Hi!
It's the doldrums of August, and even though it's not as hot as it was last summer, it's still August...and well, I just really don't enjoy it. We have all sorts of fun stuff planned for September through December...but well...it's still August.
We have 15 week days until we start school. I am not ready to start school yet, but when we do...it will be good. There is a lot for us to do and learn. I have come to a sad realization. I know one friend IRL who is homeschooling her children through high school. A couple more ladies from church have chosen to have their children privately schooled...which on principal, I have no problem with. I am glad they are paying people privately to educate their children. Sadly...quite a few families from our church who used to homeschool their children have decided that at the high school level the government will do a better job than them (and if they don't...apparently they don't care, as long as they have their precious freedom to see and be seen...after all....actually I'm not sure what should come after after all....Sigh....) . Why?
Why do parents who start the long journey of homeschooling suddenly stop? I've noticed anecdotally that it seems that it is those Moms who are involved in coops and like to be *seen* when their children are younger give it up when the children become teens. Shrug. I've never been a big home school coop type Mom. Just not my style. There's nothing *wrong* with it for most people, but just like some people prefer rum raisin ice cream to mint chocolate chip ice cream, some people just *like* coops. (Of course, bad taste is not illegal......) I'm just thinking out loud here, as I get ready to start the school year for 6 children, a pre-schooler, a toddler (the 2 of them are only about 6-12 months apart developmentally, which in a school room type setting would put them in the same classroom) as well as a baby. No helping my husband designing Tuscan homes or a 4,000+ dream home for me and my husband and 1 teenage child (the other 3 are out of the house) while gallivanting around shopping at Home Goods for me...no....I'm planning on getting up at 5:30 and spending time with the Lord, my baby, exercising and showering so that we can get our school day (or office hours as I like to say) around 8:30....
I think my problem is that I'm wishing for more support. I do not ever doubt my calling....what frustrates/bewilders/perplexes me is the arrogance of Christian women who believe they have attained Proverbs 31 status when they've farmed their requisite number of children (remember, children are blessings, but we must sterilize/break/mutilate ourselves so that we don't receive any more of those so-called-blessings) out to public school and then they have their illegal-alien-employing-*Christian* cleaning company cleaning their homes (wow...they really must be Proverbs 31 women...they have servants...sigh...) while they attend retreat after retreat after retreat to be refreshed and honored for what...they're not cleaning...they're not raising their children, they're not living sacrificially....what are they doing? And this, my dear reader, is what the Christian church holds up as the example of a perfect mother. Never mind that behind the scenes their children are brats or their high schoolers are sleeping around and doing drugs and bragging about it on their Facebook pages....their parents are able to tap into government extorted upon threat of losing your home tax funds to pay for their beloved's education so they can go about and *save the world* and if we're really a devoted Mom, maybe we'll even belong to Moms in Touch (which just makes me positively gag.....).
I wish people would really own what they do. I hate euphemisms. I am able to articulately defend and define every aspect of my world view (I love my neighbor as myself...I don't ask anyone to do what I myself am unwilling to do...the Golden rule...is it really that hard to understand?)...but the vast majority of people are not. I started a FaceBook page. I don't have too many friends...I don't post status updates...but I do like reading people's profiles...it shows what is nearest and dearest to their hearts. Sadly...most people are just lame. And here's the kicker, folks. I want to like you. I want to respect you. I want to...really....but seriously....it is so difficult for me to be *light-hearted* and *shallow*. I try. And, if I'm a deep friend with you, then maybe we can discuss frugality or recipes or homeschool curriculum once in a while....but that's only because we have a deep foundation to begin with. I know we're in a battle. And I know it's not against flesh and blood. But, Lord, help me...I just don't understand most people and their unwillingness to not be lame. I don't understand women who think it's *oh, so hard* with 2 or 3...but hey, if you ever have a problem with raising 9 (or 8 or 7 or 6).....your problem is you have too many children. Well, hey, if that's my problem...then there should be no problem with that many fewer children....
So...don't be lame. Don't be a hypocrite. Think well. Act well. Live within your means. Love your children. Read to them.
All examples quote above are based on real people I know and have seen their Facebook pages. I am not making this stuff up.
We have 15 week days until we start school. I am not ready to start school yet, but when we do...it will be good. There is a lot for us to do and learn. I have come to a sad realization. I know one friend IRL who is homeschooling her children through high school. A couple more ladies from church have chosen to have their children privately schooled...which on principal, I have no problem with. I am glad they are paying people privately to educate their children. Sadly...quite a few families from our church who used to homeschool their children have decided that at the high school level the government will do a better job than them (and if they don't...apparently they don't care, as long as they have their precious freedom to see and be seen...after all....actually I'm not sure what should come after after all....Sigh....) . Why?
Why do parents who start the long journey of homeschooling suddenly stop? I've noticed anecdotally that it seems that it is those Moms who are involved in coops and like to be *seen* when their children are younger give it up when the children become teens. Shrug. I've never been a big home school coop type Mom. Just not my style. There's nothing *wrong* with it for most people, but just like some people prefer rum raisin ice cream to mint chocolate chip ice cream, some people just *like* coops. (Of course, bad taste is not illegal......) I'm just thinking out loud here, as I get ready to start the school year for 6 children, a pre-schooler, a toddler (the 2 of them are only about 6-12 months apart developmentally, which in a school room type setting would put them in the same classroom) as well as a baby. No helping my husband designing Tuscan homes or a 4,000+ dream home for me and my husband and 1 teenage child (the other 3 are out of the house) while gallivanting around shopping at Home Goods for me...no....I'm planning on getting up at 5:30 and spending time with the Lord, my baby, exercising and showering so that we can get our school day (or office hours as I like to say) around 8:30....
I think my problem is that I'm wishing for more support. I do not ever doubt my calling....what frustrates/bewilders/perplexes me is the arrogance of Christian women who believe they have attained Proverbs 31 status when they've farmed their requisite number of children (remember, children are blessings, but we must sterilize/break/mutilate ourselves so that we don't receive any more of those so-called-blessings) out to public school and then they have their illegal-alien-employing-*Christian* cleaning company cleaning their homes (wow...they really must be Proverbs 31 women...they have servants...sigh...) while they attend retreat after retreat after retreat to be refreshed and honored for what...they're not cleaning...they're not raising their children, they're not living sacrificially....what are they doing? And this, my dear reader, is what the Christian church holds up as the example of a perfect mother. Never mind that behind the scenes their children are brats or their high schoolers are sleeping around and doing drugs and bragging about it on their Facebook pages....their parents are able to tap into government extorted upon threat of losing your home tax funds to pay for their beloved's education so they can go about and *save the world* and if we're really a devoted Mom, maybe we'll even belong to Moms in Touch (which just makes me positively gag.....).
I wish people would really own what they do. I hate euphemisms. I am able to articulately defend and define every aspect of my world view (I love my neighbor as myself...I don't ask anyone to do what I myself am unwilling to do...the Golden rule...is it really that hard to understand?)...but the vast majority of people are not. I started a FaceBook page. I don't have too many friends...I don't post status updates...but I do like reading people's profiles...it shows what is nearest and dearest to their hearts. Sadly...most people are just lame. And here's the kicker, folks. I want to like you. I want to respect you. I want to...really....but seriously....it is so difficult for me to be *light-hearted* and *shallow*. I try. And, if I'm a deep friend with you, then maybe we can discuss frugality or recipes or homeschool curriculum once in a while....but that's only because we have a deep foundation to begin with. I know we're in a battle. And I know it's not against flesh and blood. But, Lord, help me...I just don't understand most people and their unwillingness to not be lame. I don't understand women who think it's *oh, so hard* with 2 or 3...but hey, if you ever have a problem with raising 9 (or 8 or 7 or 6).....your problem is you have too many children. Well, hey, if that's my problem...then there should be no problem with that many fewer children....
So...don't be lame. Don't be a hypocrite. Think well. Act well. Live within your means. Love your children. Read to them.
All examples quote above are based on real people I know and have seen their Facebook pages. I am not making this stuff up.
posted by Lisa aka Mombley | 4:52 PM
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