"This is why I homeschool" - Page 2

[LavenderMae]

I do think it was rude for someone to post in the schooling forum "this is why I homeschoo"l or whatever was written (I don't go to that forum so didn't read said post). Although I have thought the same thing numerous times IRL and online. I don't say it or post it because it isn't what the person needs or wants to hear.
I do not think that raising my kids in the manner I see fit as a privilege and I am truly saddened that anyone lives such a reality.
Homeschooling is not a luxury for my family. Homeschooling shouldn't be seen as a luxury at all but a viable option for every family who wants to do it.

[member]

ICAM with Dar!

MitB right on! Maybe folks could step into some other people's shoes for a minute?

[Oh the Irony]

Originally Posted by Sheacoby

I do not think that raising my kids in the manner I see fit as a privilege and I am truly saddened that anyone lives such a reality.
Homeschooling is not a luxury for my family. Homeschooling shouldn't be seen as a luxury at all but a viable option for every family who wants to do it.

it should be a viable option for every family that wants it, but it is not.

[LavenderMae]

Originally Posted by wolfmama

it should be a viable option for every family that wants it, but it is not.

I agree.

[snyderjoint]

Don't you all see that we put each other down quite often, without realizing it and not with malice intention. We all just have separate opinions, and sometimes others say something that just hits a nerve for others.

[sadie_sabot]

I think it's pretty clear that saying "that's why I homeschool" in the school forum is not helpful, respectful, or appropriate. Hopefully folks will be more sensitive.

However, i thinkthe underlying issue here that really gets my attention is this idea that homeschooling is an option for everyone.

MamaInThe Boonies has already outlined one situation where that is not the case.

I also want to remind people that in order to homeschool, you need a stay at home parent, which requires a level of economic privilege that many of us simply do not have. You also need to be able to meet whatever your local/state requirements are, which may or may not be possible fordifferent families for a huge variety of reasons. The implication that people who send their kids to school do so thoughtlessly without considering their childs best interests, is frankly insulting.

Personally, I think homeskooling/unschooling would be the best option for my child, and I have yet to come up with any ideas on how I can actually make it happen.

The ability to homeschool is absolutely a privilege.

[Kristine]

To all of the people on this thread that are supposedly so offended by the supremely intelligent Baudelaire posting in the school forum, why are you all posting in the homeschool forum?

I find this rather baffling. And certainly more than a little contradictory to your supposed stance.

[sadie_sabot]

Originally Posted by Kristine

To all of the people on this thread that are supposedly so offended by the supremely intelligent Baudelaire posting in the school forum, why are you all posting in the homeschool forum?

I find this rather baffling. And certainly more than a little contradictory to your supposed stance.

I haven't heard anyone say they're offended at CB posting in the school forum. I've heard people discussing how saying "that's why I homeschool" in response to discussions of difficulties with school is not helpful and can be experienced as a slap in the face. The OP invites people to discuss this, and this post wasn't started in this forum.

[AmyC08]

Originally Posted by Kristine

To all of the people on this thread that are supposedly so offended by the supremely intelligent Baudelaire posting in the school forum, why are you all posting in the homeschool forum?

I find this rather baffling. And certainly more than a little contradictory to your supposed stance.

Hmm, well, Lori was the one quoted from the other forum (well put by the way), but I was the one who originally posed the question about whether it was appropriate for "This is why I homeschool" in a forum about public schooling. In response to my question, many many homeschoolers jumped right in and said I had no right to be offended because these are not support forums and that they would not be offended if we came over and criticized their choices.

So hearing that over and over again from homeschoolers sure made me think that it would be okay to post dissenting opinions here. It was encouraged even! Go read that original thread if you don't believe me. (Although clearly, when the shoe is on the other foot...).

In response to the statement that many people send their children to public school very thoughtlessly, I'm sure that's true in some instances but I'm sure it's also very true that many people, like me, made an active very thoughtful decision to send our children to public schools. Sure, there are lots of negatives associated with that decision, but there are many positives as well, just like there are positives and negatives associated with homeschooling. It's a matter of where your priorities are--which positives are important to have, which negatives are important to avoid?

That's why I think it is especially unhelpful for homeschoolers to lurk in the public school forum, select those threads that are consistent with their negative position about schooling outside the home, then pounce with such brilliant statements as "This is why I homeschool" (all the while ignoring all the positive things people have to say about public schooling).

[ShannonCC]

Originally Posted by Kristine

To all of the people on this thread that are supposedly so offended by the supremely intelligent Baudelaire posting in the school forum, why are you all posting in the homeschool forum?

I find this rather baffling. And certainly more than a little contradictory to your supposed stance.

CB started this thread in the school forum and it was moved here by a moderator, so the link is still there. Plus, the school people who are posting are, IMO, trying to be nice about it. This is NOT the same as the people who come here and randomly post about how great school is over and over again.

I am a homeschooler. I love homeschooling, I think it's awesome and if I have my way, my kids will homeschool as long as they like. However, I also strive to teach my children that everyone is different. I have told my dd that some children love school and *want* to go and some parents think school is a great place for their kids. I do not want her to grow up with the narrow minded opinion that the way we do things is the only way and everyone else is simply ignorant. Sure, there are some people out there who truely *are* ignorant about homeschooling, but there are also a lot of people who *have* given it a lot of thought and decided it was not for them and their kids.

We're all trying to keep this a nice, respectful discussion and so far I thought it was working. I really hope that people understand that the homeschoolers who post these things on the school board are not speaking for all homeschoolers. I certainly understand that the pro-school people who post on this board are not speaking for all pro-schoolers.

[annettemarie]

I can't imagine any case where going to the Learning at School board and posting a "this is why I homeschool" reply would be productive. I certainly would be ticked off if a public school parent wandered into a thread where I was sharing frustratrations with homeschooling and posted "This is why I send my child to school".

[philomom]

Exactly. Thank you, annettemarie.

[umbrella]

I also want to remind people that in order to homeschool, you need a stay at home parent, which requires a level of economic privilege that many of us simply do not have.

This is not exclusively true. There are many homeschooling families where both parents work, and many homeschoolings families with single parents.

[Callimom]

Originally Posted by sadie_sabot

However, i thinkthe underlying issue here that really gets my attention is this idea that homeschooling is an option for everyone.

MamaInThe Boonies has already outlined one situation where that is not the case.

I also want to remind people that in order to homeschool, you need a stay at home parent, which requires a level of economic privilege that many of us simply do not have. You also need to be able to meet whatever your local/state requirements are, which may or may not be possible fordifferent families for a huge variety of reasons. The implication that people who send their kids to school do so thoughtlessly without considering their childs best interests, is frankly insulting.

Personally, I think homeskooling/unschooling would be the best option for my child, and I have yet to come up with any ideas on how I can actually make it happen.

The ability to homeschool is absolutely a privilege.

I agree completely that homeschooling is unfortunately not an option for everyone. But I believe it can be an option for many families who don't fall into the "mom at home dad making big bucks scenario". In our small homeschool group we have two single parents who homeschool, other parents who have made work at home arrangements or who choose to work opposite shifts/creative and kid friendly jobs, grandparents, mothers who do child care, extremely frugal parents, parents who have others provide some school and childcare while they work - all of them have found a way to make homeschooling work for their situation, despite not having an economic advantage and/or one dedicated sahparent to do the schooling.

I can't speak to state requirements (I'm in Canada) but I would imagine there are families who come up with creative ways to make that work as well.

It may be a priviledge but I don't think homeschooling is only for the elite.

Karen

[Kristine]

Originally Posted by umbrella

This is not exclusively true. There are many homeschooling families where both parents work, and many homeschoolings families with single parents.

One such example of a mom who works and still homeschools would be Susan Wise Bauer, author of The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education At Home. She teaches at The College of William & Mary and (I believe) her husband is a pastor.

As I understand it, Susan's husband teaches their 4 children while Susan teaches during the day, and she takes over the responsibilities in the evening. There are many, many parents who do this in order to have two incomes and yet still have one parent with the child/children at all times.

While this situation wouldn't necessarily work for everybody, it is certainly feasible for quite a few. There are quite often creative solutions that can be found if you look at your finances and find out what you actually need to survive on.

As I often read in the Little House books growing up, "Where there's a will, there's a way!"

[Charles Baudelaire]

It's certainly true for our family. My husband stays at home while I teach; I homeschool during the evenings, weekends, and vacations. We are by NO means living the bling-bling lifestyle (on a teacher's salary?? RIIIIIGht.)

Originally Posted by Kristine

One such example of a mom who works and still homeschools would be Susan Wise Bauer, author of The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education At Home. She teaches at The College of William & Mary and (I believe) her husband is a pastor.

As I understand it, Susan's husband teaches their 4 children while Susan teaches during the day, and she takes over the responsibilities in the evening. There are many, many parents who do this in order to have two incomes and yet still have one parent with the child/children at all times.

While this situation wouldn't necessarily work for everybody, it is certainly feasible for quite a few. There are quite often creative solutions that can be found if you look at your finances and find out what you actually need to survive on.

As I often read in the Little House books growing up, "Where there's a will, there's a way!"

[ShannonCC]

Originally Posted by annettemarie

I can't imagine any case where going to the Learning at School board and posting a "this is why I homeschool" reply would be productive. I certainly would be ticked off if a public school parent wandered into a thread where I was sharing frustratrations with homeschooling and posted "This is why I send my child to school".

You summed it up quite nicely Harry

[annettemarie]

[wynkenblynken&nod]

I would just like to say that I quit

my job when I couldn't financially afford it. I was in a position to work and hs because there was a daycare at the gym I worked at. I left when I found out the owner, my boss was a registered sex offender. This particularly bothered me because he has taken an interest in my daughter. I will never know what his intentions were, but my instincts told me to leave immediately. I was very worried about bills and if I would fail and just have to put them back in ps. What if I was a lousy mom for doing this?

This was quite scary and for my last paycheck, I had to put off a lot of things that needed to be paid, so that I could afford a curriculum. At the time I didn't know you could homeschool for almost nothing (see the homeschool for free thread).

I believe you can hs on any budget and any schedule, but if you don't WANT to do it, that's another story. I also believe that NO parent should feel as if they HAVE to in order to be a good parent. Part of this whole new me is realizing that we are all doing the best we can and what we think is best for our children. I get too excited about hs'ing sometimes and I can't fathom why anyone would chose to place their children in ps, but then I try to think about if our situation were different. Or what if our kids felt differently about it, or we did....that wouldn't be a productive environment. I say do what you want. It may be hard (or easy) but you can always find a way.

With love,

Olivia

[~member~]

Originally Posted by wynkenblynken&nod

I believe you can hs on any budget and any schedule,

What if you have NO budget? What if you have NO money, no way to buy food, even?
Again, homeschooling IS a luxury and IS a privelage.