Our eldest is entering sixth grade. This is the magical age that when I began my homeschooling adventures five years ago, I had told myself she would enter school. After all, middle school does have necessary evils--mainly, to learn to deal with peer pressure. Then, I realized my children are dealing with that on a daily basis. They are under scrutiny constantly by society because they are homeschooled. Sometimes, I wonder if people expect them to go into spasms, meltdowns, or something weird like that. The humor of it is that people would not be able to tell my children are homeschooled if it weren't for the inevitable question, "What school do you attend?" or "Who is your teacher?" Once they discover she is homeschooled, people start to ask, "Don't you wish you can be in public school?" I look at her. She's a quiet private person like her father. She appears social and will engage practically anyone, but in the end, she doesn't like to give anything personal. But, if you ask her about honey bees, she'll talk your ears off. In the end, she usually shrugs and says, "Sometimes." And, this is true. She has many homeschooled friends but the idea of seeing friends day to day in school does appeal to her. We know this. This is evaluated every year in our question, "What is best?"
My other ones will answer the questions from "Yes!" to "No, not really." to "I'm not sure what it is like." My children truly know no difference, yes. K went to school throughout preschool and kindergarten. The experience was a great one with some incredible teachers but ultimately my child had to follow rules and guidelines I didn't necessary believe. I had less influence over what she learned and how she learned and the speed of which she learned. I didn't like that. So, when many other things started to bother us, too, I was glad to have the choice to bring her home. The other children never attended public school. M did attend two years of preschool which helped her socially, but academically, I am not so sure. G doesn't know any difference. In the end, homeschooling has become a way of our lives.
Many people have told me throughout the years that I needed to give my children the choice. I used to feel guilty about this and we'd sit down and discuss it and decide to homeschool another year. Finally, I started to evaluate this thought process. Why would I give my child a choice? Do they give their children the choice. It's very common for me to mention I homeschool and have a parent say to me, "My child begs me to homeschool him/her." However, these are the same people who tell me I need to give my child a choice. But, are they not giving their children a choice in the matter by sending them to school when they are "begging' to be homeschooled. Truly, how many parents give their children the choice to attend public brick and mortar schools? Is not the best thing for my child enough of a choice? So, this year, I sat the girls down and said, "You know I won't be giving you a choice anymore. There's no decision in this other than what we decide. You know why?"
Then we discussed how the children need to trust in us that we are doing what is best for them. We have been given the gift of parenthood and the choices we make in life, will affect them, yes, but they are also what that gift's job description entails. At the age of 18, my children will have the choice to attend the college of their choice, to major in any subject tthey wish and to embrace adulthood. We will support and love this new stage in life. Until then, we give them a voice to be heard and hope they trust that we do everything we do because our vast experience in this world, our age and our parenting skills ultimately results in the best decision possible for them. Here's a few pictures from our school year (and other activities)....
We have many supporters, and we will be forever be grateful to them. And, to our critics, do these pictures look like children who arenot well adapted, well scoialized and educated?
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