Why we chose to homeschool

I thought I'd start off my blog with why we chose to homeschool our boys. John was in 4th grade and Eric was in 1st. Both boys we're bored with the work that the PS was providing. John was giving less than 100% effort. Usually around 50%. But, the biggest reason was Eric. Since he started school (Pre-K) he has had issues. He was always a more active child than his brother. We struggled with discipline with him. His Pre-K teacher didn't like him cause he asked too many questions and didn't always listen real well. (This was at the age of 4!) Then in K he got a pretty good teacher who actually understood him. Eric still got in trouble, often, because he asks a lot of questions, loves to talk and loves to be the center of attention. It was suggested more than once that he had ADHD. When it came time for him to go into 1st grade the school principal suggested we hold him back and put him in a T-1 class. (Which is basically a repeat of K) His K teacher, his dad and I disagreed. He was understand the work just fine, he just like to talk and has some extra energy. So, we put him in 1st grade. It was horrible from the beginning. I tried to to work with his teacher and him. He was in trouble daily. I tried going to the school and sitting in to help. Nothing was working. His teacher started taking his recess every day and even seperated him from the rest of the class. Because he would forget to raise his hand, ask too many questions, talk too much, or start irrating other kids. This might make him sound like a "bad" kid but he really wasn't he was just bored. He would complete his work, correctly then get in trouble most of the time. It didn't help that his teacher didn't like him and he knew it. Her and her assistant were disrespectful to him so he gave it back. (I witnessed this more than once). I tried getting his class changed. Didn't work. His teacher tried to talk to me about medicating him. I went home and did some research, even agreed to have him tested for ADHD. Found out that was a total joke. The meds are so dangerous and the test is a joke. I took him to the pshyciatrists office, it was just some random person who tested him and when they heard he had extra energy they prediagnosed him based on that. Theres a form I filled out and his teacher filled out. The questions we're like...talks to much, asks too many questions...what child doesn't?! I refused to medicate him and his teacher got irrate with him and said I was screwing up his chances to learn. I tried to tell her that he was bored and when she took away his only chance to release his energy all day how did she expect him to act. He wasn't allowed to talk in class, in the hall, in music, in computers, at lunch, in PE, anywhere. And PE was a joke. No real exercise there. So, anyways, when he started crying every morning about not wanting to go to school, then calling me from school asking to come home cause his tummy hurt, his dad and I had enough. We pulled them both and began deschooling them...and now homeschooling them. This was almost 3 years ago now. We have come a long way since then. We have stumbled...several times...but always managed to get back up and kept going. So, this is where out adventure begins with this blog.