Turning The Tables

Today is a little bit of a different post for me. I consider myself to be a very tolerant homeschooled parent. I get all kinds of people who ask all kinds of questions, but lately it has been a rush of questions. I generally find their curiosity, to be just that, but some people are rude, and disrespectful. It is funny to me, I can meet someone new, and get along just great, until they find out I homeschool my children. Then they withdraw like you have Leprosy or something. Mostly I find this behavior amusing, and I let it fly right by. I had a young girl, from Sweden, come to my home the other day. She was actually selling a product. She was an exchange student, and I found her to be very inquisitive, and friendly. Her country does not allow homeschooling, so she was very curious indeed. However, I also get people who are curious, but also almost hostile, or rude. It seems they think we are better than them, or something. At any rate, I have been asked why I decided to homeschool, and I will answer some of the other burning questions I have gotten of late.

Why did I decide to homeschool? When I decided I was finally ready to have children, I really wanted to homeschool. My husband was against it, so I gave public school a try. For a lot of reasons I was unhappy with it. When we moved to a new town, and found out they had to be to the bus stop by a quarter to seven, and not get home until almost 4, that was the final factor.

Is homeschooling hard? It can be, if you let it. There are premade curriculums that make it much easier. I spend a great deal of time, searching, and researching so I can pick and choose my curriculum. That is one of the pleasures of homeschooling, you decide what your child learns.

How can you spend all that time with your kids? Hmm, umm are you kidding me? I can not believe someone even had the nerve to ask that one. I love being with my children. I enjoy watching them grow, and learn. Even when they are driving me crazy, and trying to kill each other, I find them entertaining, and amazing.

Don't you want your kids to grow up normal like public school kids? Umm okay another question, that is based on ignorance more than anything. First of all what qualifies as normal? Why is my child any less normal, than a public school child? That is ludicrous. My children are well behaved, polite, kind, caring, and get along well with others. They do not judge other children by their clothes, skin color, gender, or by how much money they do, or do not have. They do not have the bias of public school, that other children are negatively influenced by.

Don't you want them to have friends? Nope, I want them to cling to me like white on rice, and never leave home. Please people, maybe think before you ask something that dumb. Of course, I want them to have friends, and they do have friends. We have neighborhood kids, just like every neighborhood in the world. We have a playgroup for both homeschooled, and public school children. They go to church, they go to the park, the museum, lots of places where they make friends, and meet new people. However, even if my children were in public school, they would not have the freedoms a lot of public school children have. They would not go wherever they want, whenever they want. They will not play certain video games, or watch certain shows. They would not spend every waking minute with friends, family is far more important, in my opinion.

How will they learn things about life? Again, a question, that is based on preconceived notions. What do children learn from their friends? Sex, drugs, how to be mean to each other, what clothes are important to wear, what gadgets they must have to be cool, or fit in. These things are all things I could care less if my child knows about, least of all from another child. It is my responsibility to teach them about sex, drugs, etc when they are ready to know about such things.

Don't you want them to have a good education? I will not even go there.

You must be rich, because you don't work. No, we are not rich at all, and most homeschoolers live on a very tight budget. Deciding to homeschool your child, is a decision that takes commitment, and some sacrifice. You have to give up some things, and go without some things you want, it is all worth it in the end. By the way I still have to pay school taxes, despite the school not being helpful at all, and considerably unfriendly.



So now it is my turn, to turn the table on all you that send your child to public school. You see, I too am a curious person, and I have some questions too.

Why do you choose to send your child to public school? Why do you want them to go off for 8 hrs a day, to a complete stranger, to learn something you have no control over? You want my real opinion? I think all children under the grade of fifth grade should be homeschooled, then if you decide to send them to public school good. So now I am asking you to explain yourself. Since there is no objection to questioning the parenting skills, of those of us who choose to homeschool, I am questioning your parenting skills for choosing not to. If you are uncomfortable with this, or do not like being put on the spot, neither do those of us whom choose to educate our own children.

What Would I Be?

Okay so it is August 2nd, and time for the challenge. If you would like to take part, and win 200 Entrecard credits, yes I increased it, then on your blog write what you would come back as, if you had a choice. Comment here, so I know you participated, and I know who to give credits to.

So what would I come back as, if I had a choice? There are so many people I admire, and think are amazing people, but for me I would want to come back as me. I like me, and I am comfortable with me, so I pick me LOL.

I must say though a beautiful tree, would suit me too. Why, because they are majestic, live a very long time, and just amazing to me. I love trees. I love to watch them change, learn about them, and they tell such a history story.

If I had to pick an animal, the only choice would be a dolphin, or other fish. The major reason for this is because I would not have to lick myself to be clean. Yuck the thought of that just grosses me out. Dolphins, are majestic, gentle, intelligent, and sociable. That would be the best choice for me, according to me.

One of my readers picked a bouncing ball. You can see her response in the comments section, of the previous post.

Now come on, get busy, earn an easy 200 Entrecard credits, and have some fun!~

The Right To Live!

Okay so why am I blogging about something so serious? Because I think it is an important issue. We have all heard about the right to die, and the controversy that surrounds it. I will not go into my feelings about that, as that is another whole topic. However, what about a persons right to live, even when their seems to be no hope. I am sure you have heard, or even experienced stories about people being told, there is no more treatment that can be done, the case is hopeless, or because of age treatment is not sought. But what about their right, to say wait a minute, I am not ready to die. I want everything that can be done to be done, regardless of the outcome. There was a story, in my local newspaper, about a young boy, about 13 who had terminal cancer. He had come to the end of his disease, and at some point had obviously become unconscious, because he was placed on a Ventilator, and IV medications to make his heart keep beating. At some point the Doctors came to the conclusion, that he was brain dead, and was only being kept alive by artificial means. They requested the parents, to discontinue treatment, which they refused to do. The Hospital has take the family to court, asking the courts to allow the hospital to end the treatments being provided. There has been no ruling yet, but this is how I feel. The hospital initiated the treatment, now they have to keep it going whether they like it or not. I am sure it is expensive, and causing great cost, however it is not their place to say when someone dies. This boy could live, whether you agree with the interpretation of alive, for some time with the treatment. Eventually his heart will give up, even with the medication, and so will his lungs, despite the breathing machine and he will die naturally. This is his parents wishes, and I think that should be respected. I do not think medical professionals should be able to tell someone when they have to die, if they are willing to continue treatment. It is as much a right to live, as it is a right to die, in my opinion. So what do you think, about this topic?

Lesson plans for 11/13/08:

Reading: Read chapter 7 of Pirates Past Noon
Writing: Write a story about giving a dog a bath
Health: Home safety hazards
Language Arts: Phonics review, glossary use
Math: Multiplication, addition, subtraction, number order
Spanish: Food and utensils
Music: 30 minutes

If we did not get to art class on 11/12/08 it will be done on 11/13/08

The Perfect Job

DJ had a writing assignment this week, that asked him to pick the perfect job, and write about it. Of course he picked race car driver, and wrote a big long story about why this would be the perfect job. Obviously for me, his mother, I would not agree, but to an 8 yr old it is perfect. Anyway, it got me thinking about my career, and how I came to choose it. I have been a nurse for 21 years, and mostly chose that profession, because my mother told me not to. I was a stubborn child, and really hated being told what to do. So I went to nursing school out of spite, LOL. Nursing has been good to me. When I worked in the hospitals, I learned so much. Because I was brave, and energetic, two things that have sort of waned with aging, I was able to learn and see alot of things. Here in Florida, I work in a local nursing home. While it is not my preference, for Nursing, it is a job, and has taught me a whole lot about respect, love, generosity, and ones right to make decisions for themselves, even when we think they might not be able to. Geriatrics, is completely different, from acute care, in a lot of ways. I can say I have learned a lot, just in a different way. When I look back on my career, I am pleased as to the places it has brought me. If I were in high school today, and choosing a career, would I choose Nursing? I dont know, if I would. Nursing is not today, what it was 21 yrs ago. The pay is decent, as far as pay goes, but working conditions are not always optimal. I think maybe my perfect job, would have been a Lawyer. I love a good argument, and I never play to lose. I think my aggressive, relentless personality, would make me perfect for the court room, plus I find the law fascinating, as well as human behavior. So what would be your perfect job, if you could choose the perfect job, and why?