• You are a family, not a school.
• You are a mom, not a teacher.
• You have individual relationships with your children; not a "relationship" to a class of students.
• You are free to set your own goals, rather than relying on someone else’s ideas of "what you should be doing in such and such grade."
• You are free to select materials, choose methods, and create experiences whenever you want...at the start of the school year, or in April, or at 3:00 in the morning.
• You are free to think through where you are on the path to your goals in any way that makes sense to you...rather than being stuck in a test, grade, label kind of mindset.
• You are free to get rid of the question, "what curriculum am I using" and replace it with "what is going to work with THIS kid, THIS week, for THIS purpose."
• You are free to lose all those lesson plans and teacher’s guides, and you don’t even necessarily have to know what you are doing tomorrow when you get up."

Wow, isn't that freeing?  In a nutshell, this is saying that we need to rethink what "school" is or isn't. We have to decide to use what works for us, to figure out what is best for us and glean from what is good. We have to learn what makes our children tick, and help them to be who they were meant to be. There has to be some balance, but I say who decides for us? Do we or does somebody else, who doesn't know us decide? Should an outsider decide what is best for my kids? I certainly hope not.

 I know that this homeschooling/unschooling/whateverschooling debate is going to rage as long as there is breath upon the earth. And while it does, I will still work out my mission/job here raising my kids and probably will continue to encourage parents to relax about their methods. I will still encourage them to be true to themselves, and not try to emulate anyone else, although we are free to give and take ideas and share victories.

I read a wonderful article this week from a school teacher who spoke so lovingly of the kids she teaches and how happy and well adjusted they are. It was very convincing and well written, and she said that maybe all these bloggers who are against public schooling must have had a terrible time in their pasts to make them feel that way. Her own situation sounded very placid and perfect and all the kids were all so happy to be there and ........well, I know many Moms and Dads who did have terrible experiences as children in the public school. I believe it is worse 100 fold today. But I know of the public school success stories, there are many of those too. I also have heard of some unhappy homeschoolers today. So...what do we do with that?

 Is there a definitive answer to this debate?

We must listen to our own hearts about what is best for our own family. Why do I write about this? Oh, because I like to write. Because I like to try to encourage homeschoolers to do what they feel led to do, and to show people that we are all different yet have some of the same needs, the need to relax, to be at peace in our decisions and to be encouraged! 

God has give us all great gifts and talents and we can use them for Him, and we can use them as we train and teach and guide our children into the path of using all their great gifts and talents......I think that is what it is all about.

Blessings!

Homeschooling Is Life,

Nancy

p.s. you can visit me at my regular blog this week while I blog about Laura Ingalls Wilder!