Good morning fellow-bloggers.  My house is currently quiet as the boys are still in dream land.  Three of them are going to a Cleveland Indians' game tonight and it will be a late one.  Oh what will I do with myself with only one boy here tonight?  I'll try to get along as best as I can...    Our local paper today would be a good edition to refer to the next time someone questions your sanity concerning homeschooling.  The front page story is about bullying in schools - at all grade levels.  Evidently, girls are very physically aggressive these days.  One girl was quoted as saying that she gets picked on because she 'over achieves'.  She said it is too bad that 'doing your best' is punished in school.  After the article was a list of ways to help a student conquer the bully.  Basically all you have to do is to get the victim to admit to the bullying, talk about it with the victim, but DO NOT make the bully apologize because that would only make things worse....Blah, blah, blah.  We talk these poor kids to death.  How about some action?  Near the bottom of the list is a suggestion to involve,again, the victim's parents.  Oh brother....  No where was switching schools advised or punishment to the bully!   Turning a few pages in the paper, I find the editorial.  The thought-provoking opinion was that parents should be involved in their children's lives.  The evidence for this comes from a local story dealing with an assault at a bar.  The young people involved all had crummy upbringings.   Parents are first of all convinced that the schools can teach their child everything they need to know , but are blamed when things go wrong.    This is all very interesting to me today because of a comment my older brother made to me on Sunday.  He was the designated family interrogator this year.  You know who I mean.  The family member who wonders when this silly homeschool phase ends.  Well, anyways, he was questioning how long I'll "keep" the boys at home (that is the silliest question).  He made the comment that the boys really need 'to learn to sit in a classroom and have someone else teach them.'  Are you serious?  I did not respond as my gut wanted me to because I do not believe in starting wars.  Inwardly I wondered how God could use the gift of sitting in a classroom for my children's future service to His kingdom.  My bro meant well but he has bought into the whole socialization thing and really believes that school culture is way important.  The funny thing is he really hated school when he was young.  So I will continue to be the wacky-homeschooling-freak of the family but at least I know my boys will be safe from physical and emotional harm.  Now if only I could find the curriculum that can teach them to sit in a classroom...