Robin Clevenger

> From: SandraDodd@...
> Unschooling is a threat to people who are "making their children do work"
and
> telling them YES you have to do this or you'll never learn to read (or
> whatever). Then the unschoolers cruise by laughing about what they just
> learned (by reading or not) and eventually read just fine, which pretty
much
> makes the structured parents look like liars and bullies.
>
> It can't be helped, and we regularly have to bear the fallout of the angry
> frustration of people who WANT us to torment our children just so they
will
> feel better about their own decision to do so.


That reminds me of a time at the local gymnastics place. Our homeschool
group has a time set aside for us to play there on the gymnastics stuff, but
there used to be a school group there before us. When it was time to go,
they blow whistles and line the kids up and stuff. Well, one day this kid
was just melting down, about 6 years old. He was yelling "I *hate* having to
do what you say! I *hate* going back to school", etc. and the teacher looked
at all of us adults standing there and must've thought we would be allies.
He started telling the kid "Well, you just have to do this. That's the way
it is." and he stated "All kids have to do this." and he looked at me and
said "Isn't that right?" as if I would back him up. I just said "Don't look
at any of us, our kids are homeschooling." Boy did he look frustrated. It
*is* sad that so many kids have to deal with the lies that this stuff is
necessary.

Blue Skies,
-Robin-

Kelly Lenhart

> he stated "All kids have to do this." and he looked at me and
> said "Isn't that right?" as if I would back him up. I just
said "Don't look
> at any of us, our kids are homeschooling." Boy did he look
frustrated. It
> *is* sad that so many kids have to deal with the lies that this
stuff is
> necessary.
>
> Blue Skies,
> -Robin-

LOL!!!

That is just too funny.

One of the nicest things I'm finding about homeschooling is
the "Heck, we can always do it tomorrow" change in life attitude.
Ok, that does explain why the pile of laundry is as tall as the seven
year old, but....we are all so much more relaxed.

Kelly

[email protected]

In a message dated 4/21/03 7:45:54 AM, diamondair@... writes:

<< the teacher looked

at all of us adults standing there and must've thought we would be allies.

. . . . as if I would back him up. I just said "Don't look

at any of us, our kids are homeschooling." Boy did he look frustrated. >>

That's happened with me, but with my own kids, not others. The biggest was
the karate teacher, when Kirby was little, one day saying "Well just like
school, sometimes you have to..." and I was shrugging and shaking my head
slowly behind Kirby's back where the teacher could see me. Kirby was looking
blankly at him. So seeing that regular example didn't apply, he started
another trail, and said "But even with homeschooling, you have to be prepared
for tests and..." and I'm shaking my head behind the kid again.

He didn't have any leverage whatsoever in using "this is just another of the
many things you HAVE to do."

So he had to figure out how to inspire Kirby with REAL reasons! (And he did,
and Kirby's still at that school and really liking it.)

Sandra