Spunky of Spunky Homeschool has written a rather thought-provoking (and amusing) piece on the choices we like to be able to make in our lives. I don’t want to give away her punch line, so I’ll refrain from telling you too much about it and settle instead for letting you read the opening paragraphs.
Imagine with me, if you will, that you just bought a new home. You are so excited. The rooms are spacious, the neighborhood lovely, and the surrounding community is spectacular. The area is loaded with restaurants, museums, orchestras, and cultural opportunities galore. All to entertain and educate you and your children. You wander around your new dwelling staring at boxes and dreaming of the future.
Suddenly, your dream is interrupted by a knock at the door. Wondering who it is, you peek through the door. It’s a face you don’t recognize. You greet the stranger warmly. He, however, appears to be all business. “Are you Mrs. Jones the new homeowner?”
Click on over and read the rest of Choice: It’s a beautiful thing.
April 24th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
I thought the most poignant part of the post was in the comment by someone named “Babs,” who despaired over women who changed their minds about homeschooling and decided to send their kids to schools instead. She wrote, “I am trying to reach out to other mom’s who want help by offering to include them in our activities. But I cannot carry a vision for their children that they do not share.”
I that last line is true for all of us! We cannot carry a vision for other people’s children that they don’t share. I have my own very strong ideas about what is best for my children, and I act on them. I have SOME ideas about what is best for other people’s children, and I keep them to myself unless someone asks for my opinion.
I am overall very satisfied with what my children got at their Catholic school. I chose to keep them there, rather than public school or homeschooling. Even though we had to pay tuition to keep them there, I honestly didn’t mind paying taxes, too, to support public schools. I believe it’s in everyone’s best interest that the public schools provide whatever they can, so that children who are not homeschooled or religious-schooled have some easily accessible means of obtaining reading/writing/math skills.
I clicked through to Spunky’s response to the commenter, and I really loved her post on what to do when friends stop homeschooling. In fact, if I may say so, it’s a great way to approach people who choose not to homeschool at all!
April 26th, 2009 at 6:25 am
Dear Mrs P, I live in a country that is probably way more socialist than yours.The government practically pays everything health, some university, superan etc. The church didn’t provide enough so the state picked up the tab.I don’t need health insurance , hospitals are free.Unfortunately churches in the U.S don’t seem to be providing enough charity would that be fair to say, so the government will step in one day.Schools are only the stepping stone.From Linda.
April 26th, 2009 at 11:57 pm
Good link. Thanks. She’s fun and witty.
April 28th, 2009 at 9:04 pm
This was a great article! Thanks for sharing.