Recently a good friend of mine posted a blog about homeschooling and why she doesn't like it. Though we strongly disagree on this issue, this post isn't to "counteract" what she said or make her feel bad. It is a response to her, in a way, but it's also my opinion of homeschooling and my experience with it.
I was homeschooled from Kindergarten to the 10th grade. After that, I spent 2 years in a Christian school and that's where I graduated. If I could go back and change the past, I would rather have been homeschooled those last two years, but I still learned so much from my experience at Christian school and I know God has used that time in my life to teach me some things (I believe that even negative things in our past are meant for a reason).
During my time of being homeschooled, I spent very little time watching tv and most of my time was spent reading. I loved to read, and if I got bored, I'd pick up any book that my parents left sitting around on an open bookshelf. Maybe it's because when I was real young, my parents didn't even own a TV for 5 years. Then when we got one, it was strictly used for watching the evening news or an occasional family video. So, I really missed out on all the trends of the 90s while I was homeschooled. I had no idea what Britney Spears' music sounded like, or why all those girls wanted to look like her. In my little "sheltered" mind, I remember going to McDonald's and seeing that one of the prizes for a contest was that you could win a trip to see Britney Spears, and all I could think of is how great of an opportunity that would be to witness to her. Guess it came from reading all those Chick tracts that were sitting on my parents' bookshelf, instead of spending time in a public (or even Christian) school learning from my friends who all the cool celebrities are.
You may have read that thinking "Oh, but you were just the kind of child that loves spending time inside the house reading a book! What if you were the kind of child that doesn't like being cooped up?" Well, that's my sister. She loves having lots of friends and she loves the outdoors. She also loves being homeschooled. When she was in Christian school, she enjoyed spending so much time around her "friends", but that also meant that she was being influenced by them. She's a very smart girl, but while she was in school her friends tried to influence her to act "ditzy" because it would get the boys' attention. When she went back to homeschooling, she went back to being herself and she's become one of the most godly girls I know. She's an inspiration to me because of her zeal to serve God.
Some people do homeschool the wrong way, but that's only because of laziness. Neither of my parents were homeschooled so they had no idea what they were getting themselves into when they started homeschooling us. They didn't know how the system worked, but they learned and made it work. I'm very thankful for that.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
It's interesting to hear of an occasional family who home schooled well, or the even more occasional child who enjoyed it. I'm not against people doing it, I just think people should be absolutely sure God wants them to do it.
ReplyDeleteI'm absolutely sure that God wants us to homeschool. I love homeschooling and I dream of homeschooling our future children. :)
ReplyDeleteI used to know beyond a doubt that it was the only "godly" way to school and of course I'd be home schooling. I dreamed of all the wonderful things I'd do with my children. Although I know now that it is not for us, I'm all for you doing it with your kids if you do it right. However, don't oppose God if He ends up showing you guys that He wants you to do something different. You really can produce godly children regardless of schooling options.
ReplyDeleteThank you young lady for your article. You have again made your parents very proud of you and your sister.
ReplyDeleteMom and I wish we could have decided to not put you in the school either. As you know we were told one thing and then they changed on us.
Thank you for your comments and your testimony again.
To all others you must decide to hold the fort at home. I did not shelter her. She was my girly girl. So was her sister but her sister played ditsy to put up a good front.
Dad
Mr. O.
Thanks, Dad.
ReplyDeleteI may wish that I had been homeschooled from Kindergarten through 12th grade, but I did learn some valuable lessons by attending a private school. One of the main lessons I learned: Homeschooling is still the best option. :)
Your welcome ....
ReplyDeleteBy the way, one good thing is that we can't be accused of sheltering you seeing you had only 2 years.
I knew that 2 years was long enough. I would have said 1 year was more than enough and did have someone say it was good at the time and NOW they are saying it different.
Great post. It's more than just the "occasional family" that homeschools right. Maybe "Mrs. W" got that mentality from some pastor somewhere promoting his Christian school, or perhaps she would be way too busy to homeschool since she maintains so many blogs.
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteWould you mind telling us who you are? Mrs. W happens to be a good friend of mine, and I don't tolerate anyone slandering her.
Either tell us your real name, or stop commenting on my blog.
By the way, I don't know how many blogs Anonymous thinks I maintain, but it's only two right now, and I'm happy with that. I have others I have maintained in the past. Some of them are still viewable but are not kept up by me anymore. I write for one (Word of a King) when I feel the inclination or have time.
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard a pastor promote his Christian school for a LONG time...years in fact. Our church believes home schooling to be the only right and godly way to school, even though many of them are very successful products of godly families who PUBLIC schooled. Don't understand how they get that mentality after coming out of the public school system good and strong and having lead several friends to Christ.
We don't mind disagreeing with our church in some things. We don't agree with their hyper-patriarchial standards either but still go to church there because it is a good church. We just don't go to them for family counseling.
I think we have a pretty good idea for some candidates of who anonymous really is, and if it's one of the people we think it is, they are too cowardly to give their name.
Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteI agree with Mrs. L on revealing yourself on this blog.
She has known Mrs. W before she was a Mrs. and she has grown ALOT over the last three years or four I can't remember how many it has been.
Mrs. L's > dad
Thank you for your post.... I have a really important decision to make, and I am not sure which way to go.... Please pray that I make the right decision in regards to my childrens education. Mrs. T :)
ReplyDelete