Lately I've been thinking a lot more about how I want to educate my kids someday (like, when I actually have kids ;) Today confirmed, yet again, that I want to homeschool. Sky came home from his first week of kindergarten with homework. He has work every single night of the week and on weekends. And he's four years old. Did I mention that he's only in KINDERGARTEN? Why can't a kid just be a kid? And why can't a boy just come home after a long day of sitting still and paying attention and just be a boy?! Why can't he get off the school bus and run around the house playing with his dog, play outside in the dirt, eat a snack to refuel and then play some more? Why does society want kids to grow up so fast? I read an article last week about girls hitting puberty earlier than ever. That was a really scary time for me. I was extremely self conscious. I can't imagine being any younger than I was and going through that change. I was already one of the last girls in my class to go through it. I know that I can't barricade my children in the house and never let them interact with anyone else for fear they might learn something inappropriate. My fear is to have "socially awkward" kids. I just want them to have a Biblical worldview, a strong sense of self worth, strong academic skills, a well-rounded education, and the opportunity to BE A KID! Is that too much to ask for?
I feel bad for the families whose evenings are hurried trying to shove supper down their throats, cram in a few pages of busy work, and get to bed at a decent hour after working all day at the office. There is scarcely a free moment for quality time together as a family. My mother in law has been overwhelmed each evening ever since Sky started school. And he's only been going for four days! She barely has enough time to help Sky with homework, feed him supper, bathe him and then it's time for bed (the family goes to bed very early since they must get up around 3 a.m. for work). This type of schedule would wear me out as an adult, so I can't imagine what it feels like for a child.
I'm sure I'll get some grief along the way for choosing the homeschool path for my family in the future, but after seeing what the traditional school schedule does to other families, I want something better for my family. I want to spend lots of quality time together and give my kids time to just be kids. We seem to have lost that somehow as a culture, but I digress.
I totally agree with you! I was homeschooled myself, so I know first-hand of all the benefits of homeschooling.
ReplyDeleteAs long as you let them get together with kids there own age, they won't be socially awkward at all. My mom was always getting us together with friends, we saw other kids at our church, and we had a weekly CBS program that we were involved in that provided socializing too. Kids don't have to be with other kids their age all day every day to learn adequate social skills - in fact, I think being with other kids their same age all day every day sometimes handicaps them socially by making them feel awkward around people who are older and younger than them. Being homeschooled, I felt that my siblings and I became friends with not only kids our own age but also alot of older people and younger people. The real working world isn't broken down into age groups, and learning to relate to people of all ages is an invaluable social skill, in my opinion.
Good for you for wanting to homeschool too! I'm planning on homeschooling my kids. We seem to think alot alike!
I was just thinking that I myself have been stuck in a rut of wanting to only make friends with people my same age, but that's impossible. And unrealistic. And I don't want my kids to feel that way because it would limit them so much. You can learn a lot from people, no matter what their age. We do seem to think alike!
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