If I Could Have Kids I Would Home School Them (Rant)

I know a lot of people who choose to home school their kids, and I almost pulled my youngest out to home school him, but I gotta say, I now love public school . My second grader's IQ is greater than Einsteins and the school just couldn't keep up with him, which is the reason I wanted to yank him out...Long story long...hehehe

We switched schools this school year, because of a move, and...it was rough...

After butting heads with his second grade teacher for two or three months, and threatening everybody that I was going to pull him out of school, his teacher finally has him doing more challenging work and it's going quite well. She is letting him be the leader, helping other students, working at his pace, not the classrooms. He's working at his level and getting to interact with the kids his age. I am now grateful he's in public schools...I couldn't give him what the school is able to offer him. We've discussed bussing him over to the middle school for part of the day, but I don't think that's such a good idea...

Also, I have a Freshman and a Sophomore...My Sophomore is a straight A student and is enrolled in all Honors and Honors College Prep classes. Next year, she'll be taking some college classes while attending High School...She's involved in AFJROTC and is already a Cadet Senior Master Sergeant, she's in sports, involved in Community Organizations...

My Freshman is a slacker, lol, but he's also involved in ROTC, plays saxophone...was in Marching Band, is now in Concert and Jazz Band...

My point is, if I would have home schooled them, they would have never been exposed to everything they have been. Public schools are giving them the opportunity to thrive as young people, that I could have never, ever given them at home.

I couldn't agree with you more OP.

Public schools are ruled by unions and leftists, you can call me whatever name you want to but it doesn't take much digging of truth to see it.

thats cool the school system in your area cares and engages the students



I was The Battalion XO in my JROTC

mostly cause i was the only one who could spell 'battalion'
lol

your kids sound smart...

but do you remember all the online posts earlier this year in April about the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the titanic?

[link to www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk]

given that the Titanic isnt the most important topic out there...

I've talked to teens and adults in Kentucky and outside of kentucky who don't know the significance of the year 1776 or any clue as to what happened on 1861 to 1865... who cant do math without a calculator.

its sad.

Yes, they're being exposed to many things, most of them negative. Sounds as though you're more concerned with the social aspects of the public school environment; but in fact, the issue that matters most is academics, and responsible, intelligent parents can provide a very adequate academic program from home.

Beyond that, the further truth is that many ppeople just do not want to commit to the dedication involved in being a homeschooling parent.

I cannot imagine sending little children into today's public schooling atmosphere . . . we lived in an apartment many years ago, and our next door neighbor was a young woman who partied all the time, blasted her stereo late night, and she was generally rude and disrespectful . . . there was a wooden fence around her patio and she would line the top edge of it with her empty beer cans . . . she was a second-grade teacher. One example out of millions . . . people need to think about that.

When I was homeschooling, for a time I was an online hs consultant, and I couldn't believe some of the questions posed to me by people who were either just beginning to or contemplating homeschooling their children . . . one mother, when inquiring about teaching the alphabet, wanted to know which letter to begin with . . . ??!

Some parents are intimidated and confused, but once they get past the novice stage, potentially can be wonderful teachers. However, there are definitely those who would never be able to provide a proper education, who are simply not smart or sensible enough, and/or do not have the selfless dedication required to homeschool.

Most parents who choose to hs do so for very defined reasons - often it's religion, which I do not agree with because religion is blatant brainwashing and good parents/teachers will educate children in all religions and philosophies and allow them to make their own decision when they are grown; others homeschool for the reasons you list, because the public school system is too often negligent, dangerous, negatively influential, and it is failing across the country.

I heard that many schools have eliminated the teaching of cursive writing - how sad is that?! From the current generation forward, kids/adults will not know how to write properly, will not be able to figure basic math without a calculator, will not be able to think for themselves, because all they know is push buttons, copy & paste, and Facebook.

Had kids. Home-schooled them. Best thing I ever did.

Wanted to avoid - religious indoctrination, bullying and desensitisation, restrictions on their physical movements, conformity clap-trap,and so on.

Wanted to encourage - a love for learning, a love of nature, art, drama, activity, inquiry, self-expression, self-motivation, freedom, and so on.

Result - 3 excellent human beings who make me feel like bursting with love and pride.

I agree with you OP. I have tried both regular public schooling and now I am homeschooling my boys. My boys have been to small and larger schools in the public school system, it basically wasn't a good situation over all. There are few teachers that really care these days about their students, but more than that, it is the environment that concerns me the most. My experience with homeschooling has been very positive. The boys take the lead in what they want to focus on for the day, on their online program. As long as they complete all their lessons for the week, they can choose what interests them the most. This has proven to increase their interest and love for learning. They don't complain about doing school work, and enjoy it very much. I would never put my kids back in regular school, because they are happier and that makes me happy. I don't have to worry about the bully that used to give my kids a hard time on the bus, and I don't have to worry about my boys getting hassled about being different. My youngest has a disability, and my middle child has speech problems.

Education and proper socialization are equally important in my book...I am a home body, lol. If I had home schooled them, I would have raised hermits...In our situation, public schools have been a blessing.

I am not for or against either. I was simply sharing my own personal experience. Each family is unique and what works for some, may not work for others. I'm just saying, we got lucky with public school. I know it is certainly not the same everywhere, and that not all schools offer a positive experience.

You have no right to say that most of what they're exposed to is negative, when all three of my kids are thriving in the public school system.

You're right, I absolutely would not want to commit to teaching my children, ha ha ha...it would make me crazier than I already am. All three of them were reading on at least a third grade level by the time they were in Kindergarten...Not one of them was in preschool, so please don't make generalizations. I was their sole teacher until public school, tyvm...

:-)

some parents have a hard time controlling their kids let alone getting them to sit down and agree to do assignments.

that's where the public school system can help (lolz)

So you believe that people have a right to bring children into the world, but no obligation/responsibility to raise them, teach them well, etc.?

parents, realize that if you home school junior, without a highschool graduation diploma, your son or daughter may have to spend 2 years at college and prove their gpa before they will even be considered to start a 4 year bachelors degree program.

a kid with a highschool graduation does not need to do 2 years of college to prove him or herself, he or she can jump into a bachelors degree program straight out of highschool.

Think about that.

for that reason, in some ways, you would be setting them back by homeschooling.

the reality, as cannot be discovered until one becomes a parent themselves, is that some kids no matter how good of a parent you are, have a built-in personality when they were born. ;)

it's like getting a cat. no matter how good a pet owner you are (or intended to be)...

each cat comes along with it's own personality. And it's not like the pet store where you can choose the pet with the mildest temperament...

you don't know what you're getting in terms of children until they're already here.

Have fun!

First of all, my post was not made to insult you.

That said . . .

Sorry, but education and socialization are NOT at all equal.

Kids might benefit from a certain degree of socialization, although it is by no means "necessary", but they absolutely need a high-degree of education. This is a mistake too many parents are making, believing that social activities are equitable to or more important than academia.

IF your kids have not been exposed to negative influences, I venture to state that they are in a very rare minority.

You say they are "thriving" . . . is your definition of thriving the same as theirs? Sometimes parents believe their kids are successful and happy in school, only because the parents are the ones pushing for all the social stuff and extra-curricular activities, when in truth, the kids would rather spend a little more time just chilling out and being children.

Guess I just don't understand why parents so readily admit to not wanting to teach their own children . . . again, this is not meant to offend you personally, but I've heard countless parents say they could never teach their kids because they would go insane, but my thought is that when people take the dramatic, huge step of bringing a child into the world, it is THEIR responsibility to teach their own children. Just never could figure sending a little person who's been on this earth a mere 5 or 6 years out into the world to fend for themselves in such dangerous and negative environments . . . they'll have enough to contend with once they turn 18 and are truly on their own.

College is a waste of time and money.

Properly homeschooled children have no need for higher education.

oh yeah, good luck with that.

Adding to the above - most higher ed institutions have direct application programs that simply require the hs kid to sit an entrance exam. Many who do sit these exams excel and have no trouble being accepted into college. Mainstream parents are not aware of this and are brainwashed into believing that the only way to a higher ed degree is through the government controlled application systems that use high school data to pigeon hole the kids.

I am with you Dr Acula - if I am able to have any more kids (got 2 already - one is perfectly built for the school system and is an average student, the other was homeschooled for most of his highschool career due to life threatening bullying), I will not even send them to preschool. Too much emphasis is placed on the 'socialisation' aspect - while it is resonable to expect your child to grow up understanding that people can be arseholes, do they really need to find that out when they are 4 or 5 years old?

My niece is being sent to school next year - it will crush her delicate spirit. She is a highly intelligent, sensitive little thing who will not be able to understand why kids are capable of being so mean to her when she has been raised to view everyone as friendly and approachable. She will not understand why the adults around her will be powerless to take action against any child who treats her poorly. Her intellect will wither as she is forced to slow down just to 'keep up' with the varied abilities in her class that the teacher will sturggle to keep control of...

If anyone has any doubts about why the school system is not in the best interests of developing children, look up the history of formal education and the rockerfellers views on public education. If that isn't enough to frighten you into removing your kids from school... good luck to you.

Great thread OP.

on the upside, the interactions with children in the school setting, prepare them so that later on they are desensitized and their 'delicate spirits' will not be broken when they get that first great job and find out they have asshole, devious co-workers to contend with.

They stopped requiring that cursive be taught in Indiana this year. And yeah, they use calculators for everything. I remember we specifically were NOT allowed to use calculators until high school. They also let them do that pretend writing, I forget what you call it, but they are allowed to just write for content in the early years now with no punctuation or spelling.

So your kids wouldnt know how to read or do basic math? What would you be teaching them to do, stare at bugs?

Bad education goes both ways......

There are plenty of home schools kids I know....and they can't read, write, or articulate correctly for their age. Home schooling can be just as bad as public education.

It depends on the perseverance and dedication of the educator. Some parents are as bad as public teachers.

Yeah, I would think kids would need to learn how you get the answer before just memorizing it on a calculator. Because what happens when theyre presented with a problem theyve never seen before, they would be a bit screwed

Some parents are very good and dedicated, their children not so.

Some children are very good and dedicated, their parents not so.

Works both ways.

homeshcooling is for parents who can't be fucked getting out of bed to take kids to school

I'll agree

I cant argue that lol

tru dat

thats another thing in kentucky

Cursive is no longer taught here...

I hate cursive and my penman ship sucks

Guess cos I am a Doctor?! lol


its a combo of cursive and non-cursive


but Cursive is a art form... wish people took the time to actually write pretty

calligraphy is a dying art