From the center ring
It’s another Carnival of Homeschooling! Check it out at phat mommy, on Tuesday. And this will be my submission. On the benefits of homeschooling. I’m thinking my thoughts on this will run from the typical, to the unusual, possibly disagreed with, and maybe bizarre. Here goes, in no particular order, 50 Reasons I Won’t Quit:
1. You can teach from the sofa.
2. Or outside.
3. Or ditch it all and play all day when the weather begs it.
4. Even, if necessary, from the toilet. Yes. I have.
5. You see intimately what your child needs, and how they should learn.
6. All pressure can be removed from learning, and the joy of it can shine through.
7. If one child is struggling with a particular subject, I have the option of putting it away, and waiting for some maturation.
8. Or determining that maybe this is a time to help push through.
9. I am my children’s primary influence. Not society out there. Someone, or something, will brainwash our children. Who’s it going to be?
10. And they can see me put my money where my mouth is. Or not.
11. I am able to nuture relationship with me nearly all day, every day.
12. As siblings, they are very close.
13. And have had to learn to cooperate, compromise, and depend on each other.
14. And put all their clothes in one chest of drawers.
15. They see each other as their primary friends.
16. And as such, are protective of each other.
17. Being home, as opposed to in a school for 7 hours a day, gives them time to be children.
18. So they actually have a childhood.
19. They all, boys and girl, are learning how to run a home, by being with me and helping me.
20. Therefore, I have house help I do not have to pay.
21. They are learning that parents have the responsibility of actually raising their children.
22. I can sleep in when I want. This is a big one.
23. When their Dad was working long, odd hours, they could stay up extra late to see him, and visit.
24. Last week, our oldest couldn’t sleep, so he and his Dad built a fire in the chiminea out on the patio, and just sat and talked.
25. Then our son was able to sleep in the next morning, and start lessons later.
26. Our schedule is adjusted according to our family needs.
27. No school clothes are needed.
28. Jammies are acceptable.
29. Matinee weekday prices for movies.
30. Vacations whenever we want.
31. Visits to grandparents anytime.
32. Breaks watching HGTV together in the mid-morning.
33. Catching Mr. Ed on TV Land after breakfast.
34. The children are not constantly surrounded by incompatible values.
35. Or lots of other little girls in midriff baring tops, and short shorts with words on their bums. Or boys at age 10 with cell phones.
36. Which means I’m not constantly begged for these items.
37. We’ll teach about sexuality when we want, how we want. In the perspective that we want.
38. No school nurses with condoms.
39. No metal detectors at our doors.
40. Truly free speach. We can pray and say Jesus all we want. (me, sticking out my tongue)
41. We’re building a strong foundation for the children to grow on.
42. We get to be with them as much as possible, while they are ours to prepare for their futures.
43. I’ll never regret choosing something over them, when they are grown, and on their own.
44. I have not, and will not, have to miss teeth falling out, walking becoming running, lightbulbs going off in their brains, being able to answer all the many many questions they have, or giving and getting a thousand hugs a day.
45. They are learning super social skills. From adults and like-valued peers. Not from that place they say socialization ought to take place.
46. Our daughter is not having to learn to swim with the sharks cope with the cattiness so many little girls get sucked into.
47. Our sons are learning what it means to be a strong, gentle, able, respectful young man, and how young women should be treated.
48. None of them are subjected to constant “pack mentality”. They are learning to think on their own, according to the spiritual values we teach them.
49. Our daughter can take care of her own dog. And play with him all day.
50. Knowing, that through this decision to educate them at home, we are doing absolutely everything we can do to help insure their future health, wholeness and happiness. Between us, and God, that future seems very bright.
