I'm going to come clean: I'm a home school hater.
I have to be honest. When I hear that someone was home schooled, I naturally assume that they are lacking in social skills and received a skewed education.
("You can do your math right after you put away your laundry, Bobby!")
I mean, I've known some home schoolees over the years and they have all been a little odd. They either seemed overeager to be friends with the "regular" kids or were quiet and withdrawn. Maybe that's the very reason that their parents chose to home school them - they would have either been a troublemaker or the victim of troublemakers.
But mostly I just think it was because their mother was:
A) Convinced her life would be easier if she home-schooled because there would be no stringent schedules to follow, no school buses to miss and no homework to be lost
B) Convinced she knew more than certified school teachers and would be able to shield her children from any immorality, whether taught in books, by teachers or on the playground
C) Convinced that her children would be too lonely without her. (In other words, she would be lonely without them.)
Guess what? I don't think those are very good reasons.
(Uh-oh, here goes Mrs. Dub into another one of her unsolicited, unresearched, insensitive tirades!)
To those mothers, I say:
A) Being a mom isn't easy. Heaven knows I wish it was. Even having one lil' to watch over can be overwhelming at times. But that's what we signed up for - carpools and all. Taking your kids to school, overseeing their homework and finding lost library books is all part of the deal. If you don't give your kids some structure (like school), they'll drown in the real world, which is quite structured. Likewise, if you give them too much structure (like 15 after-school endeavors), they'll eventually rebel and abandon all extracurricular pursuits. It's all about balance. And home school is too much home.
B) I'm all for morals. I'm all for religion. I'm just not for sheltering children from anything that doesn't jive with our personal belief system. If something at school is questionable, clarify the matter at home with your kids so that they understand where you stand. Encourage them to think it through for themselves. And don't worry too much about the language or behavior taking place on your school's playground. (Within reason, clearly some students these days are going to disgusting extremes that must be reported.) Trust your child will steer clear of these influences. (Thanks to all that additional love, support and moral teaching going on at home.) Children learn more from standing up for what they believe in than from being raised in a bubble.
C) You need a friend. Clearly you've lost a sense of self in your selfless mommy-ing. You're welcome to come over for dinner any time. Then, we'll go buy you some new clothes. You probably need them.
There you have it. My totally biased reasons why you should NOT home school your children.
But there is an objective side to all of this:
1) I'm open to your opinions. Do you think home schooling is a good idea or a bad one? Persuade me! (In the comments below.)
2) I've changed my mind about charter schools. I used to see them as silly schools for mothers "this close" to home-schooling, but I now appreciate them for providing an alternative to traditional education. (And for putting a little heat on underperforming schools who must now compete for your tax dollars.) Although I still firmly believe that the best way to improve your public school is to keep your kids in them and GET INVOLVED.
The End.
