People with similarities seem to find each other. We make a choice to live a certain way and then gravitate towards others who have chosen to live similarly.
Homeschooling is no different. We form co-ops, study groups, help sessions and other such academic gatherings.
That is not all. For instance my girls go to swim classes that have been set up for homeschooling families. The sessions are during the day and of course cheaper. Homeschooling families like cheap*.
My girls would like to take ballet next year. I told them they could if they learn how to swim this year. A tells me she can swim now. I asked her to show me. She put her face in the water and started to do a butterfly-ish type stroke, while walking around the pool. I told her swimming means that neither your feet or hands are touching the pool. They must be moving to propel you forwards or backwards. I think she still has some work to do :-)
Anyway, back to ballet. So we will probably start up ballet again. There is a homeschool ballet group just north of us. We are thinking about taking lessons from that teacher. This is where I pause and wonder what to do. I could join the group but then we are involved in another activity that only involves homeschoolers.
Many homeschoolers tend to be Christians. I know, I know that doesn't mean they all are but for the sake of making my point, bear with me. I pause wondering if I should only be involved in groups that are homeschooling Christian families. I wonder about the 'being in the world', 'go and make disciples' and the multitude of other verses talking about reaching others for the sake of the gospel. My question is, can I do this with the limited time I have when I am only involved in these groups? I want my kids to know that there are other homeschoolers out there. I want them to be around other Christians. I also want to reach out to the community around us, as a family. That is after all why we moved up here. My kids are the first field for sowing but then the community around me is the second. Am I missing the second by the types of groups I choose to participate in?
We can (and should) pray that God will bring us people that are hungry for the gospel. From all the Scripture I have read we need to be actively seeking them out. I feel that the Christian homeschooling community can at times be so inward focused, exclusive** that we forget about the job we have been given. In the world but not of the world.
We need to find a balance. That is why I pause. That is what I am wrestling with right now.
*I am not saying this is bad, I just see it as a defining characteristic of the homeschooling group. Mainly due to large families, one income and other convictions surrounding money.
**I am a second generation homeschooling parent. This is just a trend that I have noticed from my time in the homeschooling community.
10.8.11
Conversations with a toddler, preschooler and year 1 cont.
On the way to swimming lessons....
A: "Mom, it's just hard."
Me: "What is?"
A: "I want to be a grown up on earth but I want to be a kid in heaven."
Me: "Why do you want to be a grown up?"
A: "Because I just want to stay up with you."
Me: "Why do you want to stay up?''
A: "Because I just don't know how late you stay up."
Me: "I see."
Me: "Why do you want to be a kid in heaven?"
A: "Because I just want to play eye spy dere (there)."
Me: "You can play eye spy when you're a grown up too."
A: "It's more fun when you're a kid."
J: "Lets play eye spy now."
A: "OK"
Gideon playing with a marble works set at a friend's house. Trying to build a contraption of some sort.
G: "I need a map!"
G: "Where is the map!"
looking at the instructions
G: "We need to do thhhhis."
G comes up to me with a smile
G: "Mom you're a ponk"
Me: "What?! I'm a ponk?! No you're a ponk!"
G laughing
G: "No! You're a ponk!"
Don't ask me what ponk means. I have no idea. Some sound that he made up and inserts into conversations when he is feeling silly. Anything and everything can be given the title ponk.
Haha spell check certainly didn't like G's word. They are all highlighted yellow. I hate to break it to him that his word is not up to spell checking standards.
A: "Mom, it's just hard."
Me: "What is?"
A: "I want to be a grown up on earth but I want to be a kid in heaven."
Me: "Why do you want to be a grown up?"
A: "Because I just want to stay up with you."
Me: "Why do you want to stay up?''
A: "Because I just don't know how late you stay up."
Me: "I see."
Me: "Why do you want to be a kid in heaven?"
A: "Because I just want to play eye spy dere (there)."
Me: "You can play eye spy when you're a grown up too."
A: "It's more fun when you're a kid."
J: "Lets play eye spy now."
A: "OK"
Gideon playing with a marble works set at a friend's house. Trying to build a contraption of some sort.
G: "I need a map!"
G: "Where is the map!"
looking at the instructions
G: "We need to do thhhhis."
G comes up to me with a smile
G: "Mom you're a ponk"
Me: "What?! I'm a ponk?! No you're a ponk!"
G laughing
G: "No! You're a ponk!"
Don't ask me what ponk means. I have no idea. Some sound that he made up and inserts into conversations when he is feeling silly. Anything and everything can be given the title ponk.
Haha spell check certainly didn't like G's word. They are all highlighted yellow. I hate to break it to him that his word is not up to spell checking standards.
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