August 9, 2008

Why we homeschool

I was just reading my cousin's blog and she talked about 2 kids getting arrested for plotting a school shooting in small town USA. The authorities only found out about it because the one kid's Mom read it on his MySpace page. It got me thinking about the reasons why we homeschool.
We take great comfort in homeschooling for many reasons.
We know what they are learning and what they already know.
We know that aren't hanging out with the wrong kids.
We know that their teacher (me) isn't spending half the day disciplining Joe Shmo while our kid's sitting there waiting to be taught.
We know they aren't going to come home and ask what a douche bag is.
We know they aren't going to eat things they aren't supposed to and that aren't healthy.
We know they aren't going to be involved in any school shooting or teacher molesting.
We know they aren't going to go to school all day and then come home and do 2-3 hours of homework every night. Where is the family time?
We know that nobody is picking on them because when they are with their homeschool friends they are being supervised.
One thing that really bothered me about my kids' school is that they allow parents in all the time. While that's great for me, how do I know that Joe Shmo's Dad isn't hanging out somewhere he isn't supposed to be? Who makes sure that he is where he's supposed to be and not wandering around? And if Joe Shmo's Mom or Dad can't come for something then they allow his Aunt or Uncle or whoever the parents want to send. I'm sorry but showing your drivers license at the office and getting a little badge doesn't mean jack to me. And since the doors aren't monitored, anyone can just walk in and who knows if anyone is going to notice. I personally think that in the morning and at the end of the day the doors should be open and someone should be there to see who comes in and out. And the rest of the day the doors should be locked from the outside and there should be a door that goes right into the office so that everyone has to come in and be seen. At least then they'd know who is there but it still doesn't mean they are there for the right reasons.
I'm also not a fan of all the field trips. I don't know the parents that go along and I can't always be going all the time. Who's taking my child to the bathroom? They go to public places with people coming and going and how do parents keep track of 30 kids that they don't know. You can look at a kid and not remember if they are in your group or not. I know, I've been there. You get a dozen groups of kids at an apple orchard and after a while you don't know who is in your group. Is that little girl that's getting into the car with that lady that's leaving one of our kids or her kid? Anyways, you get my point. The world we live in has changed and it will never be the same. It's not if things will happen, it's when.
And I just want to add here that I'm not bad mouthing teachers at all. They work hard to do well but it's just a different world out there and school just isn't what it was when I was there. There are too many wild kids who have parents that can't wait to send them off to school and get them out of their hair instead of disciplining them, too much red tape, and too little teaching time.

3 comments:

  1. Amen, sister! A cop who just started working with my husband also homeschools (well, I guess his wife does it mostly) and when my husband said "So what made you decide to homeschool" and the other cop said "When my young son gets off the bus and knows more about sex than I do, there is something wrong!" I think you're right - the world will never be the same. And I guess you can sit by and watch it dissolve into total chaos or you can do something. And I guess this (homeschooling) counts as "doing something"...at least in my book!

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  2. Yeah, I'm jumping on the bandwagon here: too many scary things take place in public schools and no matter how many "rules" they come up with to counteract what those awful people come up with they can't keep up. Who's got more motivation here? A group of paid employees that have way too many charges to keep track of? Or some pervert who can just watch and wait for opportunity to strike. Hate to sound like a nut job but it's all about vigilance. Who better than mom or dad to make sure that their kids are safe? Not to say that occassionally (I'm pretty sure I spelled that wrong!) we don't let someone else take the reins so we can have a break or do important things, but we tend to then pick people that have as much vested interest in our kids as we do, like Grandma and Grandpa.
    Loved your hubby's friend's comment Amy. Too sadly true. I think says something when you have multiple members of our police force and former and current teachers homeschooling too.

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  3. Hi! I just found your blog yesterday and I'm enjoying it, although I have a lot more reading to do here!

    I'm a SAHM who homeschools, also. I'm also a transracial adoptive mom (and former foster parent).

    I've enjoyed what I've read this morning and I'll be back!

    Good to "meet" you.

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