I have had some interesting encounters recently and they have left me baffled. Our family has homeschooled our children for 16 years. It is a choice we have made very consciously, thoughtfully, prayerfully. We have felt as though this is what we have been called to do up to this point. We have reasons, some biblical and some personal. We still pay taxes to our local school district. We pay extra to live out this homeschool option. We have never forced this option on anyone. We explain things when asked, but never begin the conversation about it.
Why, then, do people feel such negative emotion towards us? It's not really towards us, but towards homeschooling in general. Why is that? I am confused about all of it. If I don't feel the need to convert people to homeschooling, why do people feel the need to try to convert me? Why the anger?
I have never felt such emotion in all my years until here...our church in particular! That is what surprises me even more. I think the interesting thing is that God allows so many options for us...but what I think HE really wants is for us to consult HIM about things. Do the folks who feel such hatred consult God? Do they just go with the flow of what our culture thinks is expected? Do they care what HE thinks?
Just confused about this lately.
4 comments:
Girl, I know how you feel. It wasn't from our church. It was from people that go to churches right around our home. They would get so angry. It was almost like they thought we were not paying our taxes or we thought we were too good for the public schools. It was wild. No matter how many times I told them that we felt God was leading us to home school for now. We eventually did enroll them in public schools BECAUSE we felt God was leading us to that decision at that time. We loved home schooling. I would do it again in a heartbeat. My kids loved it and would do it again. I think people are scared of the unknown. I think if they ever felt led to do it, they would love it! They should really open their hearts and minds and pray about it. It might be something they are being called to do.
"Do the folks who feel such hatred consult God? Do they just go with the flow of what our culture thinks is expected? Do they care what HE thinks?"
I would go with the assumption that they do not understand or are confused about homeschooling.
But, I would not jump to the conclusion that those same people must not have consulted God about their choice for schooling. Just as there are people who look down on homeschoolers, there are people that look down on those that send their children to public or private school (some without even realizing they are doing it)
Karen Burgess
(sigh) We've only just completed year one and I have had many of the same experiences and thoughts. We are blessed and encouraged by you and others whom God has called to homeschool and have gone before us!
I think it's similar to other parenting choices...Everyone wants to believe they are making the best choices for their children but then some step over that line and think the choices they make are the choices all parents should make, ignoring how God convicts all all in different ways. I'm bummed that even after 16 years, you still have to defend yourself...we only have four years down...16 to go! Hopefully as home schooling gets even more common, more people's attitudes will change too. :)
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