I'm always surprised by the power homeschooling has to touch people and move them to kindness. Some of you will remember my experience last year about the complete stranger we met in a grocery store and offered me $20 to buy my kids a treat because she said it was a blessing to meet us and was deeply touched to learn we homeschool. Welllllllllll ... I have another nice story. I was watching this auction on Ebay for these peace sign candles ... I love peace sign stuff!!! Anyway, I missed the end of the auction and emailed the lady to see if she'd be relisting them because I really wanted those candles. We emailed back and forth over the weekend. She said she wasn't going to list them back on ebay but would be making her own Yahoo site to sell them there. When she told me the price I replied back that I would eventually buy them but I couldn't right now (the price was more than the deal on ebay). I didn't whine and moan or anything ... I just said that I homeschool and that I have to make school books a priority but that I WOULD definitely buy from her and to please link me when her new site was done. When she saw my email signatue (just like the one below) she replied that we must be destined to be email friends because she loves John Lennon, too. Then she said "Knowing you homeschool your children makes me want to really do something nice for you." She went on to say, "I'm not worried about the money when I find someone who seems to think the way I do. It would mean a lot to me." WOW, huh? I told her I couldn't let her do that, and not to worry because I would eventually treat myself to the candles. I said I'd even burn them and buy more because they wouldn't be irreplaceable. She mailed back to insist ... and then I came up with an idea. I said I would knit her some home-made dishcloths and she could send me the candles ... like a trade. We both get something hand-made by the other. Cool, huh??? There are still good souls out there. Kathe
Kathe.. Isn't it funny how so many people are stirred by the fact that we homeschool? :shock: I mean, I guess a lot of times we don't really see it as doing anything EXTRA special! KWIM? :wink: Other people just don't see it that way! I'm sure you get it too ALL the time too, the comments: *How do you do that?* *You have to really love your kids?* You have to be so patient.* (Lord knows that still not my best virtue! ), AND ON,ON... So glad you shared that there are people out there who still have heart!
Kathe, That is a wonderful story I wish more people were understanding. I still get lots of funny looks and alot of bad feed back from my family for homeschooling the girls. But, we are hangin in there. Kristy TX
Kathe, That is a wonderful story I wish more people were understanding. I still get lots of funny looks and alot of bad feed back from my family for homeschooling the girls. But, we are hangin in there. Kristy TX
Tina, I do KWYM about people saying things like "I couldn't do that," or comments about patience. It's largely a matter of priorities and to what one becomes accustomed. I could very well ask those people, in reference to leaving their home at 8 am and putting their children in the care of SOMEONE ELSE all day, "Wow, you must be really trusting," and "I could never do that!!!" because I really couldn't. Trusting is sooooo not the point in THAT scenario, much like patience is sooooooooo not the point in home schooling. It helps, but it's not the main thing. ((((((((((((((( Tina )))))))))))))))) Kristy: That's exactly what you have to do ... keep hanging in. I consider myself VERY fortunate to have had the two recent experiences that I could share but, by and large, people are still not totally accepting of homeschooling. They are programmed to think it's not 'normal' just because EVERYONE ELSE puts their kids on a bus to ps .. so now THAT'S normal. :? Sadly, the end result of going with THAT flow is a near-adult human being who is functionally illiterate, with deplorable social skills learned by osmosis. Hold your head up when you get those funny looks :shock: , and never feel like you have to explain or justify what you're doing. :lol: Kathe
Kathe, Thanks for sharing something special with us . Some days we get the L :shock: :shock: K and the questions here too :cry: . Then there are those special people who take the time to look and listen :wink: Tammy
