The Honeycomb by Ginger Truitt
Sun Times September 3, 2003
Now that school is back in full swing, those of us who teach our children at home get to answer lots of questions. Most people wouldn’t realize that we are a homeschool family if I didn’t take my kids to Wal-mart in the middle of the day. But when folks see us out during normal school hours they feel compelled to ask, “What? No school today?”
Other than a few mouthy relatives, most of the people I encounter are pretty supportive of homeschooling. Some do get a little defensive because they assume that I think they should teach their kids at home too. But homeschooling is an extremely personal decision and I would never presume to push my views on anyone. Okay, that’s not entirely true, but it’s not the purpose of this article. What I am attempting here is to answer legitimate questions I get asked on a regular basis, and to touch on some frequently heard comments. I am not trying to sway anyone to homeschool, but if you are interested, maybe this article will be helpful to you.
Here is my top ten list of the questions or comments I hear most often:
# 10-Can you even do that legally? Yes! Indiana is one of the most homeschool friendly states in the country. Hoosier parents are allowed to decide what is best for their children and proceed accordingly. Legally, I am required to keep attendance and have 180 school days a year. We rarely have to dismiss school because of the snow, so the 180 days accumulate pretty quickly!
# 9-Is this a religious thing? I wouldn’t say we received a Divine calling to homeschool, however, since we are Christians, everything in our lives takes on the flavor of “religion.” Our children are being taught scriptures and lessons that they would not get in public school and that is one reason we continue to teach at home. Plus, at home, it’s not illegal to pray.
#8-Do you have desks and a schoolroom? Yes, we do, but we don’t use them. Most of our schoolwork is done around the kitchen table. The kids seem to learn better that way and I am able to oversee their work while I am taking care of various other household chores. Occasionally, just for fun, we take our schoolbooks outside.
#7-How many hours a day does it take? This will vary from family to family according to the number of children and the method of schooling they choose. We spend about four hours a day on actual textbook learning, but I don’t consider that the extent of our homeschooling. Education continues when the kids grab a field guide and binoculars to check out a new bird in the backyard. Education continues at 2:00 a.m. when we rouse everyone out of bed to observe a meteor shower. And education continues when my eight year old boy kills a snake to protect his six year old sister, and then they lay it out on the picnic table and spend two hours dissecting it. Homeschooling really is a lifestyle and you soon find that learning does not stop when the textbooks are closed.
#6-How will your kids cope when they get in the “real world?” This question perplexes me a bit because I’m not sure what people mean by the “real” world. My husband and I live in the real world and the kids are right there with us, seeing and learning from everything we do. I suspect some folks mean, “What will happen when your kids are faced with drugs, sex and violence?” All I can say is, the only time I have ever been faced with drugs, sex or violence was when I was in school, at school related activities or with friends I met at school. I would venture a guess that most people reading this article live in the “real” world and do not get faced with these issues on a regular basis. And if they did, they’d know how to handle themselves whether or not they had ever set foot inside a traditional school.
#5-Wow! You must have a lot of patience! No, I don’t, but I am working on it!
#4-I couldn’t stand to be with my kids all day long. Let that sink in for a minute……Children come to us as clean slates and if we have screwed them up so badly that we don’t even want to be around them, then we need to evaluate where we went wrong. I humbly suggest that if you don’t want to think about spending 24/7 with your kids, (whether you homeschool or not) then maybe you need to get them disciplined. And then get to know them for the unique and wonderful individuals that they are. Seriously, if you don’t want to spend all day with your kids, think about their poor teachers!
#3-I am thinking about homeschooling, but I don’t know where to start. You could start by contacting the Indiana Association of Home Educators (IAHE) at 317- 859-1202 or www.inhomeeducators.org. They can provide you with information and a free bi-monthly magazine. They also host a huge, state-wide convention every year. Another good starting place is the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA). They can be reached at: (540) 338-5600 or www.hslda.org. You can also email me or check out my website for local support groups or for basic information.
#2-Are you worried about socialization? Actually, one woman asked if I was worried about socialism. I was fraught with sarcastic answers, so I just smiled and kept my mouth shut. Interestingly, very few people ask if I am qualified to teach the three R’s, but they wonder if I know how to make sure my kids interact appropriately with peers. To answer the question--No, I am not worried about socialization. Our children are involved in various activities, they have friends of all ages (rather than 30 kids their own age) and they have each other. In fact, they are closer to their brothers and sisters than the average child and I think this is a good thing. It is your siblings that are with you throughout your life, while it is unlikely that your best friend from 6th grade will be around to comfort you when you lose a parent or cheer for you when you land your dream job.
Along the lines of socialization, people seem to be really worried about my children missing out on the prom. May I just say, that if your high school prom still stands out as the highlight of your life, you need to get a grip! I personally could care less about it. In fact, my prom date and I skipped out after ten minutes and went next door to the truck and tractor pull. We were definitely the best dressed couple in the stadium. Although, my corsage did wilt rather quickly from all the smoke. But seriously, if my kids want to go badly enough, there is a statewide prom available to homeschoolers.
And the number one question I get asked as a homeschooler:
#1-What? No school today? Here are the top ten replies I enjoy giving when asked that question: (these are not original to me, I got them in one of those nifty little email forwards)
10. Well normally yes, but this time of year I need help with the planting and plowing.
9. Goodness, no!!! I graduated 16 years ago, but thanks for the compliment!
8. No, we homeschool. We're just out to pick up a bag of pork rinds and some Mountain Dew, then we gotta hurry home to catch our soaps.
7. What?! Where did you guys come from?! I thought I told you to stay at school! I'm sorry. This happens all the time. (sigh)
6. There isn't? Why, you'd think we'd see more kids out then, don't you?
5. We're on a field trip studying human nature's intrusive and assumptive tactics of displaying ignorance and implied superiority. Thanks for the peek!
4. On our planet we have different methods of education. (Shhh! No, I didn't give it away... keep your antennae down!)
3. Oh my goodness! I thought today was Saturday! Come on kids, hurry!
2. Nope! Me 'n Bubba jes' learns 'em at home. Werks reel good!
And the number one answer I give to the question: "What? No school today?"
1. "What? No Bingo today?"
(If anyone knows the original author of the Top Ten answers to the question “What? No, School Today?” please, let me know! )
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