Chill out, I'm not dissing your choice for your kids

[momof3inTN]

I love how some people around here like to butt their noses into what everyone else is doing with their kids. Lay off. You do your thing, we'll do ours.

Alright. I'm getting worked up and I shouldn't. Sorry, but I am protective about my rights as a parent and when someone talks about regulating my choices as a parent, yes, I'm going to get upset.

So, what's got me in a dander this time?

Someone here on CM asking about regulating homeschooling parents. Yup, I'm upset.

Every state has different regulations for parents who choose to homeschool. Some are more stringent than others. Some states you simply fill out a form once and that's it. Other states require yearly registration, attendance records, yearly standardized testing, degree requirements for the parents, a detailed list of curriculum chosen, etc, etc, etc.

No matter what state you live in, homeschooling is legal. No matter what state you live in, there is some kind of regulation.

Really though, why would anyone care how other parents choose to educate their children???

I am a homeschooling parent. We have 3 adults living in our home: myself, my husband and my mother. Between the 3 of us, we have 6 college degrees and my husband is working on his 3rd. I have a bachelor's degree and a J.D. (a doctorate in law). My mother has a bachelor's degree in English and master's degree in History. My husband has a bachelor's degree in Psychology and a master's degree in Biological Sciences. He is working on his PhD in Biological Sciences.

When I registered with my state (TN) I brought every one of our diplomas (still encased in their frames) to the local education office. I had more education than the person I turned my forms over to (and he was so proud of his bachelor's degree, displayed on the wall behind his desk - should have seen the look on his face when I lifted the 16" x 14" frame holding my JD).

What exactly do you want to regulate? Most homeschooling families have more education than your everyday public school teacher. Most homeschooling families put their very being into making sure their children are learning (my children don't even go to the grocery store without it turning into a school lesson). Most homeschooling families already fulfill and exceed the public school standards. Most homeschooling families already have enough to cope with and deal with without the ignorance of those who "knew one family who....." So you knew one family who did ______, that means we are all bad and we all have to suffer?

Why do some want to regulate something that has NOTHING to do with them.

How about this.... you want to put more regulations on every homeschooling family? How about we start regulating YOUR parenting?

Oh! You send your children to public school? tisk, tisk. I need you to provide proof that you are capable of being a parent. Oh, you don't have any? Well, then you are going to have to enroll in parenting classes and pass the standardized test at the end. And that test, you MUST pass with a minimum of a C average. If you do not pass, we are going to subject you to extreme scrutiny for a 6 month probationary period where you will have to retake our parenting classes and we will invade your home to inspect every nook and cranny and make sure you are living up to our standards of parenting.

Not so much fun is it?

You want to argue for more regulations? With what money? Aren't the school systems overwhelmed already? Because we don't fit your model of what is "normal?" Please get over yourself already.

Homeschooling parents are not your enemy. Many of us went to public schools, many of us have various reasons for choosing to homeschool our children. We are, for the most part, good, honest, hard-working people who only want to do what is best for our families and our children. We want our children to succeed. Why would we intentionally set our children up for failure with substandard education? The notion is ridiculous. You send your children to the school of your choice because you think that is best for your children. We choose to homeschool because we believe that is what is best for our children.

I think that homeschooling provides a better education for my children than the overworked, understaffed, underfunded public schools in my area (not to mention down right disgusting - tiles peeling off the floors, grime and grease where the floor meets the walls, chronically broken toilets, desks that haven't been updated in 35 years, and the smell of mildew permeating the building - you would agree if you had seen the school my kids would be going to).

Instead of talking about homeschooling in terms of more regulations, why not focus on the positives. Positives like more attention for YOUR child because mine isn't taking up teacher time in the classroom. Positives like my family paying property taxes to support the public schools that our children do not even attend. Positives like us homeschooling families not taking resources and money from the education system that we all help to pay for (and we don't even complain about it!).

I have no problem paying property and sales taxes to support the public school system in my state. I have no problem paying federal income taxes to support funding the public schools around the country. I do not ask for anything in return except for the right to continue homeschooling my children without interference from the government. My children are doing very well. My 4th grader is doing 5th grade math this year, knows more science and history and geography than most high school students (as I try not to beam with pride at the family reunion when half the family is picking their jaws off the floor after he has started talking). My 3rd grader is a budding zoologist or veterinarian, he has cleaned out the local library children's section of books about animals (not kidding, he has read them all). He was following his big brother's lead (though my 4th grader has finished all the books about space and the solar system).

So, you back off on homeschoolers and I promise to never interrogate your public schooled child like some of you have done to mine.

Tags: homeschool, homeschooling, regulations, public schools, education, parent's rights, parents, choices, education choices, children, learning

Add A Comment

[beanielips]

Jul. 24, 2009 at 9:56 PM

I am so sorry you are having to put up with people on here that are talking so badly about homeschooling.  I wish that I was able to do it with my kids.  I understand why people like to homeschool.  Unfortuntaly, for every great homeschooling family, there is atleast one yahoo :( 

[SThompson21]

Jul. 24, 2009 at 10:15 PM

wow! i do agree with beanie-im sorry you have to deal with people who act like they know best for YOUR kids. obviously, homeschooling works great for you guys and im so happy it does. i wish i had the education (i have a h.s. education and i barely passed that) to be able to teach my son. but i will work with what i have. he will go to school and i will help him study and hopefully learn as i help him. unfortuently, it seems like we will be judged no matter what we do. someone is always going to think they know better and tell us we are doing it wrong. you know that you are doing what is best for your children (and its working from what you have said!-good job of teaching them so well and they seem like they want to learn so good job for them too). thats all that matters. your children have food, clothing, shelter, love (or else you wouldnt care about their education), etc etc. sounds like you are doing right to me, so to those who want to bash this woman because its not the way you would do it...how about worrying about your own life and children-not hers.  :) good luck and congrats on all you have accomplished

[momof3inTN]

Jul. 24, 2009 at 10:20 PM

Thank you both. All parents who care about their kids are homeschooling, even those who send their kids to public or private schools. We are all our children's first teachers! We are their teachers and parents from the time they are born. Even if you do not homeschool, you are still a teacher for your child. They learn from us. My husband was not homeschooled and I commend his mother for  teaching him as much as I do his teachers.

(Original Poster)

[mshaiku2u]

Jul. 25, 2009 at 8:27 AM

Very well said :). Keep on homeschooling!

Stay inspired!

[mancosmomma]

Jul. 26, 2009 at 7:13 PM

Good post.  I homeschool and steam when I hear someone say we need more regulation.  Since most people don't even know their state requirements, how can they judge? 

Just because you saw a homeschooling family of WifeSwap, it doesn't make you an instant expert.  LOL

[momof3inTN]

Jul. 26, 2009 at 10:16 PM

Thanks mancosmomma! I have a thick skin around CM but there are some times when someone posts something that make me lose my top. LOL I take it to the journals. Not necessarily a bad thing though, I had been suffering from a severe case of writer's block. LOL Now I'm back to writing again.

(Original Poster)

[theyareallmine]

Jul. 26, 2009 at 10:24 PM

Wonderful wonderful post!!!

[momof3inTN]

Jul. 26, 2009 at 11:12 PM

Thanks theyareallmine! BTW, I LOVE your screenname!

(Original Poster)

[cjcharlie1959]

Aug. 4, 2009 at 11:45 AM

I agree with you 100%.  if I had my choice, I'd have public schools discontinued and let parents education their own children.  I commend you on homeschooling, I think it is awesome job that you are doing.