Hello,
I expected this particular family member to react negatively to us homeschooling, but, still, her email really bothers me. I don't know WHY I let the things this woman says bother me, but... I digress. And, she really is crazy, like, as in, crazy... As you can tell from her panic-written email below...
I told my husband that I refuse to speak with his mother on the topic at all, and she can just talk to him about it, which he is fine with. But... I still saw her email. And it STILL really upset me.
This being my first year homeschooling, I'm nervous... and didn't need this.
Would you mind reading what she wrote, I'm copy-pasting most here, and, perhaps, offering your 2 cents on it? I'm looking I guess for support and the sense that her craziness is really just that -- craziness. We did reply to some points, but this isn't a woman who you can explain something too. She thinks what she wants, period. But... I would feel better hearing from the board on your reaction to what she wrote.
I should say... my son was in school until last year, and we are homeschooling both our kids, our 5 and 7 year old, this year. We had problems with the school, which is what pushed us to take the plunge, and I've always been pro-homeschooling. Our kids will be involved in local activities of all sorts, homeschooling and otherwise -- so don't think her exaggerations of being isolated are real. They are her imagination.
Ok... her email:
<<I cannot understand why M won't go to school. You maybe don't tell me the truth. Or if it's only a size of the class and he is not enough attentive then it's absurd to take him off from the school.
I beg you to take him to school on Monday for a whole day, let him be with all children, and NOT TO BE with adults at home.
This is his life, DO NOT BREAK it down. He cannot defense himself against his parents who with the good goals are doing something terrible for their son. The BOY MUST BE AMONG CHILDREN OF HIS AGE, HE MUST BE AT SCHOOL LIKE ALL OTHER CHILDREN. It does not matter what he will learn, the most important to be inside of society and to learn how to live together with people.
Don't experiment with the child. He is a human being, and he is not your possesion only because he is your son. You don't have this right to manipulate of his life, because you want it. Let him go to school, and if he needs help let his mother to help him, but don't replace the entire school with his mother. Let his mother be the mother, and not the all of other world in his life. She maybe is too much ambitious or too much fearful, but as any extreems they are very close to each other.
I have a lot to tell you, but cannot write all of my thoughts. Remember that I am not against you or Rachael. And this new twist with M school just ruined me and thrown me to the hell. It looks like that you cannot live without "JUMPS", you become boring without them. All of us are boring, but we keep our patience, and specially because of children people do a lot of sacrifice. PLEASE SEND M TO SCHOOL FOR A FULL DAY, I beg you. I am sure that he grown up during summer, and he will be better this year. Let him try this second year, and watch him first. Last school year is over, and you cannot do your decisions based on what passed, you must look at today's day. Please let M be WITH all his friends, and be LIKE all his friends.
I hope that you understand me properly. I am your and your family closest friend, and I wish each of you only the best.
Kiss, mama>>
Like I said... she's, umm, crazy... but still.. thoughts?? (And WHEN am I going to STOP letting her craziness bother me?! Oy oy oy...)
Rachel, a nervous, first year, homeschooling mommy!!
ETA: My MIL's first language is not English... HOWEVER... she lived in the USA for 17 years. You'd think by now it'd be better than that... And.. I had to say, for someone so concerned with society, she has ZERO friends (seriously, not ONE person who she can even talk to at all), and when she's not at work, sits at home in her apartment and stares at the walls... and worries. (I told you she is crazy!) She also only has bad things to say about, well, everything and everone (hence, the reason she has no friends). And yet... she still gets to me sometimes... ahh!!
I expected this particular family member to react negatively to us homeschooling, but, still, her email really bothers me. I don't know WHY I let the things this woman says bother me, but... I digress. And, she really is crazy, like, as in, crazy... As you can tell from her panic-written email below...
I told my husband that I refuse to speak with his mother on the topic at all, and she can just talk to him about it, which he is fine with. But... I still saw her email. And it STILL really upset me.
This being my first year homeschooling, I'm nervous... and didn't need this.
Would you mind reading what she wrote, I'm copy-pasting most here, and, perhaps, offering your 2 cents on it? I'm looking I guess for support and the sense that her craziness is really just that -- craziness. We did reply to some points, but this isn't a woman who you can explain something too. She thinks what she wants, period. But... I would feel better hearing from the board on your reaction to what she wrote.I should say... my son was in school until last year, and we are homeschooling both our kids, our 5 and 7 year old, this year. We had problems with the school, which is what pushed us to take the plunge, and I've always been pro-homeschooling. Our kids will be involved in local activities of all sorts, homeschooling and otherwise -- so don't think her exaggerations of being isolated are real. They are her imagination.
Ok... her email:
<<I cannot understand why M won't go to school. You maybe don't tell me the truth. Or if it's only a size of the class and he is not enough attentive then it's absurd to take him off from the school.
I beg you to take him to school on Monday for a whole day, let him be with all children, and NOT TO BE with adults at home.
This is his life, DO NOT BREAK it down. He cannot defense himself against his parents who with the good goals are doing something terrible for their son. The BOY MUST BE AMONG CHILDREN OF HIS AGE, HE MUST BE AT SCHOOL LIKE ALL OTHER CHILDREN. It does not matter what he will learn, the most important to be inside of society and to learn how to live together with people.
Don't experiment with the child. He is a human being, and he is not your possesion only because he is your son. You don't have this right to manipulate of his life, because you want it. Let him go to school, and if he needs help let his mother to help him, but don't replace the entire school with his mother. Let his mother be the mother, and not the all of other world in his life. She maybe is too much ambitious or too much fearful, but as any extreems they are very close to each other.
I have a lot to tell you, but cannot write all of my thoughts. Remember that I am not against you or Rachael. And this new twist with M school just ruined me and thrown me to the hell. It looks like that you cannot live without "JUMPS", you become boring without them. All of us are boring, but we keep our patience, and specially because of children people do a lot of sacrifice. PLEASE SEND M TO SCHOOL FOR A FULL DAY, I beg you. I am sure that he grown up during summer, and he will be better this year. Let him try this second year, and watch him first. Last school year is over, and you cannot do your decisions based on what passed, you must look at today's day. Please let M be WITH all his friends, and be LIKE all his friends.
I hope that you understand me properly. I am your and your family closest friend, and I wish each of you only the best.
Kiss, mama>>
Like I said... she's, umm, crazy... but still.. thoughts?? (And WHEN am I going to STOP letting her craziness bother me?! Oy oy oy...)
Rachel, a nervous, first year, homeschooling mommy!!
ETA: My MIL's first language is not English... HOWEVER... she lived in the USA for 17 years. You'd think by now it'd be better than that... And.. I had to say, for someone so concerned with society, she has ZERO friends (seriously, not ONE person who she can even talk to at all), and when she's not at work, sits at home in her apartment and stares at the walls... and worries. (I told you she is crazy!) She also only has bad things to say about, well, everything and everone (hence, the reason she has no friends). And yet... she still gets to me sometimes... ahh!!
She may just come around after she sees how your son thrives in a home learning environment. I hope so!
And when we replied, we told her why we're homeschooling, along with a link to research on homeschooling, etc. But, from experience, this won't help her much... But, we try.
dont let her get you down...she obviously understands nothing about homeschooling. you are doing the best thing for your children and family.
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