I expect anyone here to respond to others no matter the topic on any thread in ways that truly reflect who they really are (secular, religious, whatever). Because I am a Christian, my responses will also come from who and what I am on a daily basis. I have no problem with anybody responding from a secular, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Bah'ai, Scientologist (or the list could go on forever) point of view, if that reflects who they really are. We are all homeschoolers (or used to be, or want to be) or we wouldn't be here. We are here to freely share about homeschooling and therefore family (because you really can't homeschool without family), and one's religious/nonreligious views are part of one's self and family. If all the Christians here can/do have different views, then certainly others can/do have different views too. ALL of us belong here!
I think that the people here (and not all are women) try to post advice or comments from the heart. If it is something you don't "go for" whether that is a Christian perspective or a liberal perspective (or both, which I have heard IS possible...jk) then skip it, delete it from you head, whatever. I often mention what works for me...a bit of prayer, a bit of grace; some psychological insight, the fact that I have grown children and have some experience; if you don't want to take my advice. fine, I have no trouble with that; but if you ask for advice on a pretty anonymous forum, can you fuss if you don't like it? I hope no one feels left out or picked on. I am conservative myself but get a little hepped up at some of the submit to your husbands stuff...I know, I know...but I am only as good at submission as I am because my husband is intelligent and tends to take my feelings into account regularly. I too do not fit in real well in the co-op. We are actually more of a support group...we don't do classes much. It is a christian group but it is more that the kids don't care for it. I am part of the leadership so I make em go, and a lot of the field trips are fun. I am much more "loosy goosy" than the other moms. I am not hs for Christian reasons, but for academic ones so my focus is different.
Thats all fine, well and good. It doesn't change the fact that MANY people here feel like if they aren't a hard core, skirt wearing only, give it all up to God, submit to your husband, God spoke to me kinda gal then they dont fit in here. Many people feel it but say nothing publicly, instead they send out pms venting their frustration, many leave and don't come back. If you say it isn't true then you aren't one of the one receiving the pms. Sometimes the vibe of this place makes people feel uncomfortable and like they won't belong. Not all homeschoolers are christians but the assumption is that they are, which brings to mind a situation here in my town. The skating rink has homeschool skate day once a month. Fantastic! However they only play christian music and the only games they play are things like Bible trivia. I can just imagine a non christian homeschooler walking in and walking right back out. Anyway I'm done. God is telling me to go hang out on facebook where I DO fit in.
Had you heard that the Cornish, like our Scottish cousins, wear kilts? Talk about not blending in! :shock:
We must be listening to the same god. On another note, I just saved a ton of money by switching to Geico.
I could have almost wrote this! Other than I don't let my kids color their hair-but they have both had actual mohawks more than once in their short lives, so I think it evens out LOL That and we don't drink. RE: the OP-No one fits in everywhere all the time. I often feel like I don't fit in because we are Christian unschoolers. Very conservative Christians. So radical unschoolers say I'm not an unschooler because I'm strict on my kids about bedtimes, what they can eat, etc, but school-at-home advocates complain I give homeschooling a bad name cause we unschool and assume we have no goals and dont' teach our responsibility, then some Christians say it's unchristian to unschool...I can't please everyone so I please myself! What we do works for our family! Most of the local groups are Christian and I'm okay with their statement of faith, but a couple of people have expressed a disapproval of unschooling....or even flat out to my face rudely criticized unschoolers/ing minutes after I identified myself as an unschooler, calling unschoolers lazy parents and unresponsible parents. It works for us, we're happy, kids are thriving-so if we are an island-to heck the mainland!
Interesting, because I don't know one person here that fits that stereotype. We are a very varied group of people. When I ask advice of people, I don't specify WHICH people I want to respond. I will consider ALL the responses. Yes, some I will agree with and some I won't. That's OK; I still respect ALL the responses. You know, I gave you advice recently that you really didn't take well. That's OK; it didn't fit with who you are. Others gave you advice that fit with you better; of course, those are the ones you listened to. Ten years from now, I bet there will be some things where you'll say, "GEE! Jackie was right; I wish I'd pay attention to her!" But for every time you say that, I'll bet there will be at least two things you'll say, "GEE! Jackie was sure wrong on that one! I'm so glad I ignored her!" But I still have my opinion and will continue to express it. I'm not offended if someone chooses to ignore it, nor do I mean to offend anyone whose advice I choose to not take. Am I making any sense? I think the strength of this group is that we're not all the same. We should all be free to express our opinions; you should be free to accept the advice that seems best to you.
I'm sorry that's probably true. I believe that those who truely unschool must be MORE organized, rather than less. I couldn't do it, because my disorganization would make it a total disaster. But I feel Phillip especially would thrive being unschooled.
you know Monkey Momma I don't understand why people don't speak up! I have always spoken up on this forum, but very rarely does anyone speak up with me. There have been a few but not many. Then again I am very outspoken. What good is it facebooking it, if the people who are making you feel that way don't know. Especially when it's not done on purpose on their part. but.. That doesn't stop me from speaking up. I'll listen to everyone but in the end I'm going to do what’s comfortable for me. And yes I have seen non Christian topics turn in Christian topics on this forum and they aren’t always posted in the Christian section of the forum either.
Surely ONE of us will fit that sterotype......just sayin'. I agree with Lindina, if I'm going to answer you, I'm going to answer you from what I know and how I view thing and feel about things, if I am a conservative Christian who believes in submission and prayer (which I am)-then that is going to be my advice to you. Being Christian is not a compartment of my life-it permeates every aspect of my life-so it will color my answers on EVERY subject, not just those posted in the "Christian" section....
I kept wanting to responed to this but wasn't sure how to word it. Sonita, you did a wonderful job saying what I wanted to say.
If we're still talking about not fitting in -- how about this? I sometimes feel I don't fit in here because I'm not actually homschooling my own anymore (they're 37 and 28!) but schooling Other People's Kids. We all have ways and times we don't feel like we fit in.
Well then I have you beat, because we have NEVER officially homschooled!!! :lol: I use to own/manage a preschool out of my home, where I had 8 little preschoolers for almost 4 years. I came here because I wanted more info on homeschooling because I was looking at all options for my oldest before he started K. Long story short, I never left.
You know.. I decided a long time ago, if I was going to make it in the homeschooling world I would have to hear things the way I wanted to hear them because I am a non/ex-Christian trying to make it in a prodimately Christian way of life. I do wish that others didn't automatically assume that God is the center of every homeschooler out there. You don't know how many times we have met someone and when they found out we were homeschoolers their impression of us instantly changed because they assumed we must be Christians. We don't have any local groups here, but even if we did I wouldn't bother.. because even in the secular groups there is that strong religious pull (or so I have heard from many homeschoolers all over the country). I learned a while back to just block out all the religious advice, things that don't fit my family... things we want we work for, we don't pray for it to happen.. so if someone says to pray about it, I take it as focus on it and if it's meant to happen it will happen... as long as you work for it. I don't believe in submission so when that is put before me I simply take it and toss it out the window. I do ask hubby what he thinks on things, but even if he doesn't like the idea, if it's something I feel strongly about we both know darn well that I'm going to do it, after all he married me because I was a strong person with my own opinions of things. Now it does still sometimes get to be too much, and when it does it makes me feel stronger about why I believe in what I do and makes me feel better about it. Just take it all with a grain of salt and move on I guess.
