As a mother that stayed at home with her children and homeschooled for five years I was always struggling internally if I was doing the best thing for my children or for myself. It was a question I struggled with until years after they had been in school for years. I saw them struggle academically and I, of course, beat myself up and asked, "was it because they weren't formally educated?" "If they had gone to prek and started just like every other child would they be further ahead academically?"
I knew I had heads above in the area of manners, virtue and obedience but the things I needed for good test scores were not present.
As I learn more about the research and its support of high quality early childhood programs I wonder if that research is applicable to me and my situation or is it just the high risk children? I wonder if all kids that are predestined to be smart academically need early learning? Will they succeed no matter what educational environment they are in? This begs to be looked at but the sub topics need to be narrowed. How do we measure and do we stereotype, put in boxes, the participants to make a clear contrast?
One way to state it would be: Do children that stay at home with their mother do as well as children that are enrolled in high quality early learning programs?
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