Why We Homeschool

My kids are not perfect. My parents kids are not perfect. I am not naming names, I am just stating the facts.

With these facts now stated I wish to begin a series of posts dedicated to why my wife and I homeschool our not perfect children.

At the start of each new school year, millions of parents take their little darlings to a strange place and leave them with a complete stranger ("Don't talk to strangers").

Each August, I watch as they press their crying faces up against the chain link face. Each sob punctuates the plea, "Don't leave me, come back". Their children wave hesitantly and the poor dejected parents leave for their homes and jobs, wondering if everything will be all right. Often it plays in reverse. The children are begging and the parents are telling their kids to "toughen up."

It plays out the same way each day. Eventually, with few exceptions, the tears taper off as both child and parent become hardened to the "way it is".

But we are the "weird" family on the block. We don't like the "way it is." So it plays out a little differently at our house. I cling and cry, "Don't make me go. Don't make me go." as my family leaves me at school everyday with 20 first graders. My kids look at me and say, "Toughen up, Dad." We'll see you later. We are going to go learn with Mommy.