Anyone had any experience with doing this?
My wife met another mum yesterday who has been home schooling her son since he was 1.5. He is now 3.5 and can add and subtract double digit numbers and read and write (neatly too) basic sentences. She teaches him 2hrs day, the "3 Rs" plus Science and Geography.
Thinking of doing the same.
Why?
You'll probably find that a lot of what this "genius" child is doing is rote. Repeat something often enough and the child will become able to reproduce it, but the mental capacity to understand what they are doing and make inferences from this repetition is not present at this age?
That said, it does take a special type of person to be able to dedicate themselves to structured learning time with their children.
So, you have 2 hours a day, in addition to the general interaction you have with your child now, to spare?
Would be worth a bit of research to investigate the long term benefits of this.
i think good parenting requires both,
you send them to school to learn and you learn them when they are at home also. 
my kids get counting/reading/writing/drawing/puzzle lessons at home etc.
it's not formal learning as such however it's fun and done in the form of games etc.
even reading to the kids every night is teaching.
i think the real issue is that some parents expect their kids to learn everything at school. you gotta be pro-active i think and treat every situation as a learning opportunity.
I agree Gestalt, and do the same.
There's always the nature/nurture debate, but I personally don't believe you can force genius on a child with intensive home schooling from 18 months of age.
Team sports, music, carnivals, friends, play dates, co-operative work with peers.
I would consider all the options carefully!!! If its academic reasons then perhaps source a tutor?
You can always tell the children that are home schooled.......
sorry, am a teacher and a mum and would not do it...... however i do supplement their learning with fun activities at home.
Goodluck
Thanks for the thoughts guys and gals. I wouldn't do it instead of school. I think they need a wide range of social interaction with other kids at school. Mucho importanto. But perhaps a bit of a real time-table each day, only an hour or so with set maths, readin' and writing etc. before school.
I remember when I was sick with the mumps or something for a few weeks and did my work at home. When I came back I was weeks ahead.
Approach with caution.
There are definately pros n cons as per any 'non-mainstream' education such as Montessori etc.
You will also have to deal with less social interaction and a definate "Oh... your child homeschools (thinking - must be some kind of uber gumby)?" attitude form other parents/friends.
The majority of homeschool kids have to be - due to special needs etc - but there are certainly happy, balanced 'normal' kids who homeschool. Bloody big job for parents though..
Good luck.
If you have a wee tacker sub school age encourage them to read and do puzles etc, gives them an advantage when they eventually have to toddle of to school
i pointed my wife towards this thread. i think she is still shaking her head. she's worked in early childhood all of her career.
she agrees with barbie. and also says you can pick the home educated kids and suggested that your wife's friends children stand a very high chance of falling behind once they are in year 5 -7.
she said read any text book on early childhood and it will promote play as the best source of learning. dramatic play, role play etc.
her tips for extra learning other than puzzles, counting games etc at home is music, craft and reading.
you need to promote a balanced and well rounded nurturing environment to promote well balanced socially aware children.
Home schooling was invented for folks who lived in lonely, remote places, or for people who frequently travelled.
Now over-protective and control-freaking parents premanently residing in densely-populated suburbs can isolate their offspring from the masses.
Mum and Dad can now feel safe that their children won't be subjected to the harsh realities of the cruel world.
Thanks people.
A pretty clear picture is emerging. Guess we'll just stick with the puzzles, books, Lego, arts & crafts etc. Excellent.
Oh, he is doing Tae Kwondo and gym, which seem to be really good for his co-ordination (or lack thereof) and listening, following orders, concentration, respect for elders etc. Plus they're just fun.
I have thought about the whole home schooling thing quite extensivly i have 4 twins boy& girl 9 a 5 year oldboy he starts big school next year & a 4year old boy he wants to go to big school too but he has too wait all of my kids have been to daycare / kindergarden my wife dont work i put them intothat because they need to learn social interaction it is pricless i was 3 when mum sent me too work with the milkman next door cause she had my brother up at 4 leave 4.30 when dad did at least i got to have breakfast with dad but 6 hrs in a milk truck with arthor recounting his war stories about new gunie for 3 years is not what i want my children to learn my kids have learned about freindships & how fleeting they are much earliear than me im a bit deaf & in my youth anybody who was nice to me was my friend nomater how much they used me. pre school kinder garden kids dont jude they interacte everybody is equal but they learn social admision rejection & bullying & selfish people that arnt worth making the effort for & but only parents can teach pregiduse & not social tolerance & we have to realise that our kids will interacte with millions more people(face book seabreaze etc) than i ever did so learning people skills is just as importent as carving jibs new years revoltion .forgive my spelling spell check is not working oh **** maybe i had better do logerrithems with a g book redudent skills almost lol
speelings fine mate,
just throw the occasional bit of punctuation in now and then. 
^ That is THE biggest sentence i have ever seen.
I dont see how homeschooled kids get all the social skills etc that are learnt when going to school. Stuff like talking to other people, different cultures/religions/values/races of people, arguements/fights/debates.
The kids will be taught only the parents values and beliefs, and will have little outside influence to create their own. And they would not learn to stand up for themselves when being ripped on, or when defending what they believe.
And who cares if a kid can read when they are 3 or whatever. By the time they finish school, everyone that went to school can read pretty well.
Ok. Can I throw this one into the mix?
Private vs Public.
I've been to both (Sydney Grammar & Coombabah State High) and I'd be curious to see other people's opinions.
I dont think you can count out the "real world" stuff either.
We put our child into day care for a bit when she was 3-4 just for the learning to inter act with other kids and grown ups.
I think another thing is not to wrap them up in "cotton wool". Show them the big wide world out there, spend lots of time and explain stuff. They are sponges for information.
In preparation for school this worked a treat. Its hard at first but when the time comes for big school they are used to not being the boss and have learnt many valuable lessons and seem to be very happy with the stricter school environment.
As for the public versus private, thats a work in progress. Primary was spent at a public school and we are very happy with it. Good teachers and mostly good kids.
Starts high school at a private school next year but lots of her friends are going so should be cool.
) and in the 2 of the 3 cases the standard of edumacashun was pathetic. The cr@ppy privvy school (St Leo's - Melb) doesn't even exist anymore so I guess that worked itself out in the end.) but I believe Privvy kids get a better network amongst the movers n shakers. That is a mixed blessing as they can be a total doofus and still smarm their way to a decent career via school connections/name dropping.
Having to get off your own butt and not expecting to be spoon fed is a good thing too I reckon.
