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Monday, February 16, 2009

Soapbox

Ah, this is what happens when someone gets me on my soap box. I don't even have to be mad, I just happen to be obsessed passionate about certain things.

I have been reading Devin's blog, for a little while now. She posted about her son's schooling, and I commented. I invited her that if she had any questions, to please let me know. She emailed me the following questions:

Shaina,

Thank you so much for offering to help! I promise....if I have any questions, I will send them your way!

On that note...how do YOU feel about being homeschooled? Did you feel like you were cheated out of a "normal" school experience? Did you miss the "socialization" that everyone talks about homeschoolers not having (I do know this isn't the case...but I am wondering your thoughts)? I would love to have your input...whenever you aren't too busy!

p.s. Your not me Monday was hilarious today....the bloody nose...that's one for the books, I'll tell you! *hee hee*


So, I sat down to give her an extraordinarily long compact answer to her questions. I thought they would be interesting to post here as well. I am more than willing to answer any questions anyone may have after reading this! :)

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I'm very, very pro-home schooling. My parents did it for religious reasons as well as educational. I grew up in a large (well, semi-large) home schooling group. I had a best friend exactly my age and exactly my grade, as well as several other people older and younger than me (mostly younger). The support group was mainly for the parents, discussing curriculum and new laws and field trip opportunities, but it also allowed that oh so important "socialization."

I was also (deep breath here, its a long list) in youth group, girl scouts, gymnastics, soccer, piano lessons, choir (80 miles away mind you, my parents loved me), 4H, and I'm sure there was more. I lived beside my grandparents, and went to craft shows with my mom and grandmother several times a year. I won awards through 4H that no one else in our entire county (public school included) won. I participated in cooking programs through the 4H. My parents signed me up and paid hundreds of dollars a year (I feel guilty now, although I didn't at the time...) and drove 3 hours a week to take me to Lexington, KY so I could be in choir for 5 whole years. I went to 4H camp, church camp, a camp here at Kentucky Christian University (which is the sole reason I attend here) along with a ton more.

I went to public school my Junior year of high school. My sophomore year I took classes at the High School, band, choir and drama. I felt like I wasn't as "smart" as the public school kids, and that I wasn't learning as much. Also, my grandfather passed away my sophomore year of high school, and I needed an escape, a different way of life. So, my mom let me sign up for public school at a small independent high school, that my best friend (and my boyfriend/now husband) went to.

I hated it. I was so, so, so, so, so bored. The immaturity of the people around me drove me CRAZY. I had already been to prom (that school has you go to prom all 4 years, I graduated with 20 something students) and wasn't really missing anything. I stuck it out my Junior year because of different trips and stuff. Also, if you were a high school student, you got to take free college classes, which I was very excited about.

I had no intention of going back my senior year, except that in May of 2004 my grandmother was diagnosed with lung cancer. By the end of the summer she was completely debilitated She had a very rare condition where her nervous system reacted badly to the chemo, and by the end of July, she couldn't walk or feed herself. My mother, who is a RN began taking care of her, along with my step-grandfather. I went back to public school my senior year to stay out of my mom's hair and to be able to take the college courses. I worked it out so that I went to class for the first half of the day, and then either came home to "co-op" at Mom's quilt shop, or went to college classes, depending on the day. I kept up the entire house, I did laundry, cooked, did dishes, vacuumed, everything. Mom as spending 20-24 hours a day next door at Mamaw's, and someone had to keep the house running.

My senior year, I had over 130 tardies or absenses due mainly to my Grama. I live in a very small town, and I could call in the school and be like "Mamaw's having a bad day" and the principal (who had been my band direction Sophomore and Junior year) would sign me in, and I still passed all my classes with A's (excluding Spanish, which we won't discuss the two C's I received in that class, grrr...) and got an A and a B in my college classes. I went to prom, and I went on JR/SR trip. I received a full tuition scholarship to Eastern Kentucky University, along with a variety of other scholarships.

In conclusion, when I was in junior high, I felt like I was such a deprived child. I wanted to go to a "real school." But, looking bad... I wouldn't change it. I got the best education and I was a very unmotivated student. The best part? My mom is my best friend, and was all throughout high school. I never had the trust issues that my friends had, because my Mom and I were so close. I have problem solving skills that no one I know (except other home schoolers) have.

My husband is kind of iffy about home schooling. In high school, we broke up over home schooling. But, he has agreed that I can "have" the children until around 5th grade. We've discussed me getting them for longer, especially considering what school district me move into. It is very, very important to me that I shelter them like I was sheltered. I wasn't as sheltered as a lot of our friends in the group, but I also didn't know what the F word was until I got to public school. I honestly don't have a problem with that. I knew about sex from my mom's romance novels, but I didn't know a lot of the crudities until I got to public school. And whats sad, is that these students learned them in grade school. I refuse for that to be my children.

I am SO SORRY this is so long! Home schooling is my soap box. I'm passionate about home school, adoption and abortion (well, and a lot of things, but those are the biggies). I hate the negative rap that home schooling gets. I hate the way people look at home schooled children as "weird" or "different". I am one of like 3 people from my graduating class who can start a conversation with any age group because I was never age segregated.

I digress.
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Hope that didn't scare anyone off TOO badly.

Also, thank you Melanie for letting me know that my comments were not working! I'm excited they are back up and running!

I'm headed off to plan a menu for dinner tomorrow, we're having a newly married couple over for dinner, and I've got to see what I can whip up.

I'm making dessert won-tons I know, anyone want to know how they turn out?

2 comments:

  1. Shaina,

    Thank you so much for telling us about your life as a child/teenager to now. I am one that would love to home-school my children when the Lord blesses us with one (or some!shh hubby doesn't need to know I'd love more than one!) When I became a Christian I met this awesome woman of God and she homeschooled all 6 kids. I enjoyed looking at her schedule and just how an amazing wife and mother she is. I love your soapbox!

    Keep it up girl and im so glad your comments are working!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. My husband was homeschooled and I went to public schools. We're definitely home schooling for elementary grades, and I want to see about the later ones, depending on my kids' personalities and learning styles - I know DH thrived as a home schooler, but DH's sister never really learned how to get out of her shell and had a horrific time making friends in college (as in, she DIDN'T, and dropped out of the college 45 minutes away from her family, so that she could move back in with her parents and go to their local school), so I want to really pray about each child and what is right for them.

    ReplyDelete

I'd love to hear your questions or comments! Please, please, PLEASE make sure your email is listed in your profile, to PLEASE provide it here so I can respond to you! If you prefer, email me at divasmomblog @ gmail dot com!