Adult Peer Pressure??

It's interesting to grow up and realize that some people just never do. For a time I skipped school as a high school student. It wasn't because I hated school. And it wasn't because there was something really important to go do. It was just that my friends did it and I just went along. Luckily I had a other friends that were a positive influence and I didn't get too far down too many crazy paths.

People's response to our decision to pull our daughter out of school and homeschool are, to say the least, interesting. Responses seem to fall into two main categories:

1. I would never do that.
I'm sad for the number of people who tell me that they would kill their kid if they had to spend all day with him or her. If they only listened to their words I think they'd be embarrassed. I hope that they don't hate spending time with their kids as much as they verbalize it to me in those conversations. Then again, there are some pretty sad families in this world. It's too bad that more people don't realize how important it is to have good family relationships. I'm certainly not the most perfect mother, and I do really relish my own time to myself too - but I like my kids and I'm glad to be able to share this experience with my daughter and I'd do it again with either one of my children.

2. I could never know what to do.
It really isn't rocket science. Finding out what we need to do isn't hard. And the work isn't hard. It's just that it's so darn daily....and I think that's what would knock most people out of this game. I have endured lots of tough daily things though - so I've learned how to just do what has to be done and learn to find the joy in it. Not that I am slogging through this like it a horrendeous task, but it is just something that is on my mind almost all the time. It's not hard, it's just daily.

The interesting thing is that when people make these comments to me I find myself shrinking a little and feeling like I should justify my decision to them. Someone today was asking me how things were going. She had heard that we were homeschooling. It became increasingly clear as we continued our conversation that she thought it was a bad idea. She kept asking questions that between the lines seemed to say "Oh ya...well, what are you going to do about this, or that" as if she were to soon discover that I hadn't thought of that and would suddenly, with alarm, shout, "What have I done?! I never thought of that?!" Her final clincher was 'how's your French?' I smiled and told her it was quite terrible, but that a French tutor can work wonders. What I really wanted to say was 'if your child were only half as bright as mine you would see that this really isn't a problem'. LOL

See what I mean about adult peer pressure?! Why do I even care?! Truthfully, I don't, but there is still this high school girl inside that squirms slightly when people seem to look down their nose at me. I only squirm for a moment though. I quit worrying long ago about standing alone on some issues. I suppose if they're comfortable leaving their kid in a class where the teacher uses profanity, belittles and ridicules and uses physical force with kids, well, then we're both happy! They can stay...and we're most certainly out of there! I just feel really sorry for those children whose spirits are crushed and who are essentially being told that it's acceptable for a teacher to act that way towards them. It isn't okay...but I guess I can't change the world. All I can do is make sure my kid's grow up in a safe, secure and happy environment so that they can become all they can be.


Men are afraid to rock the boat in which they hope to drift safely through life's currents, when, actually, the boat is stuck on a sandbar. They would be better off to rock the boat and try to shake it loose, or, better still, jump in the water and swim for the shore.-- Thomas Szasz