you know... they WILL learn. They will! It's in their nature. Children learn. It's what they do.
(Chloe's version of a potential Atlantean city)
They may not read fluently in the second or even the third or fourth grade, but they will learn it. In fact, if they're not PUSHED to learn it, they may learn how to do it better than many of their public school counterparts. I know because mine have.
(her job is to play....and help with the dishes)
As a homeschooling mom, I've always been made to feel like my choice to let my kids learn at home was going to make my children somehow inferior. Well, results are in, and after ten or so years of actively schooling my children I can say with certainty that my kids are just fine. YAY!!! I didn't ruin them!
(the family last week at a free and fun ukulele playing class)
Here's how I know:
Number one: they can have fluid conversations with anyone- children and adults. I am constantly hearing how mature and well spoken they are. It's true. I'm not bragging, simply because I don't rate my personal value on how smart my children are/aren't.
Number two: I am constantly being stopped in stores to be complimented on how well the kids behave in public. I suggest that people tell the kids instead of me since they're the ones behaving so nicely. And that's not to say that we live for the compliment, but compliments feel nice.
Number three: my kids don't read early but they read VERY well when they learn. I've been plagued with confidence-zapping, worry-wort nose-ins for years, even going so far as to test them behind my back only to let me know that they're "behind" just like the nose-in thought they would be. Weak minded people vomiting their own personal fears onto my situation. That's my favorite. I digress. Once my kids hit nine, or so, they seem to hit their reading stride. By junior high, they're all able to enjoy adult level books, though obviously not all adult content.
Number four: My kids are all creative and can make just about anything. You name it, we've likely tried it. They've collected filthy wool fleeces right out from underneath sheep and turned it into yarn and knit things with it. If they need something, their first thought is, "how do I make that?" rather than, "how do I get someone to buy that for me."
Number five: My kids can run a household. If I were sick and couldn't function, they can clean the house and cook the meals and do the shopping. They know about scheduling and watching the clock. I'm not a babysitter at my house.... well, except for the actual babies.
They're still normal kids who drive their mother nuts at various times of the day with fighting, and complaining, and making ridiculous, they-should-know-better-than-that type messes, and sneaking, and laziness, but they're awesome. And I'm lucky.