We went to Wal-Mart today. We were standing in the checkout line when the cashier looks at Sam and says, "Why aren't you in school today?" Sam doesn't answer, so I reply, "We homeschool." She looks back at Sam and says, "Oh. Well then what are you going to do today when you get home?" I reply, "Well, today is Town Day. We've come into town to run errands and do Storytime at the Library." She says, "Oh, well that's nice...At least he's dressed nice like he's going to school."
I grit my teeth while I smile, take my receipt and leave. Today is one of those days that I tell Shawn to weld the gate shut when he gets home.
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Actually, if he was dressed like he's going to school, he would be wearing a football, basketball, baseball, soccer, chearleading, or band uniform, since that seems to be the primary purpose of state-run socialist schools. In response to her question about what Sam was going to do at homeschool today, you could have said "Oh, we're pretending to be in a public school today, I'm going to teach him there is no God, the priciples of collectivism, hand him a condom, then kick him out of school for the rest of the year for drawing what looks like a gun during art time."
ReplyDeleteI'm going to explain why a 40-year-old woman has a job normally held by a 19-year-old. Yes, that is somewhat cruel, but I would not stand to have home-based education questioned by a person who obviously is a failed product of the public school system. I'm surprised she did not respond with the typical "your child needs to be socialized" at school. Don't you just love the term "socialized"? SOCIALIZED: The process of becoming a socialist. Most everyone would be offended if someone suggested your child be "communized", but alter that to "socialized" and it is accepted. Same meaning!
ReplyDeleteNo, socialization is the process of being trained in the social mores of your cultural group. In other words, it is the process of "being brought up right," in the opinion of the cultural group to which you belong. Every single cultural group that has ever existed has socialized its children--by definition, it has to, or else the culture would cease to exist.
ReplyDeleteIf you're bringing up your children as Christians, you're socializing them to be Christian. If you didn't socialize them to be Christian, you'd have to hope they might decide on their own to be Christians as adults. Even then, it won't be second nature to them.
The problem with the pro-public-school take on "socialization" is they honestly believe a six-year-old child is supposed to be socialized by thirty other six-year-old children and one adult who barely has time to pay attention to each individual student. Which is insane. Six-year-olds cannot raise children, not even children their own age.
And let's not snark about 40yo women holding retail jobs. If she didn't have a job at all you'd call her a parasite. At least she's working at all. You can't pick and choose what your job will be--the most you can do is apply for one. It's up to the employer whether they will hire you, and this economy tanked a long time ago.
When we were homeschooling and Gavin was a bit older than Sam, I had a Wally world worker ask him the same thing. He said, "I'm homeschooled." She asked, "You mean like at home?" How do you answer that without laughing? I know I had a hard time. At least he's dressed nice??? LOL! I know it probably aggravated you, but I find it funny. As if homeschoolers just throw on clothes from the dirty laundry bin and scratch at the fleas in their hair. You did the right thing. No sense in getting upset with people who will never understand - and who don't matter anyway.
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