Why I Home School - Journals

Rowdy Ruminations

Why I Home School
Aug 4, 2010 at 11:52 AM
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- Kathryn777
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Have your cup of coffee handy? The short of a very long story with my 4 sons is this:

Side Effects of Government School

1. They encouraged group think. With my son's, that's like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole

2. Didn't teach reading or spelling; matter of fact, they taught 'creative spelling' and never corrected misspelled words. You can't be free if you can't read! Knowledge truly is power!
3. Pushed soft porn books instead of real literature. I swear, one more depressing portrait of todays family in 4th grade and my then elementary student might have needed prozac!
4. The other children in their classes were foul mouthed, undisciplined bullies
5. My youngest son's teacher spent more time trying to keep children off the tops of their desks than teaching -- a real waste of my child's time and my tax dollars
6. The curriculum sucked in more ways than one; not only in content, but also the sucking of all creativity and love of learning out of my children. Dry dry Dry dry Dry dry Dry... Did I mention the material was dry?
Healthy Benefits of Home Schooling for Our Family
7. FREEDOM (think Braveheart and you will understand the tenacity of what I'm saying)! I have the freedom of allowing my children to follow some of their own interests; when my husband leaves for a week on business, I can pack up my school and we travel with him having studies in hotel rooms followed by enjoying the pool and local sites ~ I could never do that when they were in government schools! I love my husband and so do the boys!
8. When my slowest son needs extra time to understand a concept, there's no teasing from classmates; no, we slow down and take the time to understand without worry that we're 'behind' the rest of the class.
9. My children get one-on-one attention from their teacher(s), mom and dad , daily!
10. My children don't worry about being "cool" and wearing "cool" clothes ~ what a saver on the pocket book! Recently, my government schooled nephew came to visit for a couple of weeks ~ OMG! I felt sorry for him as I watched him unable to enjoy a movie because he was worried what people might think seeing him watch a kids movie... So sad! I felt bad that he struggled with such trivialness that he couldn't enjoy the story line :( One side note on clothing... My son's don't insist on wearing their blue jean pockets just behind their knees. Whew, what a relief!
11. Mommies, remember the joy you experienced the first time your child said his/her first word, or took his first step, or whatever "first" is most precious in your memory? Well, home schooling mommies get to enjoy the rest of our children's firsts as they learn new things everyday! I love to watch my son's learn new math concepts they thought they would never get; the joy on their faces when they accomplish a difficult task! I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world nor let a complete stranger have those moments that will stay hidden to me and unappreciated by a tax payer, government, unionized teacher.
12. My children are free to chew gum, have a drink at their desk, read in bed, wear their Halloween costume anytime of the school year, wear their p.j.'s, invite friends over to join them in a joint home lesson.... The list of freedoms goes on... Don't you just love FREEDOM!
This is not a slight against teachers in gov't schools; no, not at all. As a matter of fact, I feel for them immensely. I don't know how they do it from day to day; uninvolved parents, shackles on his/her ability to really teach, discipline issues that may prevent you actually teaching the subject at hand, crowded classes, being at the textbook mercy of the largest states, teachers unions, federal government.... etc.
What can I say, for me, it's about what's best for MY family and MY family alone.
I hope you enjoyed your cup of coffee!