This
is our third year homeschooling and over the years, I've discovered
there are a few predictable responses when people find out we
homeschool. The reactions vary from laughable to annoying to
downright offensive. One thing seems certain though. Everyone
appears to have an opinion on the subject and they usually want to
share it with me.
One
we hear often is “Wow, that's great. I have so much respect for
you. You must have so much patience.” Now, I appreciate your
respect, I really do. But patience? Nope, not really. I don't have
any more patience than any other teacher would have, or a bus driver,
or the receptionist that has to answer stupid questions all day, or
the police officer that has heard the same excuse a thousand times.
I'm not extra patient, but when you are doing what God has instructed
you to do, you will find that you are able to do what is needed.
People sometimes respond with some form of “Wow, I could never do
that!” That's ok. I probably wouldn't want to do your job either.
I try to refrain from saying that though, because it sounds kind of
snotty. I mean seriously, you do THAT all day? All week long? Ugh!
Often
we are asked why we took our kids out of school. We have been asked
if we hate public school or if we are trying to keep our kids from
all bad influences. No, we don't hate schools. Yes, we do hate some
of the things that go on there. No, we are under no delusion that we
can prevent all bad influences, but yes, we do want to keep as many
away from our kids as we can. Don't you? I mean, who wants their
kids exposed to bad influences. I want to ask this questioner if
they are even listening to themselves. I also try to keep my kids
from drinking bleach. Call me weird.
Then
there are the testers we meet. These are the people who want to quiz
my kids to see if they are “smart” because they are
home-schooled. This is so odd. I never see them doing this to
traditionally schooled kids, but they feel right at ease quizzing my
kids on random facts to see what they are learning. This goes along
with the belief that if a home-schooled kid isn't brilliant, the
parent must be failing at teaching. Or if they are shy, or
overactive, or withdrawn, or talkative, etc, it must be because they
are not socialized at school. Yet when I look at traditionally
schooled kids, you know what I see? Kids that are really smart, or
not so much, or average. Kids that are shy, or bold, or talkative,
or withdrawn, or overactive. Kids are unique and individual,
regardless of where or how they are schooled.
Finally,
there are people who think we keep our kids home so we can
indoctrinate them with our religion. This is only half true. I
absolutely intend to indoctrinate my kids with Christian teachings.
Absolutely! But I did this when they were in school too. And the
Bible instructs us to do so. Train up a child in the way he should
go......sound familiar? Every Christian is responsible for the
spiritual instruction of their kids, and if you leave it up to
someone else, whether church, school, preacher, teacher, or other,
you are failing in that responsibility.
These
reactions to homeschooling are things I've had to get used to. But
they parallel reactions we Christians get from the outside world.
There are people who consider it child abuse to teach kids about
religion and believe that we should let them make up their own minds when
they are adults. There are people who will quiz you on Bible facts
to see if you know it all. There are people who think we are hiding
from the real world inside our churches. There are people who claim
they respect the way we live but think they could never live up to
the church standards (another whole devotional right there, so I
won't even address it.) There are people who look at our personality
and decide it is because we are “church people” that we
are....whatever personality trait they are against. There are people
who think we must have it all together or never have problems because
we have Jesus. Yeah, I wish! Some of the reactions from
non-believers come from genuine curiosity or respect. Some from
fear, hate, or prejudice. Some is a push back against the
convictions they themselves are feeling when in our presence, which
comes not from our behavior but from the Holy Spirit working on them.
Here's
the take-away. I homeschool because it's what's best for my family.
I don't judge you on the way you school your kids. Let's just
respect and support one another, ok? I am a Christian. I don't
judge you for not being one, if you aren't. Once upon a time, I
wasn't one either. Let's just respect and support one another
however we can, ok? I will tell you about how Jesus has changed my
life though, because it's awesome. Or, if you are a Christian, I am
not here to criticize your walk and I'd appreciate it if you
refrained from doing so to me. I have stumbles and struggles too.
Let's help lift each other up, ok? We have gotten so busy putting
people into categories that we have lost Jesus' mission....to make
disciples, to glorify God, to care for the needy, and to LOVE. Let's
get back to it.
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