by the time we have moved and settled into the home school community, he will love it so much he will not want to go back! Also, should I eliminate screen time for 2 weeks and an earlier bedtime?
I am trying to spend this week heavily reading The Well Behaved Child, gathering thoughts and strategies so that I am more prepared to go through with this and stick at it compared to last year. I'm sorry if this is long, I'm trying to provide some context hopefully not too much. Thank you.
