Two Kid Schoolhouse

• Feb. 7, 2006 - Swimmin' Upstream

Posted in Home Education

Every time I see my hairdresser (which is not nearly often enough) she asks about the homeschooling. She is married to a teacher and they have no kids themselves, by choice. But she seems very pro-homeschooling, or at least pretends she is so she doesn't lose our family's business.

Just about every time we talk she tells me "you are just swimmin' upstream." And I do feel that way so often. Sometimes I just think there is no one who thinks the way I do about kids and education and culture and all that. Even in my homeschool group - all Christians, all who say their first priority is their children's walk with Christ - some if not most of the kids are immersed in the popular culture. They talk about dippy, waste-of-time tv shows and their gameboy games. They've never heard any classical music. They say things like "you just sing hymns in church? Ew, how can you stand that?" The girls wear belly shirts with things like "spoiled" written on them, and tight jeans. The boys wear the baggy falling-down pants. They can't believe there are families that don't watch tv, don't listen to pop music, don't have gameboys.

Yeah, I'm a snob. I'm judgemental. I know a person can have a great heart and still watch Survivor and soap operas, and maybe those pants are just comfortable. (Though I'd rather not see the underwear, thanks.) But Christians are supposed to be a little different, set apart. And I just don't see that too much. Oh, I have some friends who are as out of it as my family is. I cherish those few families. But the number of people like that seems to be dwindling, not increasing. It seems more and more are getting sucked into the the trivial lifestyle that is American culture now.

I don't mean to say I'm the greatest Christian. I just proved I'm not with my mean-spirited comments. But I do grow weary of swimmin' upstream.

• Feb. 9, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by eyecorn

I hear ya! We figure we're pretty much the weirdos in our part of the world. Every once in awhile mainstream may sneak into our house (like when we watched the dvd set of "24" - the first season). BUt, for the most part, we listen to books on cd or talk radio rather than music when in the car. There is not network or satellite tv in our home. DS is off of Playstation and GameBoy went years ago. The other night I called a friend to invite his daughter to my dd's b'day party...he told me his 6 yo daughter was calling her friends becaues they have formed a Cheetah s posse at school. Boy, did I do some second thinking there....the last think I want in my DD's repetoire is the Cheetah s. It does seem like a tough swim, but in mho it's the best chance we have to help our children be independent and break out of the "system" as dh and I refer to it all! I"m thrilled to be back visiting your blog...can you tell???

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• Feb. 10, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by mamaduso

Hello- I linked and linked and found you. I live in Eugene. I really know what you mean. I want to encourage you that you are doing the right thing. God gives us convictions and it is hard to stand by them but remember that everyone will be held accountable for the choices they make for themselves and their children. Just think of running a race and not swimming upstream. Paul encourages us to keep running for the goal. That is what you are doing for yourself and your family. There are a lot of others who are doing what you are doing and HSB has a lot of them. Be encouraged.

We were at OMSI on Friday last week. Too funny!
Susan

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