It alarms me when I hear someone say (usually in a homeschool convention speech) that our homeschooling efforts will prove successful only if all of our children homeschool their own kids someday.Yes, I think it would be wonderful if that happened, but I’m not going to hold my breath for it. And we have not told our children that they must homeschool our someday grandkids. For one thing, God called us to homeschool. It wasn’t a decision we made because someone here on earth expected us to do it (back then, nobody expected us to do it…they were all pretty surprised, actually.) So how can we demand that our kids do it? That request has to come from God.
I don’t believe the goal of homeschooling is to perpetuate it. I think the goal is to allow children to grow up naturally within the protective circle of the family, to live in the real world (as opposed to the unreal world of the classroom) and to learn what they need to prepare them for life. Once they’re adults, they should have the freedom we have to make their own decisions, with God’s direction.
(Originally published 10/11/08. We now have one grandchild and another on the way. Our grandson is in full-time daycare. He is sweet, bright and we are all quite smitten with him!)
I agree, Barbara! We need to allow our children the freedom to make their own decisions regarding this important matter just as we ourselves craved that ability.
Bravo for saying so!
Paula
I can’t say I’m upset that all my grandchildren aren’t homeschooled, but I’m happy that at least 3 of 12 are! Another 2 are in a Montissori (sp?) school, where their mother teaches, and it is so close to being homeschooled. The 6 year old has discovered a world in math that has him soaring! At 5 he decided he wanted to learn to multiply, which he did with his teachers blessings. Now at 6, he is learning, and understanding, algebra! Whoa! His sister is just 4, but I’m thinking she’s going to be walking in his footsteps.
I’m happy to have been able to pull my children out of the public school system and show them another way, a better way for us!
There is a big difference in the grandchildren who are in the ps system, but it’s not my choice, it’s, as you said, God’s and the parents. I did what I had to do, and I let my children do what they have to do.
Enjoy your day…you’ve made mine with the recent blogs, especially about Kristen Pass! Wonderful!
I wonder if this kind of attitude is one reason why my own parents are so unsupportive of my HS. They had gotten together with a bunch of other families to found a private school back when I was reaching school age. So maybe they see my choosing to HS as my rejecting the type of schooling they worked so hard to provide me. It’s not- I think I got a perfectly decent education.
But the circumstances are very different today than they were back in the early 1980’s. There’s a lot more red tape that drive up the costs of starting a private school (such as compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act). And people have a lot less free time to help with organizing a school. Most of the dads I knew growing up worked 40-45 hrs/wk and most of the moms were home full-time. Today in our area, it’s the norm for both parents to be working 50-60+ hrs/wk.
Paula, thanks for that, and for stopping by.
Jan, it must be hard for you to see the difference between the ones in ps and the others. Thanks for sharing 🙂
CW, you might be onto something there with your parents. I know I might feel that way too, even though that isn’t it at all, from what you say.
As for the time crunch today, this is one reason why I think it’s good that house prices are coming down. Everything needs to come down so that people can have a life again! Prices are way too high for current wages, no question.
I have yet to hear such a statement and have never considered this idea before. I wonder what I would think if my grandchildren attend public school someday?
And your new site looks great! I think I resubscribed, but I’ll get you updated on my blogroll, too.
Oh my goodness, Renae, I’ve heard it so many times! It’s mostly the oldschool homeschool speakers/writers who say it.
Thanks for the comments re: the site. It’s slowly coming together…finally!