Another reason to homeschool

I agree with this statement. There's no reason for kids to be hugging and kissing on each other in school. They don't really even need to see heterosexual contact at school.

But we don't simply stay out of the world because it acts like....well...the world. We have to engage with it to further the gospel. Most homeschooling families I knew growing up (mine included) liked to make quick jumps into reality and throw a "Jesus grenade" or something, and then go back under our rock. That breeds judgment and hostility from those Jesus died to save.

 

This is a good point. There is no good reason, ever, for a child to be afraid to talk to Mom and Dad about something. I grew up in a household like that and it caused a ton of problems for me.

And obviously there is an appropriate age for exposure to different facets of our society.

But if we want our children to be able to engage with the culture around them, they are going to have to be able to see worldly behaviors without wincing in those people's faces.

Part of the problem is that homosexuality is a favorite demographic for us to hate. We quarantine and separate and judge without representing the gospel faithfully.

There comes a time when children have to be trained to do this.

 

I see Gina's point. It is much different for a child to casually see from a distance same sex couples expressing themselves in public, than to being among peers doing so on a daily basis.

Yes we teach them about life and morals at home, but other than casually addressing those type of things, the morals and life choices I want to be mostly dealing with when my children are middle school age are not these.

Why they need for our children to grow up so fast. Ideally if homeschooling lets them be an innocent child for a little longer in life, I think that is a blessing, not a bad thing.

 

See, this is why your credibility is diminished on this type of discussion:

• A parent doesn't want their kid to be constantly exposed (and thus de-sensitized) to continuous homosexual behavior.
• The parent uses their wisdom, experience, and God-given intution to make the best decision for raising their kid.

And what happens?

• A BB member second-guesses the parenting decisions (it ain't your kid, and God put them in charge of the kids, not you). But most disturbing...
• We play the "hate" card. I'm so sick of seeing that. Somehow, simply because we don't want to expose and de-sensitize our kids to this behavior, we have to insinuate that "hate" is a motivation--and we have to throw out the grenade of, "You're just judging."

I have an idea: Since porn is such a part of our culture now, let's take our kids down to the local "adult bookstore," and let them hang out with the folks there. After all, it would be wrong to "quarantine and separate and judge..."

Sorry, jaigner, you're a million miles off on this one. And it's extremely presumptuous of you to play the "hate" and "judgmental" card--when youv'e simply got parents acting along the lines of what they feel God wants them to do in raising righteous kids.

 

*Sigh*

I'm not specifically calling anyone's decision into question here. Gina or whoever can make whatever decision they're led to make. But we're discussing here, and it's perfectly acceptable in the course of discussion that generalities are discussed.

Hey, I was homeschooled. It's a perfectly viable option. But I also have seen a lot of its pitfalls. Overprotecting is one of them. And then there are those who are so afraid of the world that they don't do a bit of good, and then their children get to be grownup and have to suddenly find their way in a world where things don't always look like they do in the neighborhood of make believe. I was one of them. I was turned into a judgmental, cynical, depressed individual. By God's grace alone, I was brought out of that. Some others aren't so fortunate. They crumble.

Not telling them what to do. I'm discussing.

Please read what I wrote for comprehension. I said that I don't think allowing PDA at school is acceptable. It shouldn't be allowed. I'm sure that kind of thing happens in different places, but it isn't allowed in the district where I work.

But there is a huge percentage of the homeschooling population that believes they are actually doing the right thing when they teach their children to spew their venom in the direction of all those with certain sinful lifestyles that are our favorites to hate.

You know as well as I do that Christians can be some of the most hateful people to be around. There are several of those who are on this board regularly.[/QUOTE]

That's asinine. I wouldn't want my children exposed to any of those things, but I would also want them to display loving, graceful behavior toward those caught up in such lifestyles.

 

[/QUOTE]
I'm sorry your homeschool experience wasn't the greatest, but please don't paint all of us with such a broad brush.

I'm with Gina here. I know my children, and I KNOW for a fact that observing such behavior from their peers on a day-to-day basis would be VERY detrimental to their well-being and development. There is no need for me to knowingly expose them to such, and there is no need to judge parents as overprotective or full of hate simply because they choose to protect their kids a while longer from this kind of sin.

Believe it or not, not all of us homeschoolers are living in caves, afraid to face the "real world." Frankly, I'm sick of that old stereotype and it disappoints me to see it coming from other Christians. Most of us simply want the very best for our children. Sure, there are a few nut cases out there, but the vast majority of homeschoolers I know understand and deal with the "world" as well as, or even better than, their non-homeschooled peers.

 

I didn't. Read it again.

I already said it's not appropriate for that sort of behavior, regardless of gender, in the hallways at school. Doesn't mean it won't still happen on occasion...or that they won't see it other places, though.

That's not even close to what I said. Read it again.

I've been there. I know what happens. There are good homeschoolers. Then there are those who are living in caves. Some are even living in them even though the parents don't realize it.

 

You know, I have to agree with Gina on this. (and we've disagreed on a lot here lately) Even in my district where PDA are banned and punishable by ISS or detention or whatever, I still don't want my children in middle school, even though my oldest two both attended before I knew better. My baby will never see the inside of our middle school as long as I'm the one with the say.

And you know what? I'm not dealing with boys yet with her. The eldest had her first approach made when she was in 6th grade! even though the boy was just being sweet, its not happening with the youngest. It's been much easier to redirect her attention without the constant bombardment of sexuality a child withstands in public school, even a ps like ours that bans PDA's!

My personal belief is that every middle school child in America should be homeschooled until they are half civilized again. It seems like 3/4ths of them lose any training they got in their younger years and have no impulse control whatsoever. They need more parental input durning these years. Of course, I know its not going to happen, but my children haven't missed anything by not attending public middle school.

Am I overprotective? My kids well tell you "YES! and PTL that she is". Because they've seen plenty. They have plenty of "socialization" and enough friends that they have seen firsthand what happens when no one is around who cares enough to tell a kid "hey, don't drink that", "don't have your hands all over one another". They've seen some of their friends PARENTS who do these things in front of their very confused friends and seen the havoc it causes in their lives. My children appreciate the protection I give them.

Not exposing our children to the constant sin in their peers lives, is an excellant reason in my book to homeschool and to continue homeschooling. Gina's not saying anything controversial. If your children can handle the stress on their beliefs that ps brings, then all well and good. But if I decide mine can't or even if I decide I just don't want that for my child, as I have, then I've made my decision. And its my decision to make.

 

Nobody's arguing with you on this.

But unless you're willing to personally homeschool all the kids with cruddy parents or who are so poor that homeschooling isn't an option, there will always be public schools. And there will always be people like me trying to make them better and touch a few lives.

 

This is one of the best posts yet.

You're right that environment is key for young children. But there has to be a point where they have to be secure to experience hostile environments. Proper training in engaging the world is key. They have to be well-trained, not in being leery and judgmental, but in being loving, engaging representatives of Christ's Kingdom.

Otherwise, they're going to crumble when they get into the real world and see how messy it is.

 

Gina,
I agree with you. I went to public and parochial schools. I was introduced to pornography when I was 6 from other kids at school. The culture of that environment (school) was to be competitavely "ragging" on each other. Whomever came up with the most cutting insult won. Fighting for pecking order was a daily occurance. Sex and drug jokes were common. Now I understand that certain Public Schools may not have these problems I encountered. However, not everyone is well to do. Live in good neighborhoods or in good school districts, etc... Where public schools are in problematic districts and the population of the attendees of the school represent a vulgar population. Parents may indeed want to keep their children from that environment. Public Schools depending on the area or district can act like a bucket full of crabs where anyone attempting to get out over the top are pulled down by the other crabs. Not all schools are like this and the ones that aren't may have a lot to offer however having lived in a poor section of Oakland Ca. I can personally say this environment was detrimental to my personal development and I was exposed to too many sinful things at a young age where I was still attempting to integrate my values learned practically from society and intellectually from my parents.

 

I agree with the OP view. I heard it put this way by Vodi Bachman (sp?) "If you keep sending your kids to Ceaser to be educated, don't be surprised if they come home as Romans."

 

Voddie Baucham.

Funny you should mention this, because I heard him say this in a non-homeschool related sermon just the other day.