Who am I? I am
- Introverted
- Detail-oriented
- Usually the quietest one at a party, talking only to people I know
- Easily drawn into a book, movie, or song
- A leader/dictator (depend on who you ask)
- Melodramatic/passionate
- Easily distracted when studying
- Hugely imaginative
- Earnest and conscientious to the nth degree
- The kind of person who loves doing things for people to make them happy
I started this blog as "The Different Homeschool Girl", not even sure what made me different. All I knew was that homeschooling was a part of me, it helped make me who I am. Homeschooling is still a huge part of me now; I wash it with my hair every other day, pluck it out with my eyebrows, and see the world through its eyes. For better or worse, homeschooling was not just a way to get an "education", it was (and still is, even through college) a way of life.
If there are any parents reading this who homeschool, or are considering homeschooling, I want to be sure you know that this is a big decision. Homeschooling--with all of its advantages and hang-ups--will impact your child forever. Forever. It will be a huge part, maybe the biggest part, of their childhood (and people only have one of those). It's their history. It'll be in their hair and fingernails. I'm not trying to scare anyone away--I would never trade my experiences for a public school, or probably even a private school, education. If you think that it's really not as big a deal as everyone thinks--that public, private, or homeschool, your child will somehow turn out the same in the end--think again.
It's the homeschooling effect. It gets everywhere. Take it seriously.
I have to say I disagree... Though where you get education does impact how you view your world I don't think it is the defining aspect of a kids life. I was homeschooled and attended private school, my oldest brother graduated from a private school and my other brother graduated from public. We all ended up pretty much the same, sure we all have a different way to do math and We were born on different continents. The same thing happened with my dad's family (the boys went to public & the girls went to bording school) We all ended up have the same core values and look at the world in a very simular way because we grew up together, had the same parents, took vacation, went on missions trips, and had lives outside of our schools.
ReplyDeleteI also don't think you're where you go to school determines how strong your faith is. Even within my homeschool and Christian private school circle of friends who have graduated, the majority have left the faith once they got to college.
Hmmm, nice to see that this sparked a little commenting!
ReplyDeleteI see where you're both coming from. For me, when I say that homeschooling is a defining aspect of childhood, I mean that the circumstances that homeschooling involves has a lot to do with how one grows up. For example: my parents decided to start their own contract company mainly because it was flexible enough to accommodate homeschooling. So these two things together--schooling at home and working in the family business--have been HUGE factors in my life.
I agree that someone's core--worldview, values, etc.--might not be greatly affected by just the schooling style, but the entire lifestyle that goes along with many homeschooling families (stay-at-home moms, for instance) does make a huge impression.
Hi Abby!
ReplyDeleteI definitely think for me, being a fellow Homeschooled young woman, it brought my family and I closer together and it was and still is our way of life. It's not just a Home Education, it's life, the pursuit of Knowledge, Faith and Family all intertwined together. I wouldn't trade my Home Education for the world!
I will be Homeschooling my future children because I want them all to hold dear and encompass all that I did as a young person. I want them to be firm in their faith, to know what it means to be biblically feminine or masculine, to be able to know how to take care of a Home at an early age, to be self taught individuals who strive for knowledge daily and who have strong relationships with family.
Thanks for posting this, and for dropping by my blog! =)
Blessings,
Sarah E.