Home Schooled

Let me tell you a little story.  Once we were at dinner with some of my parents childhood friends.  For some reason, we had to have separate tables where I think Sydney and I were with some others who knew us as kids but didn't know us as adults.  We were having some nice conversation.

When out of nowhere one of them said to us, "You guys are so normal.  I mean you can actually carry on a conversation."  He sounded like he was in shock.

Umm, thank you, I guess.

"I mean every other homeschooler I've met is socially awkward and seems like they can't get on in the world.  You were home schooled??"

Ha Ha  Kicking homeschooler stereotypes one normal conversation at a time. That's how we do.

Yes, we were home schooled.  Gasp. I'm not just talking High School.  I'm talking K-12.  Never experienced those school hallways or musky classrooms.  I have no idea if they are musky, since I've never been in one.  They just look like they would be and maybe a little smelly depending on what grade you are in with some of those kids who haven't been taught what deodorant is yet.  But what do I know, really?  All I know about it is from movies and books.  I interpreted in the schools for a brief time period.  I got an idea of what it was all about.  I wasn't impressed.

Our mom was our teacher.  You know what?  She was pretty good.  We'll keep her.  We could sleep in and wear our pajamas all day if we really wanted to.  We never had to do schoolwork all day, because we worked at our own pace and didn't have to waste anytime waiting on other students.  We could take off days we wanted to do something fun.  It was pretty sweet. 

I think we did miss out on a few things.  For example, we are hopeless at sports because we never played.  I just don't even know how to play some sports.  My dad never was a sports guy either.  Sports are not our friend.  Maybe if we were taught by some willing volunteers and practiced a lot.  Anyone?  Anyone?  Bueller?

I think we missed out on some science experiments and school projects that might have been interesting, but I never really felt deprived.  We weren't completely isolated.  We had friends.  We had different extra-curricular activities we were involved in, such as musical instruments, ice skating lessons, plays we put on with friends, etc. 

Yet, homeschooling gets such a bad wrap from all the other homeschoolers who are socially inept and cannot carry on a conversation with other human beings except for their mommies.  As well as, the
homeschoolers that don't graduate.  Then there are the overachiever homeschoolers whose test scores skyrocket above all the rest.  I don't know what our parents did right that made us turn out halfway normal and well adjusted.  If you could call us normal!

Homeschoolers?

I think they are home schooled.
Photos from Awkwardfamilyphotos.com.  Check it out.  You might be there for awhile!  

Have you seen the documentary Waiting For Superman?  It's about the school systems in the US and it left me depressed, yet thankful that my parents decided to go the home school route.  It was a good informative movie and I would suggest you all watch it and start homeschooling your kids, if you have kids, immediately.  Nah, I know not everyone can do it.  If you can though, well just watch the film and you decide.

If we do something kind of dumb, hey we were home schooled.  If we do something really genius and innovative, hey we were home schooled.  It's a win win, I'm telling you.  Anyway, it worked okay for us and I know a bunch of others that are pretty cool too.