Thursday and Friday nights used to be the worst in our family.
After school, my son often hopped in the car in a foul, dragon-like mood where every little thing could set off a fire-breathing tantrum.
Trying his best to be “good” all week inside the classroom meant his true emotions spilled over at home.
His moods wore on all of us.
“I wish there was a school that was three days a week,” I confessed to my friend Velia. “Homeschooling is too much — we tried that. But five days a week is killing him.”
I dreamed up my perfect school, and it was a hybrid
In my head, I concocted the perfect school for our needs: a hybrid situation where a classroom was complemented by in-home lessons.
I was so serious about the idea that I started researching how to open a charter school in my state. However, the process was so steeped in legal jargon and bureaucratic hoops that I soon felt discouraged and gave up.
Then, as my daughter neared kindergarten, I received a text from Velia.
“Hey,” she wrote, “looks like they are opening a hybrid school by your house!”
I jumped at the opportunity, attending the first informational meeting. I was sold, and put down a deposit for registration that same night.
The school intended to run on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with an optional day of extracurriculars on Wednesdays. Mondays and Fridays, learners would school from home. These days were intentionally chosen so families could have a four-day weekend.
Now, my children are entering their third year at the hybrid school, and I see the pros and cons of this model.
Hybrid schools aren’t for everyone, and some aspects are challenging
Many of the families who attend the school have flexible schedules, either because the parents are small business owners, work from home like me, or one of them stays home full-time.
This school would be nearly impossible for a family to attend if both parents work in an office full-time, so it does alienate many families who are unable to meet the demands of the at-home days, which feels unfair.
Another reason this model isn’t for everyone is because the at-home days can be quite demanding. All assignments are posted online, and we have to stay on top of them. Many times I’ve felt like pulling my hair out when I check the assignment list and assess the workload, especially against my own workload.
There’s still whining. Tantrums. Pencils flying across the table — but nothing like before. And although it occasionally does make me want to march my children to a traditional school and register them, I remind myself of how it was. This, I can deal with.
Overall, the hybrid model works well for our needs
Now, when my children exclaim, “Yay! Tomorrow is Friday. I don’t have to go to school,” I feel their immediate relief. They are both introverted, and I know how much they need their downtime to unwind and create.
Sometimes, these at-home days are so sweet, I want to pause and relish in them. We stay in our pajamas until noon. The kids tuck into their rooms for creative time, build forts, or snuggle on the couch and read.
Other times, we wake early to go on day trips to enjoy nature. And when we are really lucky, we steal away for four days, or longer. Even if they miss the required in-classroom days, the school posts all of the work online, so we can do it on the go. We’ve schooled everywhere from the beach to the airport.
Another added bonus is that I schedule extracurriculars on the at-home days so my kids aren’t dragging themselves to practice after a long school day at school.
Lastly, I enjoy having my kids around more. My son is nearing 13, and I’m aware how fast it all goes. The hybrid school model works for our family, and we (mostly) love it.
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