Cool Homeschool - Homeschool Blogger

Journey's end

Sun, 18 May 2008 05:56:00 -0500

Over the years I have met some amazing people in this community. It seems so sad that changes in life have caused separations but also new beginnings. Sadly much of the community that I once knew seems like a memory and we probably are to them too.

As time goes by the filter of the moment sifts out those who wish to remain as friends and sloughs off those who don't. Another sadness for me at times...but I guess that's just how it is.

Fun and also at times too true

Sun, 11 Nov 2007 01:57:00 -0600

I recently received this charming list of things we may like to say in response to the many questions we receive as homeschoolers. Whilst these words may be harsh and may not roll off the tips of our tongues easily I'm sure we have all thought these or similar thoughts from time to time....Enjoy!

(Update: Thanks Deborah Markus for claiming authorship and contacting me...as requested I am listing a link to your website http://www.secular-homeschooling.com/ )

The Bitter Homeschooler's Wish List (sk says: I would personally change the title! cause I ain't a bitter person but I sure do feel like offering some of these responses from time to time )...

From Secular Homeschooling Magazine, Issue #1

1 Please stop asking us if it's legal. If it is - and it is - it's insulting to imply that we're criminals. And if we were criminals, would we admit it?

2 Learn what the words "socialize" and "socialization" mean, and use the one you really mean instead of mixing them up the way you do now. Socializing means hanging out with other people for fun. Socialization means having acquired the skills necessary to do so successfully and pleasantly. If you're talking to me and my kids, that means that we do in fact go outside now and then to visit the other human beings on the planet, and you can safely assume that we've got a decent grasp of both concepts.

3 Quit interrupting my kid at her dance lesson, scout meeting, choir practice, baseball game, art class, field trip, park day, music class, 4H club, or soccer lesson to ask her if, as a homeschooler, she ever gets to socialize.

4 Don't assume that every homeschooler you meet is homeschooling for the same reasons and in the same way as that one homeschooler you know.

5 If that homeschooler you know is actually someone you saw on TV, either on the news or on a "reality" show, the above goes double.

6 Please stop telling us horror stories about the homeschoolers you know, know of, or think you might know who ruined their lives by homeschooling. You're probably the same little bluebird of happiness whose hobby is running up to pregnant women and inducing premature labor by telling them every ghastly birth story you've ever heard. We all hate you, so please go away.

7 We don't look horrified and start quizzing your kids when we hear they're in public school. Please stop drilling our children like potential oil fields to see if we're doing what you consider an adequate job of homeschooling.

8 Stop assuming all homeschoolers are religious.

9 Stop assuming that if we're religious, we must be homeschooling for religious reasons.

10 We didn't go through all the reading, learning, thinking, weighing of options, experimenting, and worrying that goes into homeschooling just to annoy you. Really. This was a deeply personal decision, tailored to the specifics of our family. Stop taking the bare fact of our being homeschoolers as either an affront or a judgment about your own educational decisions.

11 Please stop questioning my competency and demanding to see my credentials. I didn't have to complete a course in catering to successfully cook dinner for my family; I don't need a degree in teaching to educate my children. If spending at least twelve years in the kind of chew-it-up-and-spit-it-out educational facility we call public school left me with so little information in my memory banks that I can't teach the basics of an elementary education to my nearest and dearest, maybe there's a reason I'm so reluctant to send my child to school.

12 If my kid's only six and you ask me with a straight face how I can possibly teach him what he'd learn in school, please understand that you're calling me an idiot. Don't act shocked if I decide to respond in kind.

13 Stop assuming that because the word "home" is right there in "homeschool," we never leave the house. We're the ones who go to the amusement parks, museums, and zoos in the middle of the week and in the off-season and laugh at you because you have to go on weekends and holidays when it's crowded and icky.

14 Stop assuming that because the word "school" is right there in homeschool, we must sit around at a desk for six or eight hours every day, just like your kid does. Even if we're into the "school" side of education - and many of us prefer a more organic approach - we can burn through a lot of material a lot more efficiently, because we don't have to gear our lessons to the lowest common denominator.

15 Stop asking, "But what about the Prom?" Even if the idea that my kid might not be able to indulge in a night of over-hyped, over-priced revelry was enough to break my heart, plenty of kids who do go to school don't get to go to the Prom. For all you know, I'm one of them. I might still be bitter about it. So go be shallow somewhere else.

16 Don't ask my kid if she wouldn't rather go to school unless you don't mind if I ask your kid if he wouldn't rather stay home and get some sleep now and then.

17 Stop saying, "Oh, I could never homeschool!" Even if you think it's some kind of compliment, it sounds more like you're horrified. One of these days, I won't bother disagreeing with you any more.

18 If you can remember anything from chemistry or calculus class, you're allowed to ask how we'll teach these subjects to our kids. If you can't, thank you for the reassurance that we couldn't possibly do a worse job than your teachers did, and might even do a better one.

19 Stop asking about how hard it must be to be my child's teacher as well as her parent. I don't see much difference between bossing my kid around academically and bossing him around the way I do about everything else.

20 Stop saying that my kid is shy, outgoing, aggressive, anxious, quiet, boisterous, argumentative, pouty, fidgety, chatty, whiny, or loud because he's homeschooled. It's not fair that all the kids who go to school can be as annoying as they want to without being branded as representative of anything but childhood.

21 Quit assuming that my kid must be some kind of prodigy because she's homeschooled.

22 Quit assuming that I must be some kind of prodigy because I homeschool my kids.

23 Quit assuming that I must be some kind of saint because I homeschool my kids.

24 Stop talking about all the great childhood memories my kids won't get because they don't go to school, unless you want me to start asking about all the not-so-great childhood memories you have because you went to school.

25 Here's a thought: If you can't say something nice about homeschooling, don't say anything at all!

Life has it's trials, doesn't it

Mon, 8 Oct 2007 16:55:00 -0500

After having some difficult times of late with stressful input into our lives from a variety of sources I was heartened with a verse from the Bible and thought I would share:

The world is unprincipled. It's dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn't fight fair. But we don't live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren't for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.
2 Corinthians 10:2-4

I knew I was on the right track!

A New Day

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 16:49:00 -0500

Hi everyone,

I sit here contemplating what will occur in front of me today. Some plans are known and pencilled into the diary but the very small details are largely unknown. That's the same for all of us, I know. But ....and just as I was thinking about the less pleasant tasks of my day ahead.....my hubby just brought through our little granddaughter who had just woken up and was asking for me.....

Now there was a little detail that I hadn't counted on at that very moment. Here she was all hair bedraggled and yawning but wanting to sit on my lap and wake to the world stretching and wriggling there. Now I don't know if I could have prescribed myself a more delicious start to my day. A reminder from God that there are always lovely unexpected surprises waiting around the corner.

Have a blessed day!

Home Again!

Tue, 5 Jun 2007 04:00:00 -0500

Well our journey is finally behind us in one way...and a new one is opening up for us ahead.

We arrived back home last week and I must say it is lovely to be back. We haven't had the chance to catch up with anyone outside of the family yet. We have been inundated with things on the home front to attend to. Life simply goes on, doesn't it?

Our laundry drain backed up during our absence requiring a visit from the drain doctor aka the plumber! LOL! So that now saves me from having to cart the grey water from the large bin that was appropriately placed beneath the washing machine hoised that was pointed out of the window!

Our carpets are well and truly overdue for replacement so we were off to the flooring company to see what was available. Hopefully Stage 1 of the flooring will be laid by the end of the month. I'm looking forwards to that. I'm not really looking forwards to lifting up the carpet...but doing that part will save us a few hundred dollars.

On the way home I had a lovely visit with my oldest daughter and two grandchildren in Melbourne. We had a splendid time over the first two days we were back in the country. (I don't have my laptop up and running here yet..so you'll have to wait for pics!)

Obviously I have had a great deal of fun with my two grandchildren here in SA and seeing my daughters again. It's been wonderful for all of us.

We actually were offered another job outside of SA that we decided to decline. The timing was way off and I have some things that are coming up for me also. The Australian National Home Education conference in a couple of weeks here and also University starts for me next month. I'm looking forwards to both of these events.

Well take care all of you out there.

D Day

Thu, 17 May 2007 08:10:00 -0500

Well, here we are. After 2 very busy weeks preparing for moving back to Australia the day has come. The packers have been and gone. We have moved out of our house and into hotel rooms. Today is the day. In less than 24 hours we will be stepping on a plane for the first leg of our trip home. We have much to be joyous about. We will be spending time with my husband's family on the way. Then when we arrive in Australia we will be spending time with our new grandbabies and our other daughters. It is also a day that has some grief and sadness attached. We will be saying see you later to people that have become good friends and whom we may not necessarily see again.

Despite the negative feelings that arose from time to time in the settling in process I have become accustomed to being here in Canada and more than a little sad at saying goodbye to this country. We spent a lovely weekend last weekend being up close and personal with the Rockies. Here the scenery is absolutely breathtaking. A real testimony of God's handiwork. We spotted bighorn sheep, elk and even a grizzly bear - though not all in one space - feeding by the sides of the road on the Icefields Parkway.

I'm thinking it might be a little while until I am on here again......so in the meantime, see you later.

From the father of Rachel Scott, victim of Columbine HS shooting

Wed, 18 Apr 2007 11:37:00 -0500

DARRELL SCOTT TESTIMONY

Guess our national leaders didn't expect this, hmm? On Thursday, Darrell Scott, the father of Rachel Scott, a victim of the Columbine High School shootings in Littleton , Colorado , was invited to address the House Judiciary Committee's subcommittee. What he said to our national leaders during this special session of Congress was painfully truthful. They were not prepared for what he was to say, nor was it received well. It needs to be heard by every parent, every teacher, every politician, every sociologist, every psychologist, and every so-called expert! These courageous words spoken by Darrell Scott are powerful, penetrating, and deeply personal. There is no doubt that God sent this man as a voice crying in the wilderness. The following is a portion of the transcript:

'Since the dawn of creation there has been both good & evil in the hearts of men and women. We all contain the seeds of kindness or the seeds of violence. The death of my wonderful daughter, Rachel Joy Scott, and the deaths of that heroic teacher, and the other eleven children who died must not be in vain. Their blood cries out for answers.

'The f irst recorded act of violence was when Cain slew his brother Abel out in the field. The villain was not the club he used.. Neither was it the NCA, the National Club Association. The true killer was Cain, and the reason for the murder could only be found in Cain's heart.

'In the days that followed the Columbine tragedy, I was amazed at how quickly fingers began to be pointed at groups such as the NRA. I am not a member of the NRA. I am not a hunter. I do not even own a gun. I am not here to represent or defend the NRA - because I don't believe that they are responsible for my daughter's death. Therefore I do not believe that they need to be defended. If I believed they had anything to do with Rachel's murder I would be their strongest opponent.

I am here today to declare that Columbine was not just a tragedy -- it was a spiritual event that should be forcing us to look at where the real blame lies! Much of the blame lies here in this room. Much of the blame lies behind the pointing fingers of the accusers themselves. I wrote a poem just four nights ago that expresses my feelings best. This was written way before I knew I would be speaking here today:

Your laws ignore our deepest needs,
Your words are empty air.
You've stripped away our heritage,
You've outlawed simple prayer.
Now gunshots fill our classrooms,
And precious children die.
You seek for answers everywhere,
And ask the question 'Why?'
You regulate restrictive laws,
Through legislative creed.
And yet you fail to understand,
That God is what we need!

'Men and women are three-part beings. We all consist of body, mind, and spirit. When we refuse to acknowledge a third part of our make-up, we create a void that allows evil, prejudice, and hatred to rush in and wreak havoc. Spiritual presences were present within our educational systems for most of our nation's history. Many of our major colleges began as theological seminaries. This is a historical fact. What has happened to us as a nation? We have refused to honor God, and in so doing, we open the doors to hatred and violence. And when something as terrible as Columbine's tragedy occurs -- politicians immediately look for a scapegoat such as the NRA. They immediately seek to pass more restrictive laws that contribute to erode away our personal and private liberties. We do not need more restrictive laws. Eric and Dylan would not have been stopped by metal detectors. No amount of gun laws can stop someone who spends months planning this type of massacre. The real villain lies within our own hearts.

'As my son Craig lay under that table in the school library and saw his two friends murdered before his very eyes, he did not hesitate to pray in school. I defy any law or politician to deny him that right! I challenge every young person in America , and around the world, to realize that on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School prayer was brought back to our schools. Do not let the many prayers offered by those students be in vain. Dare to move into the new millennium with a sacred disregard for legislation that violates your God-given right to communicate with Him. To those of you who would point your finger at the NRA -- I give to you a sincere challenge. Dare to examine your own heart before casting the first stone!

My daughter's death will not be in vain! The young people of this country will not allow that to happen!'

Do what the media did not - - let the nation hear this man's speech. Please send this out to everyone you can.

Changes Again

Sun, 25 Mar 2007 15:35:00 -0500

Well here we are in the last few weeks of living in Canada. It is a bittersweet time. We have made so many lovely friends here and will be sad to leave them. We are also grateful for the internet and the technologies available to stay in touch with them.

At the same time we are looking forwards to coming back home and being with our family in Australia and meeting the newborns - who aren't really newborn anymore!

Then there are new adventures to be had there too. I have enrolled myself in a part time university program. I get the study bug too and need to satisfy it! But then that is what home education is about, isn't it?

Over the next 6 weeks we will be inundated with clearing and cleaning in preparation for our trip home!

Time MARCHes on! LOL!

Sun, 11 Mar 2007 18:22:00 -0500

Hi everyone,

Well here we are in March already! Wow! Time is flying by! We have about 8 weeks left here now and then we will be homeward bound. Now the pressure is on to try and get those last time outings in.

We have a mixture of feelings at this time. Happy to be going home but also sad to be leaving the friends we have made and the experiences we have had.

Still we have a life back in Oz too. It will be great for us to see our family there and to meet our new grandchildren as well as sizing up the older ones! LOL!

Happy New Year!

Mon, 22 Jan 2007 22:04:00 -0600

I have been so busy that I haven't had a chance to get this year's blogging up and running until now. I was a bit sad that I didn't have the chance to watch the Sydney Harbour fireworks. I believe it was spectacular, as usual.

We are coming to the last few months of living in Canada now and it is an interesting experience. I find that I am trying to finish things in my head in preparation for the move and looking ahead to the things that will be happening in Australia once we return. Like the National Home Ed conference. I think it will be great for Aussie homeschoolers to have a chance of having a big roving conference like this. I think it will be good for helping us as a community to have a bit of soliarity on a nationwide level. Perhaps too, we can consider ways that we can lobby for fairer regulations across the board for homeschooling families. It will be interesting to see the impact this has.

So Happy New Year to you all! I hope 2007 is a good year for you all.