Saturday, August 19, 2006

Who's Way is the Right Way?

http://laughter4daystocome.blogspot.com/2006/08/hidden-message.html There is a wonderful discussion going on at this blog regarding homeschool vs. public school. Oh, my goodness, I keep writing and erasing because I do have some opinions (we're all entitled to them) and I don't want to hurt anyone. I could write paragraphs on what I think of the Duggar family (suffice to say I don't 'get' them). Not that I have more than about 5 readers here. But this is my blog and I get to voice my opinions here. I think homeschooling is great. I might have considered it, but things didn't work out that way. And fortunately, our school district is excellent. Nor did it work out that I would have a lot of kids. I love large families. I wish I could have had 8 or 10 kids. But when your last pregnancy is so rough that you literally have to crawl on the floor at times because you are so sick/tired/in pain--it's time to stop. When you can't afford to feed and clothe them (that wasn't me, btw--we were actually quite well off in the 80s, even though the fricking gov't took 75% that in taxes), it's time to stop. You should not have babies for the sake of having babies. You should have them because you want to, and only if you can care for them both spiritually and physically. It isn't just the physical problems that stopped me at 4. It was financial, too. Yeah, I know--you can budget. That's a whole 'nuther topic and in my case it's in the past and gone. People who truly love children should have them in abundance. But we all know there are people out there who shouldn't be near kids, let alone have ones of their own. But that really is a personal choice. The only way to stop those people from having babies makes me think a little too much of a certain fellow named Adolph. So all we can do is pray for those children and let the law step in when necessary. I need to draw this to an end, so I'll say I am SO glad I no longer have to be part of the (take your pick): homeschool/public school, large family/small family/no kids, breast/bottle, scream-it-out/take the kid into bed with you and everything else regarding the raising of children ad infinitum. That is...until my grandchildren come along...

5 comments:

Julie Julie Bo Boolie said...

The older they get the less these things seems to matter to me.

I don't care how you school them.. just school them. I don't care how you feed them .. just feed them.

Why do we need to judge other families and other ways of parenting constantly? What happened to supporting and trying to understand each other?

Very frustrating it is...

Mom2fur said...

It sure is, Julie!

Amy said...

Amen, sister!

I totally understand where you are coming from. It is hard to be judged for what you are or are not doing with your children.

I will not homeschool. Ever. Personal choice, just not me! I am not a teacher and I believe that school is what you make it to be. I went to public school and came out fine- my children will too. It is truly the parents who make or break the school experience for their children. I will be involved, I will be in their classrooms, I will know the teachers, I will be part of the decisions- that is why I feel that my children will survive the public school experience. Just because I chose not to homeschool does not mean that I can't be part of the schooling process.

I do admire the discipline in people who make this choice. Admire it, but won't do it ;) My role is mommy- not teacher here. All the power to the sisters who do it though!

Amanda said...

I agree with what has been said. If I had more patience maybe I would think about homeshooling. I admire those that do, but they in no way have the right to judge the rest of us that don't.

Being a mom is hard enough without having to deal with being judged, looked down on, and belittled for how you do or don't raise your children.

Gina Conroy said...

Enjoy the time "between" these raising little kids!