10 Things

I homeschool my children. Some things I wish people understood about this: 
1. We didn't rush in to this decision, but spent three years researching, discussing, and praying about it. 
2. Our boys are actually learning: math, spelling, handwriting, science, history, reading, writing, etc. 
3. This was OUR decision for OUR boys. I do not look down on you for putting your child/ren in public school. That is YOUR choice. This was ours. 
4. I do not think we are better than everyone else. I also don't think you are better than we are. I think we are all equal, and just have different paths as parents. That's ok.
5. My boys are NOT missing out on spending time with friends. They have plenty of opportunities each week to "socialize". Scouts, karate, Church, homeschool park days, etc. My oldest volunteers twice a week, every week at the local food pantry. He is learning about helping others, while engaging in conversations with people of many different ages (gasp, they aren't kids).
6. Ian went to PROM. With a girl. Who is in public school. (BTW, homeschoolers have prom too, and graduation ceremonies)
7. I DON'T believe the earth is flat. I DON'T believe God is like a genie in a bottle.
8. I am not teaching a classroom of 20 students. I am teaching my 3 sons. I know how they learn. I know where they excel and where they struggle.
9. My sons are NOT going to leave home not knowing the things they need to continue in life. They AREN'T going to be so socially inept that they won't be able to interact with society. They will learn what they need to know, and what they want to know. And it's none of your business, and it's not your problem. I may not have a college degree, but that doesn't mean that I am incapable of teaching my sons elementary through high school. I have passion. I am resourceful. I am capable. And damn it, I'm they're MOTHER, and I CAN DO IT.
10. Finally, I don't criticize you for your parenting and education choices. Please stop feeling the need to criticize mine.

When Satan attacks through family members

    As some of you know, when Hubby and I decided to homeschool our boys, we/I got a lot of opposition from family members.  I have tried over the past three years to explain that we aren't crazy, this wasn't a rash decision, and that we really are serious about our children's education.  Here's the deal:  I am a Christian.  I homeschool my children.  I do not believe that my sons have to be in public school in order for them to learn and have a social life.  I spent the first five years of their lives teaching them.  I taught them love.  I taught them how to walk, talk, dress themselves, feed them selves, and how to hold a cup.  I taught them manners, and how to interact with people.  I have taught them conflict resolution, and how to be a friend.  I taught them their letters, numbers, shapes, colors, etc.  What a car is, a building is, different animals, and so on.  Now I am teaching them multiplication, division, and the Pythagorean Theorem.  My children are learning how to build sentences, and how to combine sentences to make paragraphs.  They are learning about the constitution, geography, world history, US history, voting and the difference between gross and net pay.  They learn about science: Space, earth, biology, chemistry, human anatomy, plants, etc.  My children learn art, music, and greek and latin roots to words.  Porthos has decided that he wants to learn french this year, as well as take a cooking course.  He and Aramis are in a karate class that they attend 2-3 days a week.  Porthos just attended his first competition a few days ago.  All three boys participate in local theater, and the younger two attended drama camp for two weeks.  The oldest is in Boy Scouts.  We have weekly park days with other homeschoolers.  Church on Wednesday evenings.  Athos volunteers at the local food bank twice a week.  All three have participated in music performances with other homeschoolers.  Guess what?  THEY HAVE FRIENDS.