I know that as home educators we are often accused of 'sheltering' our children too much. My hubby has an anology about kids and school and sheltering them 'too much'(???). It goes like this........


"When you are gardening and growing tomatoes, for instance, you don't start the seeds out in the elements! Tiny, fragile seedlings need to be nurtured, safely away from wind and rain and frost, carefully planted in a greenhouse.

But there comes a time when the plants grow strong enough to stand a few chilly nights and you are best to put them outside to 'harden' off a bit. If you kept them in the greenhouse forever, their fruit is often smaller and has far less flavour. By planting them out when they get big enough to handle it, you get the best crop, large juicy fruit and the richest flavour!

Our kids are like this! We need to shelter and carefully nurture
those tiny, fragile seedlings. It is the RIGHT thing to do!
However......there does come a time when they need to be allowed
to 'face the elements' as it were when they are bigger, stronger and
have good firm roots. Then they can stand the elements and a 'little' battering and bruising - it will make them stronger and better
rounded people to be able to stand up for what they believe!"

I hope this encourages someone that we are making the right decision for our children. I also hope it might help someone explain to family or friends who don't understand your choices! Keep up the good work!