This evening, while reading an article about a particular museum, I noticed a sentence mentioning field trip packages available for different groups, among which it listed “homeschool families, and parents whose children are in public school”.
I was stunned.
While I have read similar references countless times, I had never caught the significance before. Look at the wording: “Homeschool families.” “Parents whose children are in public school.”
We hear the term “homeschool family” all the time. How often do we hear someone referred to as a “public school family”?
The word ‘family’ is an inclusive word. It means parents and children. The term ‘homeschool family’ means: ‘This involves all of us. We’re in it together.’ Dad works hard as the sole provider to allow Mom to stay home and work hard raising and educating her children. The kids learn first-hand at their own pace from their mother, the one person in the world who knows their personalities and limitations better than anyone else. Family life and education blend into each other. Making dinner doubles as Home-Ec. Farm chores supplement biology class. Grocery shopping provides practical applications for business math. And, if your family is like mine, they have dinner together, after which Dad leads Bible study and prayer, and reads out loud from something like Tom Sawyer or Hank the Cow Dog.
It’s a different story with ‘parents whose children are in public school’. Look at that sentence, the separation of ‘parents’ and ‘children’. Sadly, it’s just a reflection of reality. Public-schooled children are rousted out of bed at early hours – hours that their growing bodies should be spending asleep – fed a hasty breakfast, and carted to school where they spend the day shuttled from one class to the next, separated from their siblings, and forced into an impersonal learning pace. Meanwhile, Dad and Mom spend the day at their separate workplaces. When everyone gets home in the evening, the kids march off to their rooms to do homework. Mom and/or Dad grabs the nearest pre-made, pre-packaged dinner from the freezer and throws it in the oven, hoping to get dinner out of the way quickly enough to allow them some down time before bed. Everyone drops into bed exhausted, just so that they can start it all over in the morning.
No wonder we never hear the term ‘public-school family’.
Comments
Not at all!
I think the exact same thing! Just think, what family has the 16 year old that is pregenant-the public schooled one. What family has the daughter who is learning to stay pure until marriage- the homeschooled one. Which family has the son who is getting into the wrong group of friends- the public school one. Which family has the son who enjoys being friends with his sibilings and parents- the homeschooled one. I wish we could say that homeschoolers and kids who go to public school have the same morals, but they don't. And the parents are at fault for that.
...
Very true! I never thought of it that way, but it is interesting... and even people who misunderstand homeschooling families still call us "families" and not "parents who homeschool their children" or something like that. Very observant. :)
hmmm
Very true. I hadn't really thought of it before either--good thoughts, Mary
Something thats interesting
Something thats interesting in the least. I had never thought of it like that before.
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hmm...
Yeah, this is definately interesting. And your point is very true, Mary.
"Farm chores supplement biology class. Grocery shopping provides practical applications for business math."
I love homeschooling!! :)
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"Sweet is the love that never knew a wound, but deeper that which died and rose again." - Mother Mary Francis
Good observation
I've never noticed that before. That's quite profound when you think of it.
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"The idea that we should approach science without a philosophy is itself a philosophy... and a bad one, because it is self-refuting." -- Dr. Jason Lisle
yeah!
go homeschoolers!!!! i know what you mean, because my sister, who is public-schooled, just spent all day yesterday, from the time she got home, at like 2:30, to 10:00 working on a book report. Now where is the point to that?
But, alas, it's not true that the only way to homeschool is with a stay at home mom. my mom works a full time job owning a flower store, and I'm homeschooled. I get to work there, too, so I'm learning business from age 13.
but I loved this essay!!!!!!! such a great job! i really liked the end sentence ,"No wonder we never hear the term ‘public-school family’." great!!!!!
“Oh Ronnie! I can’t believe you’re a prefect! That’s everyone in the family!” said Mrs. Weasley.
“What are Fred and I, next-door neighbors?”
–George Weasley
I had never thought of that,
I had never thought of that, but it is true! Homeschooling is so nice. If I may digress for a moment: A few weeks ago, one of my sisters stepped outside (we live right across from a public school), and all the kids were sitting outside eating lunch. As soon as my sister went outside, all the kids stopped eating and stared for a few seconds, then suddenly they all started waving and saying, "Hi!" to her. It was strange. I sometimes wonder what they think about homeschooled children. Do they pity us, or envy us, or both?
Hmm
I was homeschooled till high school. It is much harder to connect when you attend public school, especially if you're introverted. It's like you use up all your people-ness at school.
PS. We need a special term for public school.
Formerly Kestrel
I agree kind of....
I love the essay. Very well written. I do think that most chhildren should be homeschooled. But, some parents just don't have the patience to homeschool. So they have to send their children to public school. I remember when I first started homecshooling about 4 years ago, my mother was so impatient it was nuts. If I couldn't understand something it was like " Go to your room!!!" I mean I am 100\% on your side that all children should be homeschooled but, I also think you should have put something in your essay that said a lot of parents can't tolerate their children's personalities or anger. It's hard to have your parents teach you. I know my mom can't so that's why I have tutors. But, I still want to be with my mom so they come to our house and she sits right by me and learns with me.
My opinion.
But, one of my favorite essays! You'r a star and i'm a fan of yours!
Hailey Hallow
Hope this doesn't come
Hope this doesn't come across as too harsh - this is just an issue that really gets to me. I'd love feedback on it, you guys.
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Me: He can't. He's in the wilderness.
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