Don't let my title confuse you. I am not a homeschool hater. That's not what this is about...I tried it...not for my family...enough said.
Or...at least it should be.
My title is meant to reflect the many Christian families who for whatever reason...are haters!
Let's back up...about 15 years. The church we attend is known as a homeschoolers church. Everyone homeschools...at least that's how it was 15 years ago. The pastor and his wife were a homeschool family...and consequently a lot of families were influenced by them and became homeschoolers. I'm not saying this is a bad thing...I'm just stating a fact. We were not a homeschool family...but the pressure was always there for us to be a homeschool family. I finally succumbed to that pressure and homeschooled my kids for almost 3 years. It was not for us. No offense to anyone who does homeschool...just once again stating a fact.
Now...here's where the haters come in. I have never been treated so poorly by so many people for making a decision that they didn't agree with. I was once asked (are you ready for it) by a homeschooling mommy at our church, "I just don't understand...can you please explain this to me...how is it that your kids are so kind and respectful, and yet they go to public school?"
Another inquiry..."Don't you feel that you are torturing your kids by making them go to public school?"
One more...."I can't believe that you would choose for you children to be so thoroughly influenced by the world. Christian kids should be kept separate from the world. We should never expose them to something so evil as public school!"
I have been subjected to comments like this (and a lot worse) for the past almost 20 years.
I think you're getting my point. Let me state for the record...I am not against homeschooling. I think, that if done properly, it can provide a good education.
What I am against is the negative and derogatory comments that so many homeschool parents have for the public school system and the kids that go to public school. I get the feeling that it makes them feel better about their decision to keep their kids home.
Is public school perfect....far from it. Is homeschooling perfect....far from it. Believe me when I say, that for all the horrible comments I have had to endure at the mouths of these haters...I have also had to listen to them complain about their kids...about homeschooling...and about how they have no choice.
That is the beauty of being a Christian...we do have a choice...and free will. God doesn't desire for us to be cookie cutter Christians.
Everyone has to make their own minds up about how they will educate their kids. Please stop judging those of us who choose public school for their kids.
3 comments:
Well said momma! and THANK YOU for sending me back to public school where i belonged.. thank you for teaching me how to stand up for myself and what i believe in when the world asked me to do otherwise. thank you for giving me a chance to be the difference. thank you for giving me a place to learn how to deal with all types of people in different situations and how to grow up and be a productive adult and understand how the world works and how to be a christian in it. that is the best education i have received. oh and thanks for helping improve my spelling skils... its pencil right? :) LOVE YOU
oh. my.
I just don't get that kind of busybodiedness. Is that a word? I'm not sure because I went to publik schoolz.
We've got this amazing family in our church. Awesome parents...kids you want to take home with you. Long time Calvary Chapelites...former missionaries to Russia.
Their kids go to public school.
When she told me about it, mom said..."well...I have to work, so homeschooling is not an option. We had them in private school, but one day our youngest came home and said (she's in 2nd grade)...'Mom...the kids at school are really disobedient and disrespectful but they all come from Christian homes. Can I just go to public school? Mom thought about it and told her..."you're a missionary. Go." Don't ya love it?
Can I get an AMEN?? WHAT WHAT!!???
Seriously. Mom. I love you. I am so thankful for the smart decisions you and Dad made raising us kids. I echo everything my sister said. The things I've learned about living in this world and how to be a Christian in it, a lot of it stems from going through public school.
I'm thankful for the time I spent in public school. I'm thankful that you saw what was best for your kids. And I'm thankful that you have put up with this adversity and what can only be described as hate from people and still do. You'd think people would figure out that your kids have been in public school all this time, you're not going to start homeschooling them again now.
I think when people make statements about how their Christian kids shouldn't be in public school and that they should be kept seperate from the rest of the world to "protect" them that they forget two very important facts: 1- that God made the world and those people that they want to keep us "protected" from; if God made them, doesn't He love them and shouldn't we too? and 2- that we're called as Christians to be a light to those in the darkness. While its not hiding your light under a bushell, staying home for school is like hiding your light behind a whole bunch of other lights and you never learn how to turn the juice up on your own.
Okay. Enough from me. I love you. Seriously, homeschool mommies, at least pray about public school. It couldn't hurt. 4 examples from this family that it can work.
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