Disclaimer #2: There are no cute pictures with this post. Just a lot of opinionated smart-alecky-ness.
Disclaimer #3: Some people begin these sorts of discussions with something to this effect: "homeschooling is not for everyone, these are our opinions, you do what works best for your family." I'll buy into that . . . sort of. I believe the best place for children to learn is in a loving home. Mother, fathers, grandparents, aunt and uncles have the most interest in a child's development. There are some great teachers out there in "real school" land. They are fabulous! But I'd rather not trust strangers for the moral and spiritual development of my child.
"A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher." Luke 6:40
(Oh! We've seen that verse in action! Scary!)
Disclaimer #5: I wrote these disclaimers during & after I wrote the entire rest of the pictureless post (I'm going to look for a picture now). You may begin now. Update: There's a cartoon at the bottom.
The Meat of it:
Why not homeschool?
We were finally getting back into a grove this week. We even did some history (history and science become very neglected when "life happens" or when the teacher gets lazy or otherwise distracted as she has been lately).
This weeks lessons was on King Richard and Prince John and Robin Hood! What fun stories! (I'm glad NOT to be any of those people).
So, the children are watching Robin Hood (the Disney cartoon) (for the 2nd or 3rd time this week).
And I've been surfing/shopping/poking around online.
I had an offer for a free vocabulary workbook for ages 10+. And in the process of going to get it I found somebody who just looks for free homeschooling stuff and clicked to follow her on Pinterest. She has SO much there it is overwhelming! I don't even know where to begin.
Which lead me to complain to myself about stupid things people say.
Yeap. Here's comes the complaint. If you don't care than you can quit reading now. But since it's my blog and I get to put my thoughts out there, I'ma gonna.
I'll try to keep it to two points (maybe).
1) "I couldn't homeschool, my children don't listen to me." (or "my children are wild" or some other such nonsense which puts the blame and excuse on the child - pitiful!)
A) I often feel like a broken record.
B) I no longer repeat myself (unless of course I know they didn't/couldn't hear me).
Mama speaks once. LISTEN! (I also no longer yell, I was a yell-er. If Mama is mad
enough that she is yelling ya'll have really messed up big time or gone deaf).
Sometimes I don't listen to them either.
C) This is a heart issue. Yours and the child's.
D) If your child is small, work on it. They can be trained/taught/encouraged to do what
is right. Including but not limited to LISTEN! and OBEY!
E) If your child is a little bigger, your gonna have to work a little harder. You train them
how you want them to turn out (ouch! That hurts me!)
F) If your child is nearly grown - What have you been doing? You may just want to start
over with a new kid. If you wait till they are nearly grown to begin to discipline - well
you've waited a LOT of years to long. While it can be done - you will have a LOT of
humbling and apologizing and hard praying and searching the scriptures to do.
Ya'll are really in for it. I'll pray for you.
G) If they won't listen to you and obey in the home, why in the whole world do you
expect them to listen and obey anybody else?!!? And you expect them to be "good" at
school?
Do you ever have a logical thought?
"She said, 'Bring them up
the way that you want them.
Thank God when their grown,
they'll never depart."
~ Hymn: I Have Returned
by Marijohn Wilkin ~
from Proverbs 22:6
2) "It just cost too much." (or "I can't afford it" or some other such nonsense)
A) Bologna.
B) I just found, just this morning, so much FREE stuff I'm overwhelmed.
C) I can give you list of website for free or cheap (or just so helpful) stuff. Just ask!
D) When we did do "real school" we were constantly being asked for money for all sorts of
things. We spent WAY more in those few years than we have since.
E) We use a portion of our tax return for homeschool books and what-nots. (Having 8
little deductions = a nice, helpful tax return). We spend, on average $800 dollars per
year on basic curriculum/books. That's for ALL 8
we are planning PreK4 through 10th grade. And the curriculum adviser (that's me)
get's pretty much what she wants within reason. (I try hard to be frugal but I LOVE
books!)
This year may be higher because we want/need/would find really helpful some lab
stuff for high school science. We do normally buy new stuff for Ava (the practice
child) because it will be used 7 more times after her.
Update: IF I got everything I am currently looking at on my LONG list of needs and wants (changing Language Arts
curriculum for 4 or 5 children, getting stuff for Biology and Chemistry, and a few books to help the teacher teach) I'm
at $1194 plus shipping and tax. That's a little over my limit, I've already taken several things off, and that's for ALL 8
children ALL school year. (Not including paper, pencils, folders, crayons etc - we get those during tax free weekends).
F) MANY people who use this excuse are spending money to have their child involved in
sports, or martial arts, or dance, or gymnastics, or . . . . I think that their priorities are a
little . . . um . . . screwy.
These things are FUN!!! And learning a skill, exercising, being able to work on a team
are great things. Many homeschoolers enjoy these very same things. They aren't
inherently bad - but they might just not be good.
What is more important, your kids education or being able to flip over? (We've learned
to flip at home.)
We tried organized, rec league, sports ONE TIME. That was enough. We found
ourselves gone. We enjoy being home. We can't possibly train them up ourselves if they
are always under the leadership of some other coach or teacher. We just don't get
family devotions done on days when we are gone all evening. The children DO enjoy
our family times of Bible reading, singing, and prayer.
When we miss doing it, we miss it.
We do sometimes consider putting one or two in some class or sport, they'd enjoy it.
But we just can't afford it. (Hahahaha!)
G) We have one income. And not a large one. At. All. S-M-A-L-L.
I did a little research and we fall in the "average income" range for our area. The
difference is, this information was per person. I'm sure some of these "per persons"
are also supporting a family. But not very many are supporting a family of ten.
Our budget never works out on paper. And yet, we still live indoors.
Admittedly, we sometimes receive unsolicited, unexpected gifts. We have people who
love us. And that is a huge help, and always in the nick of time. That's God's grace in
action. And we are thankful.
H) That is just a really bad excuse, especially to give to me.
And MANY other homeschooling parents. Just bad.
3) "I couldn't do it." or "I'm glad it's you and not me." (I said I'd TRY to keep it at two points).
A) With that attitude you probably couldn't.
B) Me too. I'm glad it's me and not you.
I'm a little fond of these loud people (the TV is now off, the volume level just
increased exponentially).
C) Thank you for owning the excuse.
4) I think what I should hear from people is, "That's great for you, but I just don't want to."
A) Schooling at home (raising children in general) takes time and commitment. What level
of time and commitment are you willing to put in?
B) Statement #1 and #2 above take the blame for not wanting to and place it somewhere
else, the child or the finances.
C) We want to. We feel we must. We believe it is our Biblical duty. We believe it is our
just service to these little people we've brought into the world and dedicated ourselves
to raise to the best of our ability. We are committed to this course.
Others aren't. We mourn for them, they are missing out on a HUGE blessing.
D)There is a difference between a reason and an excuse.
I can think of very few GOOD reasons to send a kid away to school. I'd like to hear some.
My few reasons are linked to faults or failings on the part of the parents.
Sound harsh? I've been that faulting parent. But I came around and pulled them back
out, my regret is that I left them in too long.
You will be held accountable for all you do or fail to do. Do your best.
We're trying.
"And whatever you do, in word or deed,
do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him."
~ Colossians 3:17 ~
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| Here's your cute picture! |
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