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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 466
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OP
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 466 |
Hello, it's nice to be here! I've been reading quietly here since July (can't remember exactly how I found you in the first place--I was looking for reviews of "Life of Fred," and a link brought me here, I think). I have enjoyed watching you all being so supportive of one another, and of each other's children; the thread about parents' isolation struck enough of a chord that I finally registered.
Our family lives in a rural area outside a medium-sized city in western Canada. My husband Frenchie and I have three sons, Harpo (7), Groucho (5), and Chico (3). We are homeschoolers, and have been from the beginning, for various reasons, probably the most important of which was the fact that (among other things) Harpo was reading bits of the newspaper to us when he was 2; along with his charming but decidedly eccentric personality, his skills seemed likely to set him up for great unhappiness in school. We haven't had any of the kids tested (so I may be deluding myself that I have any business being here in the first place), but we seem to be bumping along quite happily with each other right now, and have no plans to enter the school system for at least several years (my husband works shifts, so homeschooling preserves our family life), so I think we'll leave it at that for now.
Harpo loves reading (right now he's reading TH White's "The Sword in the Stone"), gardening, math, bluegrass fiddle, chemistry, and Latin. Groucho is our joker (my favourite moment of his toddlerhood was seeing him rolling around, unable to contain his mirth, pointing at a woodpecker pecking away futilely on a power pole, and saying "no bugs! no bugs!"), and our sporty little guy. Chico loves printing and drawing, board games, and pretending (last week he put on a new yellow shirt, ran upstairs and put a brown vest on over it, came back downstairs and told me he was a "somewhat past it banana"). They all love the Marx Bros., Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, Gilbert and Sullivan, and Tin Pan Alley tunes (pop culture somehow stops at about 1935 around here), and walks in the woods and on the beach.
We're in our local homeschooling group, but have encountered a few challenges there in terms of finding kindred spirits. The great majority of the families are radical unschoolers (which is perfectly fine, if that works for them), but some are radical to such an extent that the moms don't want their kids playing with kids who use (gasp) textbooks. (I never know what to say when people ask us what kind of homeschoolers we are--I really don't care for labels--there seems always a danger to me of the label becoming more important than the child; we are whatever is working best for us on any given day, I think.) We are gradually finding some people to hang out with, some of whom are genuine treasures, but it has been a little hard. We are older parents, and the children of our own friends are pretty much university age, so we are kind of in different places in our lives. Anyway, not to complain, but I am certainly looking forward to finding some common ground here for those days when I need a listening ear--and I hope that I can offer the same to someone who might need it.
Thanks for reading this ridiculously long thing; brevity has never been my strong suit!
Peace--
minnie
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 6,145
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 6,145 |
It's not mine either, so no worries there!  My answer to the "what kind of HSer are you?" question is always "an eclectic HSer." It means I can do what works, ditch what doesn't, and fit in wherever I choose to. I like it that no one can really put us into a box.  Oh, and experience says that if you think you belong here, you do. If you've been reading since July and you like what you've read, you're surely in the right place! Welcome! 
Kriston
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,231
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Posts: 2,231 |
Harpo was reading bits of the newspaper to us when he was 2; so I may be deluding myself that I have any business being here in the first place In reference to the second quote, please see first quote. Then; not likely. Welcome Neato
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 830
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 830 |
Welcome! I grinned all the way through your post.
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 110
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 110 |
Welcome! I am new here too and I am sure you will find a lot of people that have similar philosophies as you.
I am from western Canada as well...we live in Victoria. Are you in BC?
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,897
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,897 |
Welcome! It's funny how some folks feel like you need to be doing just what they're doing to be real friends...I think similarities do bring us together but differences are great fun, too! Bienvenue!
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 31
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 31 |
Welcome minimarx. Loved reading your intro; it made me smile. Your family sounds like great fun. We're a punny family too. Dad brought home some body part gummies for Halloween. DD7 had to put puns on the labels for the goodie bags she gave to her classmates and soccer team mates. Things like "Here's looking at you!" for the eye and "Get that finger out of your mouth!" I think we should all celebrate our uniqueness and quirkiness. How dull the world would be if we were all the same.
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,085
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,085 |
Hi minniemarx, I am new here myself and just want to say welcome. I have found this group of like-minded people wonderful and hope you do too. As for the HSing ... I myself am not into the process but am not an extremist on the other end, just know it is not for us. As for your comment: The great majority of the families are radical unschoolers (which is perfectly fine, if that works for them), but some are radical to such an extent that the moms don't want their kids playing with kids who use (gasp) textbooks. I have heard this many times and I can understand some of where they are coming from ... all books have some point of view even if the author is trying not to... but textbooks are 10 times worse and with the push to leave no child behind (at least here in USA) the standardization of textbooks has become worse in a lot of people's minds. So for those parents that have extreme views in politics tend to not want the kiddos taught from textbooks written under the mainstream government upon which they balk at. There is a problem with this attitude ... most seek out primary source material which is very one sided. I really do not know why I wanted to go done this road, but having a master's in history it is just up my alley and I hope I explained somewhat why they go to that extreme, but I hear you. It still makes it very frustrating and depending on how many radicals you have in your area can be very lonely.
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 466
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OP
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 466 |
Thank you all for the warm welcome! I really have enjoyed all I have read in these fora (I've found the book recommendations especially helpful, given all of the book-devourers around here).
"Eclectic." I like it. Thanks, Kriston!
Body part gummies, with puns attached, corinna--sounds right up our ballpark, as one of my colleagues used to say! My kids would love it.
Katelyn'sMom--I totally understand where the radical unschoolers are coming from, I really do (I'm a cultural historian, so the notion of textbook bias is certainly on my radar!). It's just that I don't think that my choice to use some (carefully selected) books with my kids (like the Getty-Dubay italic handwriting series, say) should disqualify them as playmates for their kids! Anyway, no point chastising that expired equine any longer, I guess. Thanks for taking the time to write--it was kind of you!
And thanks again, all, for the welcome.
Peace--
minnie
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,815
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,815 |
Welcome to the newbies!
"expired equine" - I LOVE IT!
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