That's Fresh September Issue | Page 12

HOMESCHOOL

Homeschooling…what exactly is homeschooling? And why would a family choose this over various other options?

Growing up I went to King’s Garden from kindergarten until fourth grade. I don’t remember much (except horror stories as a tiny person amidst a world of oversized people and objects), but the overall attitude I have now looking back is thankfulness. I’m so, so thankful for the foundation of private-school education I received while at this Christian-based establishment. Moving along, fifth and sixth grade I was homeschooled, middle-school through high school I attended three different public schools; one middle, and a couple high schools: Meadowdale and Mountlake Terrace, and now here I am.

My two cents on the homeschooling alternative I had the honor and privilege to experience for a couple years? Have a plan. This goes for the kids but also for parents. Homeschooling is an option for families who are looking to teach (rather train) their children themselves, plain and oh-so simple. But hold on a minute…

I emphasize the foundation I received while attending Kings because, your parents have the responsibility to lay this foundation down in your life if your parents do choose to go this route, and that’s no easy road to go down. Expect some potholes and delays starting out. I love and am so blessed by my parents, but they were wise enough to realize they were

Homeschool Connections…

Kids, teens, young adults, decree bold this refreshing truth to your parent(s)/guardian: “[Insert Adults

Name] You can yourself teach me, or you can enroll me in a program with other homeschoolers; these

are run by families and not the government. A prime example, [Adult’ Name] is Homeschool Connections,

located in Lynnwood, WA. There are others just like it located throughout every city across America,

guaranteed.” This is a community my parents had me enrolled in most of those two years I was a

homeschooler.

Personally, I believe parents should trust themselves to train their child, not a governmental system.

However, homeschooling your child individually I believe for the most part fails now because of the lack

of people who do it, relatively. When I wasn’t a part of Connections and I was crammed up inside my

house all day, I was the only child who was homeschooled in my neighborhood, and so I didn’t have any

other (local) kids my age to relate with. This is why homeschooled kids are stereotyped as awkward or

unsocial: they just don’t have an environment to grow in, yet.

Advice? If you are interested enroll in a homeschooling institution, until more people catch onto this

better way of raising children. Do what my parents did, because they’re awesome.

ill-equipped with the time and skill to adequately train me like I needed.

Homeschool Connections…

Kids, teens, young adults, decree bold this refreshing truth to your parent(s)/guardian: “[Insert Adults Name] You can yourself teach me, or you can enroll me in a program with other homeschoolers; these are run by families and not the government. A prime example, [Adult’ Name] is Homeschool Connections, located in Lynnwood, WA. There are others just like it located throughout every city across America, guaranteed.” This is a community my parents had me enrolled in most of those two years I was a homeschooler.

Personally, I believe parents should trust themselves to train their child, not a governmental system. However, homeschooling your child individually I believe for the most part fails now because of the lack of people who do it, relatively. When I wasn’t a part of Connections and I was crammed up inside my house all day, I was the only child who was homeschooled in my neighborhood, and so I didn’t have any other (local) kids my age to relate with. This is why homeschooled kids are stereotyped as awkward or unsocial: they just don’t have an environment to grow in, yet.

Advice? If you are interested enroll in a homeschooling institution, until more people catch onto this better way of raising children. Do what my parents did, because they’re awesome.

Get Learned Real Good.

A homeschooling opinion-piece by D. Conner Kirschner.