Don’t I Feel Like A Fool.
For April Fool’s day Dana invited us to share a bit of home education that made us feel like a fool. Because Home Education Week isn’t all sunshine and kittens, as Dana’s post clearly showed.
I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to feeling foolish at least daily. My boys make a pretty good effort to keep my ego in check with this parenting business. They make sure that I know that I certainly don’t have all the answers, or even one answer some days. Here’s a little tidbit of that from a few weeks ago during spring break.
Every Wednesday, when the weather is good, there’s a few groups that get together at a big park in the next town over. They usually hang out all morning, have a picnic lunch, and then go home. The group is made up of a couple foster moms with several kids, a small local day care, and a few other families if they can make it. The first time we went it was by accident. We had headed over to drop off recycling and do a little shopping, and since the boys were tired of being stuck in the car we swung into the park. We got there just a little before everyone left, but some great playing time was had and a little conversation. I was asked if they boys were in any daycare of if my oldest was in school yet and I replied that no, I stayed home with them and was home educating them.
The next week we went back and the group was much smaller, mostly younger kids not yet in school or only in half day school. One of the moms remembered me as “the one not sending her kids to school”. Here I am, feeling like I have to be some poster child for home education, and my oldest pulls out the shy card. Not just talking quiet, but full on standing behind my legs refusing to talk to any other kids shy. Oh yeah, I’m looking like the crazy lady who locks her kids in the basement all day and never lets them socialize.
Of course the next day he was fine again, chatting it up with the people in the grocery store and trying to convince the neighbors to sneak him some bubble gum over the back fence. Weather and commitments haven’t been aligned for us to return to the park, which I’m sure lends to the idea that we’re freaks hiding from people. Oh joy.
home education, family, socialization, kids, life, shyness
March 31st, 2008 at 11:50 pm
That would be my daughter, I think. She is all chatty and conversational unless you press her. Then she retreats. And she doesn’t like being asked why she isn’t in school.
April 1st, 2008 at 6:35 am
My kids clam up when someone starts quizzing them- “Oh, you’re homeschooled? What’s the square root of 3,492? What is the atomic number of bdellium? How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck would chuck wood?”
So they get a blank look on their face, I get snarky, and it just ain’t pretty, let me tell ya’.
April 1st, 2008 at 6:54 am
[My boys make a pretty good effort to keep my ego in check] I told my husband before we got married that parenting was a piece of cake because if you didn’t respond correctly to a problem the child was sure to repeat the behavior and you would get another chance!
Shy is not the same as not socialized. Sometime before 10th grade (when I made a decision to try to talk to people) but while I was in Jr. High, the paper boy came to the door to collect for the paper. I refused to go and talk to him. I went to public school. The boy road my bus and I still pulled out the shy card. My Dad, I think, wanted to strangle me ~
April 1st, 2008 at 11:38 am
Oh boy, the things people say and think when they find out we homeschool! We’ve had people who think we don’t send our boys to school because they aren’t “smart enough” to go. Sigh. Thanks for sharing your story, I enjoyed reading it.
April 1st, 2008 at 12:45 pm
sounds like you do a good job doing the whole homeschool thing. I don’t think I could do it.
April 1st, 2008 at 12:46 pm
I couldn’t homeschool if I tried. I just don’t have the patience for it.
April 1st, 2008 at 2:35 pm
LOL Patience isn’t one of my redeeming qualities. But I try, and it gets easier when I’m used to my kids being around all the time.
April 1st, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Shy is not the same as socialization, being shy is normal of all children.
I have been known to make a fool out of myself and argue the S topic though, never thought of that when I posted today.
April 1st, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Dearest could you help me get set up at Evolved Homeschoolers? I cannot figure out how to add my page. Thanks.
April 1st, 2008 at 4:01 pm
Funny. Mine have pulled similar stunts on me, like babbling nonsense just when I need them to prove how smart they are. It’s like the baby who’s learned a new word but won’t say it to Grandma no matter how hard you try. I just keep repeating “this is not a reflection on me.” Not that I ever fully believe it, but it helps.
April 1st, 2008 at 6:52 pm
My kids pull that one too. Its funny especially when it is my oldest who is super, super social.
April 2nd, 2008 at 1:30 am
I started to laugh - - then I remembered this afternoon….
Picture it….Wal-Mart, Three in the afternoon….
My daughter wants an item that is 77 cents and has 84 cents available. She says she can’t figure out what the difference is. I start to lose some patience with her - - and say….”Okay, we are at 77…then what?” Silence.
I say, “78….79…”
She says, “90.”
I almost pooped.
Thanks for sharing!!