When It's Good To Be A Homeschooler

There are times, and many of them, that I question why I home school and still keep on homeschooling. Then something comes along and slaps you in the face and brings you back to reality. Like what is about to happen in our little part of the universe.

Come fall, when many of us are looking forward to the new school supply smell, and you know what I am talking about. Crayons, freshly sharpened pencils, glue, construction paper, and the list goes on. Well for three schools in my county there will be no doors opening next year. I know one of them for sure is an elementary close to where I live. And I do not know what the other two schools are. But suffice it to say things are about to get a whole lot tougher. When my children left the public school system, there were anywhere from 30-35 children per classroom. And this big surge came after so many children were kept back due to the F-Cat.


So now what? How many more portables can a school hold on their grounds. Now the school district is saying that classrooms will not be over-crowded, but I find that hard to believe.


There is to be a town meeting on the 31st. So folks can vent their grievances. But to what end? The article in the newspaper said that the counties mind was not made up as of yet as to how they were going to handle this situation. Again, I find that hard to swallow.


What is our children's education worth. How many cut backs do we need to enforce to get them the education they deserve?


Do we cut out sports? How about all of thee arts? Or how about only cutting the sports that do not offer college scholarships? (That was one suggestion made in an Email form form one parent on how to help with the crisis). Where do you draw the line or even start the line. And who will win or lose in this fight over thee almighty dollar. Children will be made to go to the back of the line, in life is what I am referring to.


It starts with taking away a few of the elective classes, such as art, music. Then we climb to the higher grades and then it is the debate team, chorus, the French Club and so on. But to what end, why cut education. Ahhh, that's right, rt and music and sports is not education in thee eyes of some people. Let me be the first to tell you that that is so far off base, I could not even begin to describe it.


Let me take my cooking class for example. these kids are like little sponges. Whether they are learning and remembering things I have taught them or they are getting it from mom or the Food Network, they are learning something. And all I want is for my children somewhere in their future for something I have taught them to actually click and I think that is all any teacher could ask for. It's when they are cooking dinner for thier friends, wife, parents and they are in the kitchen and they are working with a utensil or some gadget and then the lightbulb goes on, and they say, "Hey, I learned that from The Cooking Lady." That is all I ask.


But so many children will not be able to have a chance to say that, for most more than likely home economics will be axed, so kids won't know the difference between a potato peeler and a cheese slicer.


So when someone asks me why I home school I will just whip out this post I just typed up and let them chew on it for a while.

Somewhere

I do not believe in God
I do not believe in any type of god
I do not believe that there is a higher power up there playing god
I do not believe in any sort of deity

Now that we got that out of the way I will try to explain my reasoning. And it will not only stem from this article, for there are far too many reason why I do not believe there is something up there watching us.

I was taking my daughter to her weekly youth party. And as I was stopped at a traffic light I saw a bumper sticker, and it read:

Pray, God will hear you.

Yeah, but will he listen? I do not think there is a god up here who will let certain things happen. And I am talking mostly about those things that happen to innocent children. What child asks to be abused? Whether it be physically, sexually, verbally, mentally or spiritually? No child that I could think of (or adult for that matter), but yet it happens all the time. And yet I wonder if these little creatures (in God's image) prayed at night to be delivered form the man/woman who is abusing them, what is God doing about it? Does he hear them and tell them in his own special way that he works in mysterious ways and it will all come out in the wash? Well what if the wash is this child ending up in the E.R. with a bashed in skull and dies 3 hours later...what then? Who was listening to that child when she was begging to be taken away from the bad man/woman. God? I think not.

What about all these children who are born to parents with crippling illnesses, or disabilities? Do they deserve a lifetime of nothingness? And lest we not forget the parents who will spend a lifetime of caring for these little creatures. I do not believe there is a god sitting up there playing chess with our lives, and if there is he is a sick twisted god. I cannot think of any people who deserve to be subjected to the experiences that many go through on a daily basis. Case in point, Elizabeth Fritzl. If that name does not ring a bell, let me refresh your memory. She is the woman who was locked in a basement in Austria by her father and also bore 7 of his children. (Six are still surviving, due to the death of one infant)

This man started raping his own daughter at the age of 18 and kept her in a windowless room. Three of her children never saw daylight, and the wife of the father was upstairs all the time. Where was her sense of morality, her sense of doing what was right. I might, and that is a very slim margin there, believe she did not know what was gong on if she had never seen any of the children, but 3 of the 6 children were raised upstairs by the father/grandfather and the grandmother. How do you explain them away?

What creature made in the likeness of God does that to his own flesh and blood. Did God intend for us to be made in his image, then given free will just so we can totally screw up? If so that's a God with a sick sense of humor. Give us free will but tell us what we can and cannot do? That is a fine line.

I think there are a few folks through the ages that deserve to be put to death and if you do not believe in capitol punishment, then you are probably hoping there is a here after where they will pay there dues. I for one am hoping he goes to Hell, if there is indeed one. But for the time being he will go to prison and be fed three decent meals a day, and get all thee amenities that many people do not even receive, but he will not suffer for the pain he inflicted while on this Earth.

And let's look at it from a different angle. What if he repents and begs for forgiveness for his actions, can a god really forgive for what he did over and over and over again? I may, and that is a far stretch, forgive someone who did something in a fit of rage, but to forgive someone who repeated their crimes over and over not giving a care to his victim.

And then there is the victim. How are those people supposed to function in the real world now? I would not want to be that shrink. Do you ask them to retell their life or do you help them tuck it away in a far odd part of the brain that should be kept only for traumatic incidences? Flip a coin. And now these children and probably the daughter think of their lifestyle as normal, for that is all they knew. How do you recover from a life you thought of as normal?

But, if there is a God and a Heaven and a Hell, then there is somewhere for Josef Fritzl to go and that place is Hell.

I Just Don't Get It

Call me crazy, call me old fashioned, call me a bit over protective. But I hope with all hope that my daughter listens when I talk to her about sex. Yep, you heard right, I am talking about the Big "S" word. Something that was never discussed with me. And that is a distress. For I wish someone would have been as open with me about this very delicate subject as I am with my daughter.

Knowledge is power.


I look at the homes that these kids who become pregnant teens and wonder what is going on in their home. In the case of Bristol Palin, it's as if they are glorifying teenage pregnancy. I could give a few other examples, such as Jamie Spears and I am guessing there are others. But suffice it to say, I am against teenage pregnancy.

We have always talked 'with' our daughter about things concerning life, never to her, and there is a huge difference. I have been in many a home where the parents talk to their children to them as if they are children. And if it is our job to guide them in the direction of adulthood, then by talking with them and not to them, you are solidifying that you now see them as a near equal. Of course I tailor the conversation to their level, but I do not talk down to her. It would benefit no one.

Then there is thee ever popular statement for those who do get pregnant all the same from those of the old school mentality that..."Well he did the right thing." For whom? Let's put things into perspective here. Nine point nine times out of ten the couple in question are rarely if ever in love and it is more a case of being in lust, hence the unwanted pregnancy. For I cannot see the young couple being ecstatic over a pregnancy that was no where in their future. Especially when they are usually planning prom, graduation and a slew of other things, but definitely not a pregnancy, hence the word 'unwanted'.

So, some of the young stallions go off and marry her even though there is not an ounce of love between them, but he is 'doing the right thing'. To what end? To give the child a name? To give him a stable relationship to grow under? I think not. Half of all supposed planned marriages end in divorce. Why? Because so many are not willing to go that extra step in doing what it takes to make it work, and that extra step is sacrifice. People do not want to change, bend, or give up what they had before. Well hello folks, you get married because you want a change. But people say it all the time, "I ain't' changing, let him/her change." Well it takes two to Tango so crap or get off the pot people.

Then they bring in the other equation...a child, and then all hell breaks loose. The child is thrown into day care, so some other shclep can raise their child so they can still both work jobs to keep them in step with the Jones'. When I had to work back in Miami and my little one was still at home, my husband and I maneuvered our schedules so that my mother-in-law would be watching our children a little as possible. He worked two 40 hour jobs, I held down a 40 hour job myself and my husband and I rarely if ever saw one another for about 2 years. Why? Because it was not my mother -in-laws responsibility to raise our children. So we did what...oh yeah, sacrificed. I have seen children dumped at a babysitters home so much that the child sees the sitter as their mother instead of the birth mother. Ya think?

I am also a firm believer of girls not becoming Betty Crocker (Ready to spread frosting). Ever hear of keeping your legs closed? Didn't the parents of these girls tell them that Johnny, Billy, Bobby, Paul and who ever else you can think of will sell you any line he knows you want to hear just to get you to let him in? I have again, told my daughter that sex is a wonderful thing, as long it is with someone you love. It is not one of thee easiest topics for the two of us to discuss, but better from me than form some wise-ass Casanova who will definitely love her and leave her. They, meaning the boys (notice I did not say men) are in it for the sex, women are in it for the love. And yes we are looking for the Harlequin Romance novel style romance. It is rarely out there.

A friend of mine, no more like an acquaintance, nope, actually someone we just tolerate, once told me that there were some movies that depicted premarital/teenage sex in a good light. This person has a son. It is an entirely different ball game when you have a daughter. What good comes of teenage sex? Could someone tell me, for I do not know thee answer. It isn't going to get your daughter accepted, unless you are talking about thee entire football team.

And on the more common chance she does get pregnant, there are movies and shows that are showing as if it is something to be glorified. The new show, My Life as a Pregnant Teenager (hope I got the title correct) shows this girl in an upper middle class family. Come on. How many pregnant teens do any of you know that came from upper middle class? I do not know of any...at all. That is just my point. These girls are being shown as if it is all cutesy tootsy to get pregnant. And that their lives will get right back to normal. WHAT? Who fed them that line of utter crap. That is unless you are dumping junior or juniorette on mom and dads doorstep all the time so you can still go out and party and get this...get some sleep. Yep, you heard right. My sister-in-law left her nearly 2 year old son with her/my mother-in-law (who is kissing 70) just so my 23 year old sister-in-law could get some sleep. Hello, is that not a prerequisite to being a parent, losing sleep. We all did it, but obviously she needs her sleep. And oh yes, she is unemployed. Someone hit me with a stupid stick for I do not get it.

They are willing to sleep around but not deal with the responsibilities that go with their hopping in the sack.

This is why I am an advocate of pro-choice. I do not believe that children should be brought into this world unless they are wanted and into a loving family that wants them here and will do whatever it takes to see to their well being. And there are way too many kids out there having kids just because it is now the cool thing to do. Give me a break. Grow up!

Things To Remember

I rarely if ever deal with chain Emails. they are, for the most part a waste of time. But I received one recently and scoured over it and read all the way through it , which is uncommon for me. But it wasn't the Email that hooked me so much as the final part of what had been sent.

This Email was from one of the survivors of the recent plane crash in the Hudson River in New York. We all know we should be grateful for what we have, but in all honesty we get slack in our thanks. Recently, (in the last few years) I have been thrown a few curve balls in the way of my health (via an accident), but all the same, my health was called into question.

And every now and then we are jolted into realizing just how precious life is, and that we all have a number. I can only imagine being any number of those who walked off that plane the day of the crash. And here are some of the things one of those people took away with them.

1. Cherish your families as never before and go to great lengths to keep your promises.


2. Be thankful and grateful for everything you have and don't worry about the things you don't have.

3. Keep in shape. You never know when you'll be called upon to save your own life, or help someone else save theirs.

4. When you fly, wear practical clothing. You never know when you'll end up in an emergency or on an icy wing in flip flops and pajamas and of absolutely no use to yourself or anyone else.

I myself had to rethink some things due to these statements (minus the flying part, for I rarely fly and 'always' wear practical clothing).

I try not to make promises, for then you look like a failure. So I usually say I will try, and that lets me off the hook.

Keeping in shape is not a problem. I have always kept a somewhat ideal weight (not those outrageous numbers the American Medical Association tells you you should be) and am glad to say this did not pertain to me. I had seen my mother get heavier as the years rolled on and she has used every excuse in the world except for taking responsibility for her own actions. I did not want to be that person...and I am not. That is not to say that I am fit enough to save someone else's life, but I am a sure sight better off than many out there. I love helping others and if dragging someone to safety is my destiny in life, then I want to be ready. Are you?

She Fawted

Well this is most likely going to be one of those stories that is funnier if you were there, but here goes.

My daughter has a new interest in her life, and it ain't a new puppy. So thee other day Mr. Interested came over so she could let him watch the first installment of X-Men. this poor lad has yet to see any of them (freak that he is), so Savanah asked if he could come over and hang out to see the first movie. I was home, dad was home (gulp) so all was cool.

The movie was going grandly, I was surfing the web (mom never being unable to see junior) so I would scoot to see the movie then do something in the kitchen. Dad was at his parents, but had come home. So all four of us were sitting in the living room watching the movie.

We bring in our 55 pound pit-bull mix, /she does the usual meet and greet then plops herself down squarely on the carpet in the TV Room. All is well until we hear this very loud Faaaaaarrrrrrtttt!

All four of us cracked up. the dog never missed a beat and she could have cared less who was watching or listening. She did what she had to do and was done with it. Us, on the other hand could not believe what she had done. And just what had she done. A very natural act, to a dog at least, but to us, it is a sign of being ill-mannered. Well then I guess our home is the top of the line when to comes to being ill mannered. At least among our own family that is.

We, meaning the four that live here (5 if you count stinky...I mean Tippy) are all comfortable with our, how would you call it? Our ability to alleviate our bodies of extra hot air. And yet, if the dog does one of thee most natural acts in the world, we all blush and carry on like a house full of hens with a fox running loose.

We actually have dinner table discussions about this topic. If you can't be comfortable with your own family talking about this, who can you be comfortable around. Needless to say it made for an interesting story, and obviously one worth enough to blog about.