Who saw Dr. Phil's show Friday about Homeschooling?  I did. I made a point of watching it. He seemed be not at all himself on this subject. I am not sure how I expected him to react but he seemed subdued on this subject. He brought in left wing extremist on homeschooling but not an everyday use a schedule and books family. He even had a not so radical unschooling family. But no everyday homeschooling family. I think like so many others he was trying to leave a bad taste in the mouths of others about homeschooling.

He kept talking about research shows that our kids are socially behind. Socially behind who? As a whole our kids are better socialized than most other kids. They can carry on a conversation with most anyone of any age. Our children are not afraid to talk to an older adult or for that matter an older child to play with younger kids. They don't think about it. They just have fun. No peer pressure to act a certain way because of who is around.

They seemed stuck on this socialization thing. When that is such a non-issue. As homeschoolers we are keenly aware of the need for our kids to play, hang-out,and learn from others. We just monitor closer what are kids are playing at, hanging out doing, and learning from others. This is not to say PS parents are not monitoring but let's be real here. You are not a fly on the wall of your child's classroom or playground all day. So you do not know what your child has been taught until it is already learned. This is not something we as homeschoolers have to undo at the end of the day.

Everyone seemed to think that homeschooling is a new thing that just started. Well folks read any history lately. Homeschooling was the only schooling all children used to get. The public school system has only been around about 200 years. The days of the past everyone was taught at home by mom and dad to read,write and decipher numbers. Most lessons were taken straight from the

Bible. You learned to read, write and do your math from the verses and stories of the Bible. And every child was taught according to their abilites and their readiness. No child was ever left behind or moved ahead of where they needed to be. And we grew some really smart people in our history this way. Some where along the way someone decided that parents did not know enough to teach their child and that the experts should do it. I am here to say that the experts don't know my child and his needs. Therefore they are not equipped to teach my child what he needs to learn. The experts are not willing to let my child go ahead in one subject but be on level in another. They are willing to let him learn at his pace and in his area of interest. They want to teach what they think he should know when they think he should know it. And as for the experts--they are not as smart as they used to be. There has been a backsliding in out education system for years. So there is no way a child graduating today is as smart as one from years ago. Our textbooks are missing large parts of out history and no one seems to mind. And math well lets just say kids do not know the facts anymore. They are not required to memorize the facts anymore. And what is this New Math anyway. What happen to 2+2 =4 and learning that. What idiot thought to teach a child to borrow in math on a two-digit number less than 20 that is something they should have memorized and do without thought. Not by borrowing. When you see 15-9 you should know it is 6.

Let's move onto peer pressure. As a homeschooler a child does not have to been so concerned with this. It is not a right of passage as so many think. It is a way of making the weak feel inferior and the strong just to get stronger. I am glad that my son will be able to discover who he is and become strong in that before he has to deal with the fool who just want everyone to follow him. I want my son to be strong in who he is in the Lord, Jesus Christ before he faces the world head on. This is done best without little Johnny whispering in his ear "Oh no one will know" But someone does know God knows and my son will know too.

Let's talk a little about my ability to teach my child. Everyone seems to think that parents are unable to teach their own children. Well who is it that potty trains them, teaches them to use silverware, read simple words, learn their numbers and letters, colors and shapes. The parent does. If I am able to teach them these things why not all things? And if I am keenly aware of my childs needs and I feel I need assistance in some area then I find someone who can assist me. As parents we teach our children those things they should know but then someone decides we are not good enough anymore and off to PS they go. What is up with that? When did I no longer have the skills to continue to teach my child? At this rate of thinking and with PK3 and Pk4 on the rise it won't be long before we are unable to raise them til they are ready for Pk3. We will give birth and then be deemed unable to teach or raise them. Someone from the PS system will come and take our child and enroll them in new born classes. I know this is extreme but can't you see it happening some day?

I am not sure where any on this will lead. But I am hopeful that if our homeschool children grow up to homeschool their children our world will become a better place. We will have a generation of self starters and free thinkers who don't just go along with the crowd. Our children will change the way people around the world think.

May God bless you in your homeschool endeavors. And guide you and keep you strong.

Posted by princesslynn

I didn't catch the Dr. Phil show you mention. Would have tried to if I'd known about it. I generally like his "get up off your behind and do something" attitude...but that episode might have changed my mind.

Thank you for posting and sharing your opinions about it!

Lynn

Posted by Tabatha

I didn't see it either because I knew it would make me mad. I have a 7 year old daughter. She can carry on a conversation with an adult better than my 16 year old nephew and niece. I chose to homeschool more or less because of the dangers in schools.

That's my 2 cents.