Why Don't You Homeschool Your Kids? (Vanity)

Mensch | 1/23/02 | Mensch

[Mensch]

Mrs. Mensch and I have been homeschooling our boys for going on seven years now. We pulled our eldest son out of second grade after his attending two years of public school. I won't bother you with our story, but I will tell you our results have been miraculous.

I Know all the reasons for homeschooling, but for the life of me, I don't understand why (except for ignorance) a married couple who loves their kids, won't homeschool them.

[theoutsideman]

Simple. The fact is that most people (90%) are stupid and selfish. Consider yourself an exception to be proud of.

[Osinski]

Here you go. There are many many good therapies for autistic children. Your child is entitled to a "free and appropriate" education, autistic or not. There is a federal law (IDEA) that ensures this and has provided the guidelines for parents and schools to put this in place. If the local public school cannot provide this, they are obligated by law to pay to place your child in a private school that has the appropriate program. A good website for you to get started is

www.ldonline.org

I have homeschooled successfully and re-entered my children in the public school system as we are rural and the social needs of my children outweighed the benefit of the academics provided at home. Homeschooling can provide much benefit in all areas.

[wyopa]

I enjoyed reading your profile. You sound like a great -- dare I say it because I'm probably old enough to be your mom? -- kid.

[Slip18]

"It's obvious why married parents don't homeschool their children. They are ignorant and hate their children."

How many children have you homeschooled? Just curious.

[Osinski]

Hillary's Lovely Legs' comment is tongue-in-cheek, I'm sure.

[biblewonk]

Our church had so many homeschoolers for a while that anyone who didn't started feeling guilty. It was a big problem. We didn't intend to be the "homeschooling church" and there are plenty of very good Christian families who use the public school system. Sure there are a lot of advantages to homeschooling and we homeschool our 8 kids, but it certainly isn't for everyone.

[Slip18]

I hope so. There are a lot of great parents out there who don't have the personality to homeschool. Pure and simple. I'm sure they do their best for their children. We can't all be as gifted as the Menches.

[Cyber Liberty]

"Your answers please?"

Nunya Bidness

[JenB]

Children who are sheltered by paranoid parents grow into effeminate, fearful adults. I've seen it.

Yeah, that's my problem. I'm fearful and effeminate because my paranoid parents homeschooled me... no wait, I'm not, and neither are any of the many homeschoolers I know. I will say that homeschoolers often have an arrogant streak that we have to work really hard at getting rid of, because as soon as we get to college we are surrounded by people who can neither read nor think. I'd warn parents to make sure they teach their kids humility - or at least how to appear humble in public!

Oh, and as for not getting enough viewpoints - I got my mom's view and my dad's view, which were not that different, and then I got the view of media people, authors, and certain adults around me. I've had enough 'other views' to last me a lifetime... or maybe not, since I hang out on FR where points of view are a dime a dozen!

[diefree]

"Thank You. I'm gonna print your post and tack it up where we can see it whenever we feel like giveing up. Homeschooling isn't easy."

Neither is spelling and grammar.

I have learned my lesson not to answer loaded questions from people who just want to pat themselves on the back. Your screen-name Mensch is deceiving.

To "nopardons" - I send my daughter to a boarding school in France. She is taking the IB course and has high marks in seven subjects. She is fluent in French and is getting there in Italian. The tuition and boarding costs about $14,000.00. She comes home for Christmas and Easter so it's another $1,000.00 for airfare. We are both retired, always strapped for cash, but we are willing to do without some things to finance this superior education.

Neither my husband nor myself could have taught her the science and math or the French and Italian she is learning. When she attended her freshman year in high school here at home, she was taking math that was equivalent to what I took in my third year of high school, which was advanced algebra. I could barely help her with her homework, nothwithstanding that I was 57 years old at the time and had not been to school for 40 years.

To those of you who made me laugh- thanks for your sense of humor - especially Hillary's Lovely Legs - too bad there were so many humorless people on this thread.

[Slip18]

I have truckloads of brothers and sisters. Some have homeschooled; some have not. There is a thread that runs through my family, and that is be interested in what your child is doing. It seems to have worked. The homeschooled ones do well; the non-homeschooled ones do well.

If a parent thinks his/her child should be homeschooled, then homeschool the child.

I think the bashing of parents who decide not to homeschool is way out of line.

[Tuscaloosa Goldfinch]

I homeschooled our two oldest for one year. I wasn't organized enough, at least, I felt as if I weren't. Any discipline problems you have between the children carry over into the classroom.

Four years ago we adopted a 5 year old girl. I homeschooled her for 3 years. But her emotional problems caused her to pretend not to understand what I was trying to teach her, and I burned out. That's why she's in private Christian school this year.

[Gabz]

I think the bashing of parents who decide not to homeschool is way out of line.

That is it in a nutshell.

[xsmommy]

If a parent thinks his/her child should be homeschooled, then homeschool the child. I think the bashing of parents who decide not to homeschool is way out of line.

i agree totally, slip. i have tremendous respect for those that are able to homeschool, i think they are doing a wonderful thing for their children. I do not have the temperament for it. Although i am better educated than any of my kids teachers, that does not mean i am the person best suited to teach them. My youngest has learning problems that necessitates a tutor, on top of her Catholic school education. I have worked with her, as has my husband, and it is a tremendous strain on the parent-child relationship. We do not have the patience or understanding that she really needs to achieve and to learn. A disinterested third party IS better to help her, because they are not so emotionally wrapped up in the process of her success.

[Intimidator]

Here's my take on it. Homeschooling can be a good thing if the parent is a good teacher. I've seen great results with homeschooled children(my wife's aunts kids) and I've also seen sad results(children all committed suicide) in a flea bitten singlewide trailer. It depends on the parents, I think most homeschooled kids turn out ok as long as they are socialized well(church groups, etc). Parents also need to ask themselves the question, would I be a good teacher? Some would, some wouldn't. My wife is currently a public school teacher and will be quitting the public schools after this year and either teaching in a private Christian school with my kids or homeschooling them(we haven't decided yet. She will have to work part time at night if she homeschools at least for a couple of years. As a trained teacher, I know my wife will give my kids an excellent education and will make sure they are socialized in a healthy way, but this may not always be the case with all parents. So my advice would be to 'look before you leap'.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

I am paranoid of the soicalists in government school taking my strapping young son and turning him into a little boy who is afarid of women, afraid of the world and afraid of himself.

I am paranoid that he will be forced to embrace homosexuality after repeated hours of lectures by his socialist masters, on how it is a healty and rewarding lifestyle. I am paranoid that when the teachers learn that my son is smarter than they are themselves, that they will put in him in a corner and give him comic books to read, to save them further embarassment.

What me paranoid..... NO WAY. Oh... You are right I should not instill my paranoid thoughts on my offspring. I should give him up to the big experiment called public education. Ha.

[jude24]

I enjoyed reading your profile. You sound like a great -- dare I say it because I'm probably old enough to be your mom? -- kid.

LOL....

I hear that a lot around here.

[Artist]

Home schooling bump.

[Aggie Mama]

I think it truly depends upon where you live. Luckily, the elementary school where I will be sending my son is smack in the middle of one of the most conservative districts in the country. The kids get a fantastic education there, the teachers are lovely, and my son is excited about going to the "big kids" school in the fall. My son is fairly advanced for his age; part of that is nature, part nurture. I think that there are plenty of us out there that have thought about homeschooling, private school, etc...but in the end, my husband & I both agreed that the public school in our subdivision can provide an outstanding education for him.

That doesn't mean that we don't care, are neglectful, or hate to be in the presence of our children. I'm with them 24/7 and love being with them. I've seen him thrive in preschool (Catholic)and I know that he will do the same in public. We still will go to museums, read every day, and instruct him morally.