Really the questions are starting already? - Page 2

[mum4vr]

Yes, as many PP have said-- it starts!

But, GUESS WHAT!?!?! It also ends! (at least for the most part w familyand friends who know you-- albeit strangers may still need to hear this: youtube DOT com/watch?v=rN4o3OxFzqA)

My DS1, 17 yo today, has finally in the past year or two helped the endless questions end-- he's been CLEPping out of college courses. He has a FT job in a children's ministry caring for therapy animals and teaching troubled kids plus general grunt work. He is a joy and a delight to be around, say all the adults and most of his age mates he spends time with (ie he's "socialized" quite well although he still shows his clay feet at home plenty, LOL).

When they see the END results as your DC become adults, the questions will end.

blessings as you begin

[griciai]

Totally agreeing with all the previous posts!

I've learned that parenting really is like the Old man, his Son and the Donkey from Aesop's fable - no matter what you do, no matter what style of parenting you chose, there will be someone right there telling you that you should be doing it some other way. At the end of the day, you have to make the choices that you feel are right for your family, recognizing that these choices are not universally right for everyone (nor should they be), you are going to make the wrong choice once in a while, but most choices are not permanent and unchangeable. I've finally given up trying to convince the people I love (and who's opinions really matter to me) that my choices are the right ones. I've learned that a lot of the time, they so vehemently disagree because I'm doing things quite dramatically differently than they did - so either I'm shortchanging my kids, or they did theirs (not true, but I guess they "attack" because they often feel defensive). I've found it helps to tell them that times have changed since they or we were in school, that there no longer is recess for the upper elementary grades, and there is more homework, and heavier backpacks, and no time to play outside after school, and much less freedom for even the best, most dedicated teachers to tailor their teaching to their students. I've also learned that politely standing by the fact that it is MY responsibility to make choices for MY children - the best, most well thought out choices I can make. That's my job and I have to make my decisions based on my individual children and our family's needs, not what works for others or what the middle of hte road "norm" is. I've also found the times that I have done what others have told me despite my gut feeling going against it, I have come to greatly regret it...

Anyway, that's been my own experience - hopefully you can find something useful for yourself as well. I feel like I've already had to defend a lot of my parenting choices, and my kiddos are only 5 and 2!


It ain't easy, but if you stick to your decisions, the rest of the world really has no choice but to accept them!

[Stacey B]

Thanks for all the support. I actually looked up the school ds would go to if we enrolled him the other night for so reminder why we want to homeschool and was totally vindicated. It's an urban k-7 school with over 600 kids and only one art teacher and one science teacher. I guess it's considered very cool as public schools in our city go but still. Reading about it has really cemented my homeschooling determination.