What's so great about homeschooling?

[luvmykids]

Sorry away for awhile, I was teaching science. I haven’t read all that has been written since I was away, but I want to take this point by point.

As I sit here, ready to go to Mass, my son is getting ready. He had shorts on and need to change into dress pants since he is serving today. My husband is working from home today. Glancing over at him, he is wearing what I call sleep pants, a white undershirt and a sweat jacket. PJ’s seem to be the uniform of the day.

I didn’t say that we never get dressed. I said that on cool, wet days, nothing beats PJ’s and a fire.

How does it prepare for the real world? I don’t know. Not everything I do for my child prepares him for the “real world.” Some things we do just for fun.

But since you brought it up. How do prep rallies prepare for the real world? How does kids getting out of classes so they can cheer a team prepare them for the real world? I have worked out side the home for a number of years. I can’t remember any time that knowing how to cheer helped me. And let’s take cheering. Being a cheerleader, traveling all over, many days during class time, how does that prepare for the real world? I can’t think of one time that knowing how to do the splits would have helped me do my job. Or any number of things that happen in public school. Not everything there is done to prepare your child for the real world. Some things are just fun. They are children, not little adults.

And I have never seen a home school Mom take three months off when she has a baby. Maybe 2 weeks. And then they work through the summer or Christmas break or whatever to get on track.

O.K. I have no idea how this became such a sarcastic, defensive little conversation about pj’s…can we drop it now? You have all made your point and point well taken. . That just about clears it up, sorry for all the trouble it has caused, as I certainly didn’t mean it to. I asked a question, and it has now officially been cleared up…no more explanation needed about why and when and how your children wear pj’s.

 

[maryjk]

I’m finding this thread very interesting… but totally want to stay out of any harsh feelings…

I think there are just a lot of interesting parenting techniques exposed here… not good/bad/better/worse… just different styles.

One interesting point…
I’d personally like to send my children to PUBLIC high school no matter what (we’re financially undecided between Catholic and public elementary/middle schools right now)…

My reasons are because I WANT to expose my children to those very same elements that (it seems) HS’ers are trying to AVOID.
**
Why? Because in my personal experience growing up, my faith THRIVED under pressure!**

I just find the differences very interesting.
Maybe it has to do with the way we, ourselves, were raised… and in what situations our own faith thrived…

Hmmm… just pondering these differences is interesting…

Where my faith died in school. Not to return until the birth of my son.

 

[luvmykids]

Where my faith died in school. Not to return until the birth of my son.

These are perfect examples of how different everyone is…I credit my faith with my formation in catholic schools…**no **thanks to my parents!! If it hadn’t been for my catholic school, I don’t know where or who I would be right now!

 

[bear06]

I completely agree with that myself.

Well than what’s the hub bub? I have no doubt that you’ve prayerfully considered all deicisions regarding your children’s education. I have never said that you are wrong for doing what you do. I’ve just researched this topic to death and I feel that homeschooling has more advantages for my children and I’m jumping on the opportunity.

Taken from post #121 “And sorry, but I feel that everyone should consider home schooling”. And why is that?

Well I can’t answer for the person who actually made the quote but don’t you think that people should consider all of the options? Don’t you think that I should have considered the school option when making my decisions on how best to educate my children?

I can guarantee you that none of your kids will turn out perfect, just as none of mine will.

Okay, okay. You got me there. Can I substitute great or good for perfect? Sorry. I was pretty sure that you’d know what I meant.

Back to my point about you missing the point…I’m well aware of these studies…my point is that if these studies are taking children who attend school outside the home, what school are they going to and what is their family life like? Are their parents involved in their life? Do their parents care?

What I’m gathering you are saying is that if you put two loving parents up against each other in the great schooling/homeschooling smackdown that they’d come out the same because it’s the loving parents and not the education. I’d still disagree with you because I’ve know far more loving, involved parents who’s children still lost their Faith due to peer pressure. As far as education goes…You might have an argument there but I’d bet that the homeschoolers would still win out. We just have less wasted time and our kids get more individualized attention from their teachers. I find it hard to believe that people can’t seem to realize what an advantage that is. I think the only thing we could do here would be to compare our standardized tests on that one.

They won’t see it as something acceptable if you teach them it’s not acceptable.

Good luck with that one. That would mean that your kids never disobey you? Sorry but I’m still contending with original sin. The last thing I need to contend with during their formative years is the really cute boy who’s completely immoral and interested in my daughter.

Children can still be taught about all this within a loving household.

Two words: Peer pressure.

Sometimes the best way to learn about things and how to deal with them, is within the context itself.

OK, I’d have to say that most of the time it’s not the best way.

My children will come home with a question about something and I am there to explain to them if it is wrong, and why, and how to deal with it if necessary.

We do it differently around here. First of all, we have more control over things accidently popping up. Secondly, we don’t wait until it comes up. We discuss it at an age appropriate level before they run into the situation if at all possible. Remember, I want to build my ship in the harbor before I release it to the open see (I just love that one).

This is were the majority of parents fail. They spend no time on their children what so ever and expect that the school is going to do it all.

We’re pretty much in agreement here but I’d have to say that what many good parents don’t realize is that sometimes not only will school not prepare them, it can undo what’s already been done. For instance, my Catholic school taught me how to use a condom my senior year. Thankfully my parents raised me a very loving, Catholic home where they paid attention. Still, the school didn’t tell them they were going to pull that little trick. Honestly, by the time I got to college, I found myself wearing down and thankfully I had a great guardian angel! It really could have gone either way. Even though I’d been exposed to it all of my teen years through the school experience, I never had the network of devout friends my kids have. I never had friends who said “Come on over and we’ll say the rosary and then watch movies” like my kids do. I didn’t know these people existed because they certainly weren’t at my school.

 

[PaulinVA]

I’ve been laying low today. I have written a few responses to posts, refuting points, saying mean things, but I’ve deleted them all. It serves no purpose.

I think it’s really funny. Most posts (mine included) are trying to prove points, prove that the poster’s choice is better than someone else’s. “Look at those Christians, see how they love each other.”

I really have learned a lot. I’ve read some of the studies about home schoolers achievements and scholastic test scores and it is impressive. I think that the methodology of some of the comparisons is silly. (One study actually said that home schoolers where testing at nth percentile, while the national average was only at the 50th percentile. Well, yeah, the average IS the 50% percentile. )

I think the problem with comparisons is finding the public/private school control group to compare the hs test scores with. The hs parents are probably better educated, more motivated, more involved, more religious, more middle to upper class than the average population. Comparing the hs population to that group would probably yield a more realistic comparison, although the hs would probably compare favorably.

 

[bear06]

I think it’s really funny. Most posts (mine included) are trying to prove points, prove that the poster’s choice is better than someone else’s. “Look at those Christians, see how they love each other.”

Loving each other doesn’t mean we can have an opinion about what the overall best form of education is. The only way someone’s choice in this instance can be better than another person’s choice is if one person is following God’s will and the other person is not. There’s no way for any of us to know that one, is there?

Well, have fun with the rest of the conversation. We’re off on a weekend fieldtrip! Whoo hoo!

 

[luvmykids]

Well than what’s the hub bub? I have no doubt that you’ve prayerfully considered all deicisions regarding your children’s education. I have never said that you are wrong for doing what you do. I’ve just researched this topic to death and I feel that homeschooling has more advantages for my children and I’m jumping on the opportunity.

Well I can’t answer for the person who actually made the quote but don’t you think that people should consider all of the options? Don’t you think that I should have considered the school option when making my decisions on how best to educate my children?

Okay, okay. You got me there. Can I substitute great or good for perfect? Sorry. I was pretty sure that you’d know what I meant…

Ok, YOU really got me up until this point. Beyond this point is where I feel your post has become a complete contradiction to what you have posted above. Above you seem to be saying that hs’ing is the best for your family and that you agree that it is not for everyone, but it is for you. Then you continue on below to make it sound as if those of us who send our kids to school are at a complete disadvantage. That loving parents or not, the children are doomed to failure unless some miracle where to occur.(which they do occur).

What I’m gathering you are saying is that if you put two loving parents up against each other in the great schooling/homeschooling smackdown that they’d come out the same because it’s the loving parents and not the education. I’d still disagree with you because I’ve know far more loving, involved parents who’s children still lost their Faith due to peer pressure…

Are you saying that by homeschooling you can control every friend your children ever make and no one that is homschooled will lose their faith…again, I ask, of those that have lost their faith, what went on in the household? I have known many a family that just seemed so loving and perfect and faithful, but it just so happens that behind the scenes, things were just not so.

As far as education goes…You might have an argument there but I’d bet that the homeschoolers would still win out. We just have less wasted time and our kids get more individualized attention from their teachers. I find it hard to believe that people can’t seem to realize what an advantage that is. I think the only thing we could do here would be to compare our standardized tests on that one. …

This is all relative and based on your own opinion. Here is where the superiority message comes in that some so often feel coming from hs’ers. I have personally been told by hs’ers that I am ruining my children by sending them to school on more than one occasion…How is that helpful?

Good luck with that one. That would mean that your kids never disobey you? …

About as much as yours never disobey or are ever going to disobey you, because you kept them home.

:Sorry but I’m still contending with original sin. The last thing I need to contend with during their formative years is the really cute boy who’s completely immoral and interested in my daughter…Two words: Peer pressure.

AGain, are you going to control what friends your children make? Lock them in the house? Do you plan on allowing your daughter to get a job at 16?

For the record, I never came to this post to try to put down homeschooling in anyway, I came to try to explain why sending your children to school does not make you a bad parent and I do not believe homeschooling is the best way to educate in every situation. You do not need to prove anything to me as far as homeschooling goes. I believe it is a good thing. I just do not believe it should be made out to be the “end all be all” of raising children. Sending your child to school is just as much an option for successful parenting as can be homeschooling. I am in a continual process of discerning what is best for my children.

 

[Em_in_FL]

This is intersting but not surprising. Mine didn’t. I didn’t lose it thanks to my parents but it was a closer call than I’d like for my children. I was somewhat shy and didn’t want to wear my Faith on my sleeve. The joke is that I went to 12 years of Catholic school. Eveyone is different though. Activism is what brought me out of my Catholic shell but then it also immersed me in a crowd of like-minded people. My kids are already little Catholic activists. They love picketing which is something I would have never done at their age. Their big circle of faith based friends is a nice support group for them.

Where my faith died in school. Not to return until the birth of my son.

This is exactly what I meant…
If your personal experience in school either enhanced or harmed your faith… maybe that’s a reason why you chose this parenting style to homeschool… which is totally cool!..

I’m just looking at the motivations some parents would have to choose to homeschool vs traditional school…

Just rambling thoughts…

 

[monicatholic]

PaulVA had worried that comments were competetive and uncharitable. others had expressed the same idea.

sure. it’'s all over this thread. why? because "i choose to homebirth/ breastfeed/ home catechise/ homeschool/ co-sleep/ home haircut/ home garden are big triggers.

the media has done another one of their infamous, polarized hatchet job on homeschooling. the amazing homeschool mom who can leap tall buildings in a single bound!! Lokk overhead! or alternately, the freaked out silent killer homeschooling mom whose kids were raised in cages.

my real friends who conventionally school their kids, look at me and laugh. “gee”, they say, “how come that three year old can’t play that violin yet?” it’s a funny question. they likewise make jokes about when i’m gonna snap. because of infamous cases, not so funny, but equally invalid question as the three-year-old violin player.

mine is certainly NOT the difinitive on “why choose homeschooling” but only my experience.

here’s why we began homeschooling (17 years ago.)

because my husband’s goofy job had him gone when the kids were home. the oldest would come home from school and dad would be at work till midnight. but the following morning when dad was home till noon or 2 pm, kid was at schol. we homeschooled so dad and kid could have a relationship.

we kept homeschooling for lots of other reasons.

are we better than others? no. but we are better than our old selves. homeschooling has been good for us.

a while back i made a stupid post rebutting pajamas that included the short list of my adult kids achievements. it was dumb. why? because who cares? good, smart, holy kids come out of the public high school, too. drug addicts come out of good, smart holy catholic homeschooling families, too. we know that for a sad fact.

so, is my message one of relativism-- all choices are equal?

no. but homeschooling is not necessarilly a moral issue. it is not a commandment. it is not a precept of the church.

studies have suggested that parents who are very invested and interested and active in their kids educations (both academic and religious, i would argue) have similar impact on their kids. isn’t that what we mostly want-- to pass on the Faith intact to our kids, then to pass on a good education?

when a family has prayerfully considered options and made a choice, the rest of us are called to respect that choice, dontcha think? charity is higher on the list of Christian commands than homeschooling.

 

[eliza3b]

but homeschooling is not necessarilly a moral issue. it is not a commandment. it is not a precept of the church.

studies have suggested that parents who are very invested and interested and active in their kids educations (both academic and religious, i would argue) have similar impact on their kids. isn’t that what we mostly want-- to pass on the Faith intact to our kids, then to pass on a good education?

when a family has prayerfully considered options and made a choice, the rest of us are called to respect that choice, dontcha think? charity is higher on the list of Christian commands than homeschooling.

I couldn’t have said it better!

 

[PaulinVA]

My wife and I have been talking about this thread, and discussing again why we have made the choice of schooling we have.

We feel very strongly that we(all of us) are called to be God’s voice in the world. We live that by being smack dab in the middle of things. Volunteering at the public school, teaching Religious Education, coaching sports, being friends. Our kids are in the middle of things as well. It’s amazing how many kids come from what we used to call “broken” homes and need solid, strong friends who know right from wrong. The public school is where you meet these kids and their parents.

Jesus lived amongst the sinners. He didn’t keep the apostles with him, alone, for three years. They jumped in immediately, following him, preaching to people, participating in the ministry. He had to admonish them routinely, it seems, but they were right there. Didn’t he even send them out by twos for a little preaching on their own while he was still on earth?

Hs people, it seems, are stable, loving, involved, and are raising kids who are centered, learning, and very nice. Why are you depriving the people who need families just like yours? I’m really serious, and I’m not being mean. When you make your decision about hs, do you weigh the cost to your community of taking your family out of the mix? The people who need you and your example are in the place you are avoiding.

 

[drawnhome]

Hs people, it seems, are stable, loving, involved, and are raising kids who are centered, learning, and very nice. Why are you depriving the people who need families just like yours? I’m really serious, and I’m not being mean. When you make your decision about hs, do you weigh the cost to your community of taking your family out of the mix? The people who need you and your example are in the place you are avoiding.

Hi Paul, in our experience we had one very unhappy young son, and another quite happy little boy who just wasn’t learning to read. Because he was so well-behaved, excelled in math and science, and was kind to all his fellow students, he was not considered a squeaky wheel. He would claim to have “forgotten” his library book again and I finally figured out he was too embarrassed to check out the books appropriate for his reading level. His friends all got to check out the bigger books but the librarian would tell him that he needed to check out “class b” books or whatever. You understand.

Our other son was just a little different, very quiet, thoughtful, interested in different things than sports, and was also big for his age, and became a target for ridicule. His so-called friends would talk to him until someone else came along, then leave him on the sidelines. It took me a while to figure out what was going on, and in the afternoon when I picked him up, my normally sunny boy was sullen, angry, and refused to discuss what was happening. The teacher was not aware, as my son very quietly endured his loneliness.

We took the boys on a vacation. After a few days, we noticed both of them so relaxed, having such a great time with one another, laughing, interested in the area, the wildlife, etc. and my husband and I wondered if it would be worth bringing them home for awhile to see if this was a good thing for them.

Now understand, I was one of the most involved parents in the school. I was room mother every year, a fund-raising mom, a faithful parishioner. This was a very good Catholic school.

It was a hard decision, I was scared to death, but after a year of homeschooling my youngest boy wanted to read aloud to me, obviously thrilled with his ability, and my older boy started having self-confidence again and moved up a whole grade. I was able to let them take the courses they were able to handle. But most of all the smile on my son’s face after all that misery, made it all worth it.

Now that was 5 yrs ago. We have two great teenage boys, they have lots of friends, they are very grounded in their faith. And we still contribute to the schools, we still participate in fund-raisers, we volunteer for religious ed, and are still faithful parishioners. The boys are looking forward to college, have had a chance to really delve into the things they are interested in, they don’t care what kind of sneakers they have, they are into rock’n’roll and computers and are big football and baseball fans, just normal kids. They adore their dad and love to work alongside him at any time. They know how to garden, to clean, to fix electronics, set up our HD (thank goodness), to care for the animals and how to hook up a vintage RV to a campsite. They can fish and tell you what the best bait is for the best fish, belong to a Catholic youth band, and participate in weekly scripture studies with other teens “out there in the world”.

And we still belong to the community. The boys haven’t suffered some of the demoralizing events my daughters went through, and I am grateful for that. Those things don’t build character, they tear people apart.

And that’s why we do what we do.

 

[maryjk]

Hs people, it seems, are stable, loving, involved, and are raising kids who are centered, learning, and very nice. Why are you depriving the people who need families just like yours? I’m really serious, and I’m not being mean. When you make your decision about hs, do you weigh the cost to your community of taking your family out of the mix? The people who need you and your example are in the place you are avoiding.

It seems we have come full circle to the “why would you want to hide your child’s flame under the cover of home schooling?”

We have already had this conversation. And if you want to talk about “holier than thou” attitudes, you seem to have one here. Since your children are out there spreading the faith, converting sinners and preaching the Gospel. Where our children are just learning their lessons.

Right now I feel that sending my child to public schools in my area would be akin to throwing him into the lion’s den. We are 3% Catholic in my state.

In addition, we home school for mostly academic reasons. Shocker coming, my husband isn’t Catholic. Fifth grade age, seventh grade math and science, sixth grade everything else causes problems in public schools. Private can handle it, but there is a choice of two here. One Southern Baptist, one Lutheran. Even my husband doesn’t want to send him to either of those.

When we decided to home school we did not weigh the fact that we were denying the public school of our child. We had just moved here, they never had him to begin with. And my job as a parent is to raise and educate MY child. “Let the children come to me.” Not send the children out to spread my word.

 

[PaulinVA]

We have already had this conversation. And if you want to talk about “holier than thou” attitudes, you seem to have one here. Since your children are out there spreading the faith, converting sinners and preaching the Gospel. Where our children are just learning their lessons.

Mary, how in the world can you attack me for having a holier than though attitude after I just said that hs are really nice people with really great kids and you need to spread your example?

I was really asking a serious question. I wasn’t trying to score points or be superior. What I said was very similar to what the hs people have said about the benefits of hs, and I was told that was NOT a holier than though attitude.

 

[st_lucy]

Jesus lived amongst the sinners. He didn’t keep the apostles with him, alone, for three years. They jumped in immediately, following him, preaching to people, participating in the ministry. He had to admonish them routinely, it seems, but they were right there. Didn’t he even send them out by twos for a little preaching on their own while he was still on earth?

Hs people, it seems, are stable, loving, involved, and are raising kids who are centered, learning, and very nice. Why are you depriving the people who need families just like yours? I’m really serious, and I’m not being mean. When you make your decision about hs, do you weigh the cost to your community of taking your family out of the mix? The people who need you and your example are in the place you are avoiding.

Hi Paul, I am really trying hard to stay out of this conversation, but the above quote really struck me. Yes, you state that hs kids seem… BUT … Don’t you see you are judging us for something you have no idea about. I like drawnhome sent our daughter to a catholic school for over three years. She was a well behaved child who was falling behind academically and who was severely bullied, and so was not given much thought of. She got to the point to where she would not even look at another person in the eye when she attempted to speak to them. I was very involved with the school, but that didn’t stop the teachers from looking the other way when my child got beat up or pushed around for not fitting in with the other children. So I pulled her out it wasn’t easy but we did it. You know what the amazing thing is? Now that she isn’t in traditional school she is alot more out going, she has a lot more friends, both hs and traditionally schooled.

You are assuming that we hs families just hs because we want to keep our children away from your children. That is such a ridiculous statement. If you actually watched hs kids they are comfortable and are friends with all the kids. I know that there is always exceptions to the rule, but they are not the ones to use to judge the whole. I don’t look at those few parents who send their kids to traditional schools to get rid of them for a few hours and say all are like that. It is ridiculous and you know it.

 

[leonie]

Hs people, it seems, are stable, loving, involved, and are raising kids who are centered, learning, and very nice. Why are you depriving the people who need families just like yours? I’m really serious, and I’m not being mean. When you make your decision about hs, do you weigh the cost to your community of taking your family out of the mix? The people who need you and your example are in the place you are avoiding.

My experience is that **most kids conform **to the peer culture rather than affect it. I don’t see my kids being that strong. But, my hope is that forming them well both intellectually and spiritually as they grow more mature and older, they will reconquer the culture for Christ!!! In fact, that is our mission (we actually have written it down).

As for our family’s involvement with our community: as we are able, we try to make our contributions. My dh is a 4-h leader (shooting sports). We participate in CYO and little league programs. We volunteer (when family and work commitments let us) in our parish. When I’m not involved with the care of an infant, I teach religious ed and Vacation Bible school.

One small mission my kids and I do in the summer is babysit kids for young moms who need time to unwind and to pray. We try to do it two times a week. I feel strongly about this small good deed because I remember well how isolated and harried I felt when I had small children and not much help.

My daughter is involved in Challege Girls club. And, my sons in ConQuest boys club. In this program, the kids are receiving formation so that when they are older teens, they will be leaders in the club to impact younger kids.

Perhaps you and your family feels so strongly about your work in the public schools (I admire that you see it as a mission) because you have received a call from God to work in this mission field. I am beginning to see why you feel so strongly about the public schools. Is it a specific call for your family?

My family has not been called to this work. From what I’ve discerned in our talents and inclinations and opportunities that arise: our family is called mostly to work with other families supporting, encouraging, and being available to help in need. We also have a talent for spiritual formation and catechesis. So, when we have the opportunity, we do religious ed, vacation Bible school, clubs with a spiritual focus. I’ve been involved in starting Familia at our parish. It’s a catechesis program for families based on John Paul the Great’s encyclicals.

We also work a lot with our homeschooling community. Surely, these families are also just as worthy of our help and support?

My dad was a public school teacher and coach. Especially through his coaching, I watched him really change young men’s lives (he was a wrestling coach). But, my siblings and I did not thrive in public school. In fact, my sister barely graduated–she was promiscuous and a drug user. My brother became an alcoholic. My oldest brother did very well actually both socially and academically, but he’s left the Church. My nephew can’t read, has spent time in jail, and now has a pregnant ex girlfriend.

We had a wonderful home life with two professional parents. I’m not saying public school was wholly responsible. But, I’m trying to point out that not all kids are equipped to withstand the pressures of peer culture.

 

[leonie]

I wanted to add that I don’t think I would be doing my duty as a parent to deprive my children of the formation that I think would be the most advantageous to their futures for the purpose of evangelizing others.

It’s always bothered me that some protestant missionary couples would be working in the mission field while their kids are in boarding schools in another country.

My first duty is to my children. That is the call of my vocation as a mother.

 

[PaulinVA]

Perhaps you and your family feels so strongly about your work in the public schools (I admire that you see it as a mission) because you have received a call from God to work in this mission field. I am beginning to see why you feel so strongly about the public schools. Is it a specific call for your family?

Leonie, yes, I think that we do feel strongly that this is where God wants us to be. Interesting - you feel the same way, too, and just as strongly. I’m happy for that understanding.

 

[monicatholic]

Hi Paul,
i think yours is a very good and valid question.

here is a quick explanation of our choice:

we believe that the best way for our children to become evangelsists in the world, lights on the hill, as it were, is to have a strong burning light. we think that in their formative years, when anything can work to extinguish that light, we must protect its growth. ours is not a seperatist, isolationist form of protection, rather a discernment, a filtering of influences.

part of that fostering, part of that protection is to provide an intact family. my husband’s work schedule had been such that he was not home when the children were home from school.

that was really bad for our family.

it may interest you to know that we rarely, if ever, participate in homeschool group type activites. in the early years of homeschooling, we most certainly did. homeschooling 17 years ago seemed quite pioneering. we needed whatever support we could get. these past years, though, my kids are involved in many things, none of which are grounded in any homeschool community. we don’t need the support of homeschool groups, but the community does need to interact with us. that has been proven time and again.

our older kids hike up to the public highschool every day for band class. my at-home oldest had exceeded state requirements for graduation when he was 16. given several options, he chose to take senior classes full time at the public high school. it has been an excellent experience for him.

his teachers are thrilled with him (except for his literature teacher. our son seems to have a slight superiority problem in that class-- suggesting he might have chosen more worthy translations of chaucer etc. the teacher is rightly annoyed with him.) and his friends parents seem to approve of anything that we are chaperoning or hosting. they consider our standards to be trustworthy.

but Paul, at 11, this boy was a reed in the wind-- bowing to every influence. would he have strenghtened in conventional school? possibly. but we can wonder “what if” till kingdome come. it’s not helpful. we can’t know.

there will always be another anectdote of a kid who ‘did great’ in conventional education environments. there will always be another shining example of a homeschooler, too. and there will always be failures (or seeming failures) from every educational system, too.

if there were any rule, if homeschool always worked, everyone would do it. if conventional schooling always worked, likewise would be true.

our responsibility to community is important but not primary. we’ve made the choice that is right for our family.

again, thanks for asking an important question.

 

[PaulinVA]

Hi Paul,
i think yours is a very good and valid question.

here is a quick explanation of our choice:

we believe that the best way for our children to become evangelsists in the world, lights on the hill, as it were, is to have a strong burning light. we think that in their formative years, when anything can work to extinguish that light, we must protect its growth. ours is not a seperatist, isolationist form of protection, rather a discernment, a filtering of influences.

I agree. But, since this is the most important time for all of the children, I was asking why are we keeping some of the kids who could be the most helpful to the kids who need the help the most away? When your kids are ready to evangelize, the others could already be lost, just as strong in their less than desirable ways.

I understand now that there are a lot of reasons for people to hs, and that we are blessed here with great schools, and that my experience isn’t everyones.