“People react to their own stereotypes of homeschooling and then propose to change things so that what they fear doesn’t happen.”

People react to their own stereotypes of homeschooling and then propose to change things so that what they fear doesn’t happen.

But them with high-falutin’ ideas that bear no resemblance to reality have never experienced projectile pooping or counseled their own teenager about sex or watched their son get picked up by their Army recruiter and say good-bye as they went to boot camp during a time of war.

So I wonder about those who would assume that a parent who chooses home education does so because they wish to have unlimited opportunities to abuse and brainwash their kids so that they can’t function in society- what kind of parents did they have? And what kind of parents will they be?

If you look at the other posts they’re all just as raunchy and etc. So, I wouldn’t waste time being offended. *shrug*

And it’s so true, sunniemom, that the mouthiest critics of thinking parents aren’t Thinking Parents themselves (rarely are they parents at all.)

I remember when Rob Reich first showed up at NHEN reciting his lofty theoretical philosophy of “ethical servility” as if it had any practical meaning to real home education as we were living it.

This point finally occurred to some of us, that he just didn’t get what we were saying at all and so maybe he wasn’t an experienced parent himself. Sure enough, he had just become a dad for the first time, probably still a bit shell-shocked and maybe he was trying too hard to maintain his academic superiority against all that messy, crazy real life! I’ve wondered more than once since then, if his academic insulation eventually was pierced by parenthood, if his mind and heart were gradually changed as profoundly as my life experiences have led me to predict –

Oh, what a lofty and noble goal.

You know what- it doesn’t matter what you do. If the kids do chores, you are exploiting them. If you don’t have them do chores, you are spoiling them. If you come to their defense, you are over-protective, and if you don’t, you are neglectful. If you let them ride their bike outside, you are risking their lives, and if you don’t, you are a helicopter parent.

I don’t give a hoot about people’s opinions of my life until they try to pass off their opinions as fact and base legislation on it so that it comes in my front door, sits on my couch and eats my Cheetos. What’s more is these guys haven’t grasped the fact that if legislation were ever passed to regulate folks’ private lives, that THEY also would lose THEIR freedom to be weird and obnoxious?

As pious as this is going to sound, I am going to say it anyway- the problem with many young folks is that they haven’t yet had enough life experience to follow a train of thought all the way to the caboose. They are so enamored of the sound of their voice that they don’t consider what they are saying.

Which of course is ridiculous on both counts.

In the end, the only real defense is to just continue doing what we’re doing and keep proving the nay sayers wrong.