Is what strange you might ask??? Is it strange being a parent and deciding what is best for your child? Strange, as in deciding that homeschooling your children instead of sending them to a government run institution is best? Boy let me tell you......we have had all kinds of responses from this decision. But truly the bottom line is, Ryan and Matthew are gifts from God to US, me and Brant, the parents-HELLO! So I think we have the right to decide. And that decision does not make us weird! Homeschoolers are weird you know.......so thinks "the world". Anyway.....moving on.
There are many different reasons parents decide to homeschool their children. I use to ask people what made them decide to homeschool and realize now.....it really doesn't matter. I know for us we have several reasons. And my personal reasons differ from Brant's, but one thing we absolutely agree on is........they are gifts from God first and foremost. He entrusted these precious gifts to us to raise the very best way we can. Part of that, for our family, means to raise them in a Godly home and environment. We feel strongly that public school could not do that.
As I share with people that we will homeschool the boys I am amazed at the reactions. Yes, I do get great encouragement from some friends and family, but for the most part I can tell people think we have lost our minds!
So I am going to share a few of my biggest pet peeves about homeschooling. These were taken from The Bitter Homeschooler's Wish List. You can read all 25 at the link below. I have picked my very favorites.
http://www.secular-homeschooling.com/001/bitter_homeschooler.html
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1. Learn what the words "socialize" and "socialization" mean, and use the one you really mean instead of mixing them up the way you do now. Socializing means hanging out with other people for fun. Socialization means having acquired the skills necessary to do so successfully and pleasantly. If you're talking to me and my kids, that means that we do in fact go outside now and then to visit the other human beings on the planet and you can safely assume that we've got a decent grasp of both concepts.
2. Please stop questioning my competency and demanding to see my credentials. I didn't have to complete a course in catering to successfully cook dinner for my family; I don't need a degree in teaching to educate my children. If spending at least twelve years in the kind of chew-it-up-and-spit-it-out educational facility we call public school left me with so little information in my memory banks that I can't teach the basics of an elementary education to my nearest and dearest, maybe there's a reason I'm so reluctant to send my child to school.
3. If my kid's only six and you ask me with a straight face how I can possibly teach him what he would learn in school, please understand that you're calling me an idiot. Don't be shocked if I decide to respond in kind.
4. Stop assuming that because the word "home" is right there in "homeschool", we never leave the house. We're the ones who go to the amusement parks, museums and zoos in the middle of the week and in the off-season and laugh at you because you have to go on weekends and holidays when it's crowded and icky.
5. Stop asking, "But what about the Prom?" Even if the idea that my child might not be able to indulge in a night of over-hyped, over-priced revelry was enough to break my heart, plenty of kids who go to school don't get to go to the Prom. For all you know, I'm one of them. I might still be bitter about it. So go be shallow somewhere else.
6. Stop saying, "Oh, I could never homeschool!" Even if you think it's some kind of compliment, it sounds more like you're horrified. One of these days, I won't bother disagreeing with you any more.
7. Stop talking about all the great childhood memories my kids won't get because they don't go to school, unless you want me to start asking about all the not-so-great childhood memories you have because you went to school.
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No, I am not bitter about homeschooling yet. But I do get angry about the way people view families who decide to homeschool. We did not come to this decision overnight. The boys were less than a year old when we started really discussing it. We have had five years of thinking about it and praying to God for guidance.
So, you tell me, Is is strange?
3 comments:
Our homeschool has been a delightful journey. It has offered many desirable variables such as teaching our children a biblical worldview without contradictory teaching. I could write a whole essay as to the benefits but will refrain. As our oldest has just graduated highschool I can encourage you all that the returns have been well worth the investment. So to answer your question, "Is it strange?" Perhaps to most it is but it matters not. All that matters is that Brent and Renee will stand before God someday and answer to Him.
By now you and Brant should know we will always be your biggest supporters.
Renee
Oh, Tasha, just one more reason I LOVE YOU!!!
And, without getting all off on my political soap box concerning my aversion to public schools, I will tell you that if we could not afford to send Tehya to the small, private, Christian oriented school that she goes to, we would sooo be homeschooling.
As the first person commented, we all could write a whole essay on the massive benefits of homeschooling, and even though Tehya is not homeschooled,(mainly due to
Sage-related reasons) she very well could be some day. And of course, Sage WILL be.
My sister has taken her girls to the doctor before and had the doctor ask her if they homeschooled. When she said yes, he said, "I could tell because they looked me in the eyes when speaking to me, and they can carry on a conversation with an adult":)
Again, could write a book:)
I was telling you about both my nieces in the my last comment, and your post today reminded me about the prom that my younger niece just had this past May. They had--their homeschool group (will you be able to participate in one in your area?)--a beautiful prom--no drunks, no scantily clad girls, no vulgar music, just a nice night full of good food-steaks no less!, fellowship, and SAFE fun!
I loved your post, and the list of things you pulled from the other site--good stuff.
Tell me I can't teach a 6 year old--HA! LOVE IT!
Stay firm in your beliefs, this world needs more folks willing to stick to their moral guns!
I have some articles that I am gonna send you via email concerning what all they are trying to push in public schools--you probably have already read lots of it. It just all makes me sick, and very sad for the kids who have no one to stand up and fight for them.
Tehya was the Chaplin of her class this past year, and because of her beautiful sincere way of praying, she was called on to speak and pray outside the classroom at school wide functions--(so proud of her:), and so thankful that she goes to a school where the first thing they do when they get to school each day is say the Pledge and have their devotions and prayer.
No, not every person who participates in those faith related activities, See You at the Pole events, whatever it may be, is truly saved, not anymore than every person who goes to church on Sunday is, but the point is, we, being a private school, having no government attachments, at least have the FREEDOM to do those things, just as you and so many others have the FREEDOM to homeschool!
No, the folks in the public sector don't like it, the government flat out hates it because it takes away their ability to indoctrinate our kids, but, thankfully, we can still choose to do it.
(although it might have been tougher to do around here if our recent election of school superintendent had went turned out differently!)
It is shameful isn't it that, that freedom and our own government have become each others enemies???
Thank you Renee and Janet! Your comments mean a lot to me. Renee, we know we have your family's support and thank God that your family has gone before us to help us through it all. Just may have been in God's plans all along. BTW, Janet.....Renee is my SIL.
Janet, I am also thankful to have someone miles away showing me the same support. I so hope and pray we are able to meet face to face one day.
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