"If you don’t want to give your child an Anglo name, then don’t. There
are literally thousands of cultures to look at for inspiration. There is
NO excuse for branding your child with illiterate gibberish. It’s not
cute, it’s not creative, it’s a disgrace. No other people in the entire
WORLD do this like black people do. Just because the names sound foreign
to our ears doesn’t mean they’re on the same level with Da’quavious, so
don’t even try it. You sound ignorant as hell." - truth hurts in the comment section of this article.
Wow.
And the really weird thing is, it's a "black" publication saying people have gone too far, that getting too weird means your kid has a "ghetto" name. One of the commenters even said that parents should NOT be allowed to name their children anything so outrageous as the names featured.
What I hear from people overseas (and especially under governments run under Islamic principles) is that you can NOT just name your kid any old thing you feel like there. You have to have it approved or it has to be a usual sort of name everyone uses like Bronwyn or Jane (Ok, not in the Islamic countries. They have a different name list there.)
I'll be honest here: I've judged people based on their names. I mean, some names just make you go "oh my gosh, no way." Be real with me and you know you've done this, too. I would like to think most people are going to try to be fair when they get around to actually meeting the person. I guess I don't see why there is so much emotion about what someone wants to call their child.
Can you just imagine anyone telling parents what they can name their children?
Showing posts with label Crazy Comment Monday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Crazy Comment Monday. Show all posts
28 June 2012
Crazy Comment Monday: Healthcare Edition!
Bob: Hi, insurance company. I'd like to buy some health insurance.
Insurance company: No. You had cancer when you were 3 years old, and the cancer could come back. We're not selling you health insurance.
Bob: It's not my fault I got cancer when I was three! Besides, that was years ago!
Insurance company: If we sell insurance to you, we'll probably lose money, and we're not doing it.
Bob: But I need insurance more than anyone! My cancer might come back!
Insurance company: We don't care. We're not selling you insurance.
Obama: Hey, that's totally not fair. Bob is right, he does need insurance! Sell Bob some insurance.
Insurance company: If we have to, I guess.
Mary: This is cool. Obama said the insurance company has to sell insurance to anyone who needs it.
Sam: Hey, I have an idea. I'm going to stop paying for health insurance. If I get sick, I can always go buy some insurance then. The insurance company won't be able to say no, because Obama's told them they have to sell it to anyone who needs it!
Dave: that's a great idea! I'm not paying for health insurance either, at least not until I get sick.
Insurance company: Hey! If everyone stops paying for insurance, we'll go bankrupt!
Obama: Oh come on Sam and Dave, that's not fair either.
Dave: I don't care. It saves me money.
Obama: Oh for god's sake. Sam, Dave, you have to keep paying for health insurance, and not wait until you're sick. You too, Mary and Bob.
Mary: But I'm broke! I can't buy insurance! I just don't have any money.
Obama: Mary, show me your piggy bank. Oh, wow, you really are broke. Ok, tell you what. You still have to buy insurance, but I'll help you pay 95% of the cost.
Mary: Thanks for covering that for me!
Insurance company: No. You had cancer when you were 3 years old, and the cancer could come back. We're not selling you health insurance.
Bob: It's not my fault I got cancer when I was three! Besides, that was years ago!
Insurance company: If we sell insurance to you, we'll probably lose money, and we're not doing it.
Bob: But I need insurance more than anyone! My cancer might come back!
Insurance company: We don't care. We're not selling you insurance.
Obama: Hey, that's totally not fair. Bob is right, he does need insurance! Sell Bob some insurance.
Insurance company: If we have to, I guess.
Mary: This is cool. Obama said the insurance company has to sell insurance to anyone who needs it.
Sam: Hey, I have an idea. I'm going to stop paying for health insurance. If I get sick, I can always go buy some insurance then. The insurance company won't be able to say no, because Obama's told them they have to sell it to anyone who needs it!
Dave: that's a great idea! I'm not paying for health insurance either, at least not until I get sick.
Insurance company: Hey! If everyone stops paying for insurance, we'll go bankrupt!
Obama: Oh come on Sam and Dave, that's not fair either.
Dave: I don't care. It saves me money.
Obama: Oh for god's sake. Sam, Dave, you have to keep paying for health insurance, and not wait until you're sick. You too, Mary and Bob.
Mary: But I'm broke! I can't buy insurance! I just don't have any money.
Obama: Mary, show me your piggy bank. Oh, wow, you really are broke. Ok, tell you what. You still have to buy insurance, but I'll help you pay 95% of the cost.
Mary: Thanks for covering that for me!
Doctor: Hey, now that Obama's paying for Mary's doctor bills, we can jack up our rates. Obama's got lots of money!
03 October 2011
Crazy Comment Monday!
"We need more teachers willing to take risks, take chances and think out of the box. Too many are fearful of making waves or losing their jobs so they simply go through the motions and don't make any waves, graduating kids that should be held back..."
Sounds like a normal comment, doesn't it? Well, it does until you read the article it references. A teacher makes kids put cotton balls with vinegar on 'em in their mouths and chew them as punishment.
"I remember teachers making kids stick gum on their noses. Humiliation was a good disciplinary tool back then," quips another commenter.
Blazen52 writes:
"Personally, I applaud her for her work and creativity. Vinegar would only cause discomfort and not any serious bodily harm as long as they were not allergic. People need to understand that there is little you can do to get through to these students that require special attention, and sometimes you need to resort to alternative means of punishment to state your point. Most schools allow 'alternative' punishments to normal students such as paddling if the student wished to take that instead of an in school suspension, and last I checked, prior to enrollment of a school, there is a paper that asked the parents if they were willing to allow these 'alternatives' be used if necessary, and hey, it worked! Ask those kids if they didn't think twice before they committed the same act again."
It isn't just one comment supporting one teacher who had a little oddish disciplinary technique that concerns me. It's an overall lack of sympathy for children who are admittedly not perfect. In my opinion, about half the commenters on the article were at least nominally eligible for Crazy Comment Monday. Congratulations, World. You stink.
Sounds like a normal comment, doesn't it? Well, it does until you read the article it references. A teacher makes kids put cotton balls with vinegar on 'em in their mouths and chew them as punishment.
"I remember teachers making kids stick gum on their noses. Humiliation was a good disciplinary tool back then," quips another commenter.
Blazen52 writes:
"Personally, I applaud her for her work and creativity. Vinegar would only cause discomfort and not any serious bodily harm as long as they were not allergic. People need to understand that there is little you can do to get through to these students that require special attention, and sometimes you need to resort to alternative means of punishment to state your point. Most schools allow 'alternative' punishments to normal students such as paddling if the student wished to take that instead of an in school suspension, and last I checked, prior to enrollment of a school, there is a paper that asked the parents if they were willing to allow these 'alternatives' be used if necessary, and hey, it worked! Ask those kids if they didn't think twice before they committed the same act again."
It isn't just one comment supporting one teacher who had a little oddish disciplinary technique that concerns me. It's an overall lack of sympathy for children who are admittedly not perfect. In my opinion, about half the commenters on the article were at least nominally eligible for Crazy Comment Monday. Congratulations, World. You stink.
26 September 2011
Do You Teach Geography?
A college professor friend of mine posted this link on facebook along with the comment, "This is why I don't give geography tests..."
Do YOU teach geography to your children? Do you think it is important to know all the locations of states in your country as well as the names of all the capitals? Um, this was a LOT easier for me to learn when I lived in Australia. I am still not clear on many of the capitals but to my mind, that's what the internet is for. But I do want my children to have some sort of clue where all the states are.
"if you’re not sure about a US state capital, try 'Springfield.' you’ll be right at least a couple times," someone snarks in the comment section. Response: "Ugh, try once. And only if you’re guessing Illinois."
One commenter says she's pretty good at this guessing game but often mixes up East and West Virginia. Another says, "Meh, most of those states are useless anyway."
Well. How terribly interesting. I use the "free rice" website and while it doesn't guarantee geography-literate citizens, it does teach countries and their locations.
Do YOU teach geography to your children? Do you think it is important to know all the locations of states in your country as well as the names of all the capitals? Um, this was a LOT easier for me to learn when I lived in Australia. I am still not clear on many of the capitals but to my mind, that's what the internet is for. But I do want my children to have some sort of clue where all the states are.
"if you’re not sure about a US state capital, try 'Springfield.' you’ll be right at least a couple times," someone snarks in the comment section. Response: "Ugh, try once. And only if you’re guessing Illinois."
One commenter says she's pretty good at this guessing game but often mixes up East and West Virginia. Another says, "Meh, most of those states are useless anyway."
Well. How terribly interesting. I use the "free rice" website and while it doesn't guarantee geography-literate citizens, it does teach countries and their locations.
04 September 2011
You Get Nothing.
"Disinheritance hurts.
"My father never visited the grave of his father, I have never been to my father’s grave . . . and my sister’s children have not yet been to their mother’s grave. It’s nearly impossible to 'pay your respects' to someone whose last message to you is, 'I didn’t love you or value you.'" Article.
On the one hand, it's just stuff. Stuff doesn't matter in the big scheme of things and often not getting the stuff we think we deserve can bring up the feelings of jealousy and pain we shouldn't even have.
Your stuff belongs to you, and when you die, you are not obligated to give me one little penny in your will. Now mind you, it would be NICE if we're good friends or family that you leave me a small something, a momento, a wish-you-well parting gift just because you can't take it with you. I would appreciate that, but I don't think it's my *right* to receive it. How about this: use up every penny except burial expenses. Then there is nothing left to fight about. Sounds good to me.
I'm sure the parents had their reasons for giving all their stuff to one particular child or skipping certain people. I don't know every blogger and advice column writer personally, so I can't say that the "reason" is necessarily vindictiveness. It might be. Most people aren't like that, though.
"When our mother died, my sister and I never had a harsh word. My mother had been cared for by my sister. My mother had asked me if I would be upset if she left the house to my sister. Now, this was not the trump tower, but I shared with her that I thought that was the caring thing for her to do. My sister had spent many hours taking my mother to the medical center, doctor's offices, and many nights returning to relight the furnace. When my sister and I were cleaning out mother's house, we had a really good time. It was just the two of us... I am sure our mother was aware of us and appreciated our respect. My sister has since died, and I still think of that night." (readsalot212, from the article)
Waah!
Presently, our will is set up in such a way that each of our living children will receive equal shares of whatever we have. It may be that in the future that we will have to amend that. Some of our children are handicapped and may get more or less depending on the tax law or whatever when we get closer to the time... you know. For now, the "custody" base is covered: all minor children will be shipped off to New York to live in a three-bedroom house with my brother and his wife and the several cousins they don't know. I'm sure it would drive everyone crazy, but it's the best plan I can make on my budget, so my husband and I had better not die any time soon.
"My father never visited the grave of his father, I have never been to my father’s grave . . . and my sister’s children have not yet been to their mother’s grave. It’s nearly impossible to 'pay your respects' to someone whose last message to you is, 'I didn’t love you or value you.'" Article.
On the one hand, it's just stuff. Stuff doesn't matter in the big scheme of things and often not getting the stuff we think we deserve can bring up the feelings of jealousy and pain we shouldn't even have.
Your stuff belongs to you, and when you die, you are not obligated to give me one little penny in your will. Now mind you, it would be NICE if we're good friends or family that you leave me a small something, a momento, a wish-you-well parting gift just because you can't take it with you. I would appreciate that, but I don't think it's my *right* to receive it. How about this: use up every penny except burial expenses. Then there is nothing left to fight about. Sounds good to me.
I'm sure the parents had their reasons for giving all their stuff to one particular child or skipping certain people. I don't know every blogger and advice column writer personally, so I can't say that the "reason" is necessarily vindictiveness. It might be. Most people aren't like that, though.
"When our mother died, my sister and I never had a harsh word. My mother had been cared for by my sister. My mother had asked me if I would be upset if she left the house to my sister. Now, this was not the trump tower, but I shared with her that I thought that was the caring thing for her to do. My sister had spent many hours taking my mother to the medical center, doctor's offices, and many nights returning to relight the furnace. When my sister and I were cleaning out mother's house, we had a really good time. It was just the two of us... I am sure our mother was aware of us and appreciated our respect. My sister has since died, and I still think of that night." (readsalot212, from the article)
Waah!
Presently, our will is set up in such a way that each of our living children will receive equal shares of whatever we have. It may be that in the future that we will have to amend that. Some of our children are handicapped and may get more or less depending on the tax law or whatever when we get closer to the time... you know. For now, the "custody" base is covered: all minor children will be shipped off to New York to live in a three-bedroom house with my brother and his wife and the several cousins they don't know. I'm sure it would drive everyone crazy, but it's the best plan I can make on my budget, so my husband and I had better not die any time soon.
29 August 2011
Crazy Comment Monday!
Today it isn't so much a crazy comment so much as a crazy thing to do. Though the hosts seem to be making a good income having MILLIONS of people watch them microwave things like spray paint cans, video game systems, and the like. Patrick warned me not to watch it because there is a lot of swearing on the videos, and "they swear like men swear. Just so you know." I didn't see that on this video (one "God" that was pretty indiscernable in with the blowing up stuff commotion) but you're forewarned before clicking through the whole series. WHO WATCHES THIS STUFF?? Patrick says that he watches it so he doesn't feel he has to do the experiments himself. Well, ok then. I suppose that these guys are making millions of Americans safe. I wouldn't want to be working for their local fire department, and I wouldn't want to be their neighbours, though...
15 August 2011
Crazy Comment Monday!
THIS kind of crap reinforces my decision not to go to church. I still believe in God, don't get me wrong, but I reallllly think pastors need to teach their flocks better. This is hardly a one-time visitor who doesn't listen to sermons posting the following on facebook:
"Don't buy the new Pepsi coming out with pics of the Empire State building and the Pledge of Allegiance on them. Pepsi left out 2 little words in the pledge 'Under God.' Pepsi said they didn't want to offend anyone. So..if we don't buy them, they won't be offended when they don't receive our money with the words 'In God We Trust' on it. How fast can you repost this???Amen!!"
Person 1: Sorry but this is a hoax. Pepsi is not doing this.
Original Poster: It sounded interesting so I posted it. Did not care if it was true or not. It was stating something I believe strongly about. How America has become so dismissive of God. It won't effect how I personally view my Pepsi purchases. If anyone gets the wrong idea about Pepsi. Then they are over looking the importance of the message. Put God back in America again. I will love Pepsi no matter how they promote the product.
Me: ?? If you knew this to be untrue and posted it anyway, you're saying Truth doesn't matter if the message states something you believe strongly about. So I don't understand what you are saying you believe strongly about. Do you believe in Truth, or something else? I'm honest to goodness confused by your post and trying to figure it out. And... "put God back in America again?" You do see the silliness of thinking that anyone could possibly kick God out of any place He didn't feel like leaving in the first place. Take comfort in that, friend! He hasn't left you. :)
Original Poster: Whatever
Me: Whatever? TRUTH is "whatever?" O-kayyyy.
Original Poster: I believe in the truth. It was just a post about how sad it is that God is being left out of the picture. In my eyes, I did not research it on it being true or not is all. If ya don't like what I say then just de friend me. I have enough BS to put up with out your over powering idiotic ranting.
Me: You can defriend me yourself if you wish. As for idiocy and BS, that's what posting stuff like this looks like to most people. See, I don't think God needs either one of us to "defend" Him. God being left out of the picture in people's lives IS a sad thing. But would you like me to post lies about you to "prove" that? That's what you did to the Pepsi corporation. Real people out there have real jobs, and yes, they CAN get hurt by things like this. The least you could have done would be to look it up on Snopes, and they disproved this in **2002.**
Me: http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/undergod.asp
Result: My comments *somehow* were deleted, I've been defriended and I'm not able to even view her page any more. I love how she wanted to throw in her personal life's difficulties as a reason I should never even question her. I'm sorry, but you shouldn't go off and post mean things - even about companies - unless they're at least *true.* People have lost their jobs because of false internet rumours. For the record, I've lost a lot of "friends" by being confrontational in this way. Maybe I just can't keep my mouth shut when people post stupid things... but actually? I would agree with her central premise that God is important. I guess she just didn't see how it's not the best idea to lie or spread false rumours to prove the point...
Seriously. Do I need to confine myself to puppy and kitten posts? Katharine Beals recently wrote that the art of argument has pretty much faded from our public lives. Maybe mine has and I oughtn't to have said it was "silly" that God could be removed from anything. But... it. is. so. silly. I couldn't help myself!! Maybe that's my problem.
"Don't buy the new Pepsi coming out with pics of the Empire State building and the Pledge of Allegiance on them. Pepsi left out 2 little words in the pledge 'Under God.' Pepsi said they didn't want to offend anyone. So..if we don't buy them, they won't be offended when they don't receive our money with the words 'In God We Trust' on it. How fast can you repost this???Amen!!"
Person 1: Sorry but this is a hoax. Pepsi is not doing this.
Original Poster: It sounded interesting so I posted it. Did not care if it was true or not. It was stating something I believe strongly about. How America has become so dismissive of God. It won't effect how I personally view my Pepsi purchases. If anyone gets the wrong idea about Pepsi. Then they are over looking the importance of the message. Put God back in America again. I will love Pepsi no matter how they promote the product.
Me: ?? If you knew this to be untrue and posted it anyway, you're saying Truth doesn't matter if the message states something you believe strongly about. So I don't understand what you are saying you believe strongly about. Do you believe in Truth, or something else? I'm honest to goodness confused by your post and trying to figure it out. And... "put God back in America again?" You do see the silliness of thinking that anyone could possibly kick God out of any place He didn't feel like leaving in the first place. Take comfort in that, friend! He hasn't left you. :)
Original Poster: Whatever
Me: Whatever? TRUTH is "whatever?" O-kayyyy.
Original Poster: I believe in the truth. It was just a post about how sad it is that God is being left out of the picture. In my eyes, I did not research it on it being true or not is all. If ya don't like what I say then just de friend me. I have enough BS to put up with out your over powering idiotic ranting.
Me: You can defriend me yourself if you wish. As for idiocy and BS, that's what posting stuff like this looks like to most people. See, I don't think God needs either one of us to "defend" Him. God being left out of the picture in people's lives IS a sad thing. But would you like me to post lies about you to "prove" that? That's what you did to the Pepsi corporation. Real people out there have real jobs, and yes, they CAN get hurt by things like this. The least you could have done would be to look it up on Snopes, and they disproved this in **2002.**
Me: http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/undergod.asp
Result: My comments *somehow* were deleted, I've been defriended and I'm not able to even view her page any more. I love how she wanted to throw in her personal life's difficulties as a reason I should never even question her. I'm sorry, but you shouldn't go off and post mean things - even about companies - unless they're at least *true.* People have lost their jobs because of false internet rumours. For the record, I've lost a lot of "friends" by being confrontational in this way. Maybe I just can't keep my mouth shut when people post stupid things... but actually? I would agree with her central premise that God is important. I guess she just didn't see how it's not the best idea to lie or spread false rumours to prove the point...
Seriously. Do I need to confine myself to puppy and kitten posts? Katharine Beals recently wrote that the art of argument has pretty much faded from our public lives. Maybe mine has and I oughtn't to have said it was "silly" that God could be removed from anything. But... it. is. so. silly. I couldn't help myself!! Maybe that's my problem.
17 July 2011
Crazy Comment Monday!
What would you say to a teacher who objects to the fact that a parent doesn't give a consequence just as she feels would be best? A little first grader was kept in from the book fair for misbehaviour, but snuck off and got a book anyway.
Teacher calls mom. The mom says something along the lines of, she thought the book fair to be important, the other first graders were going, and please send the book he snuck out and got in his backpack tomorrow. The teacher then blogs that the parent, when the child is 16 and dragged to the front door by the cops because of drug use, will just blow the officers off because all the other kids are doing it.
Yeahhh. Allowing your kid to cave in to peer pressure and LOOK AT BOOKS is gonna lead to big trouble when he's older. You just wait and see, as this commenter suggests:
"Flash forward to when he's 40 & his mom says, 'Oh well, the other crazies told him he would be a loser if he didn't rape women & store their chopped up bodies in the chest freezer.' She needs to nip that in the bud right now!"
Another commenter commisserated, "Yikes, that would drive me CRAZY!!! I feel like I am constantly calling parents to tell them about what latest antic their child was up to, to which their response tends to be, 'I'll have a talk with him/her...' I always want to say, 'A talk?? I hope you'll actually DO SOMETHING!' Can be so frustrating..."
Ah, how right she is! Parents ought to outline the punishment(s) they plan to give to the child or better yet, *check* with the teacher to make sure the punishment is adequate and meets first grade state standards for character education.
Now see, it's lucky for her she didn't call me to back her up. You do NOT keep a kid in from the book fair or a field trip or a class party or anything of that nature unless something horrible is going on that warrants a phone call in the first place. That is just not right. It's manipulative and cruel. I won't back you up on this unless there is some very extreme circumstance.
I'd have told her that I wished she'd have called me before she kept my child in from the fair. I might have instilled some other relevant consequence at home, but it wouldn't be for her to know about or log down or what-have-you. Allow me to parent. I do parent. BUT... if you instill a consequence at school? I simply don't do the double jeopardy thing and punish someone twice for the same crime.
I could be reading this post entirely wrong, especially in light of the fact that I have no clue what the kiddo did. But my own history of dealing with angry closet-locking teachers, I think, has coloured me forever.
One commenter even wrote that we ought "bring back the paddle." And I'm sorry, but if this were my blog? I'd have quashed some of these commenters and said something along the lines of, "This post was a rant. I totally did not mean that this kid would be a druggie or that we oughtta beat the crap out of kids." And I would challenge my commenters to shut their freaking yaps or take it somewhere else.
Yes, I would. Hmm... I see I don't have quite as many commenters as she does... and that's ok by me. The ones I have are (aside from an occasional troll that needs to be kicked under the bridge) really nice people! :)
By the way... here's the post. I was reading through the archives and genuinely enjoying myself/thinking of following until I got to that one. Bummer.
Teacher calls mom. The mom says something along the lines of, she thought the book fair to be important, the other first graders were going, and please send the book he snuck out and got in his backpack tomorrow. The teacher then blogs that the parent, when the child is 16 and dragged to the front door by the cops because of drug use, will just blow the officers off because all the other kids are doing it.
Yeahhh. Allowing your kid to cave in to peer pressure and LOOK AT BOOKS is gonna lead to big trouble when he's older. You just wait and see, as this commenter suggests:
"Flash forward to when he's 40 & his mom says, 'Oh well, the other crazies told him he would be a loser if he didn't rape women & store their chopped up bodies in the chest freezer.' She needs to nip that in the bud right now!"
Another commenter commisserated, "Yikes, that would drive me CRAZY!!! I feel like I am constantly calling parents to tell them about what latest antic their child was up to, to which their response tends to be, 'I'll have a talk with him/her...' I always want to say, 'A talk?? I hope you'll actually DO SOMETHING!' Can be so frustrating..."
Ah, how right she is! Parents ought to outline the punishment(s) they plan to give to the child or better yet, *check* with the teacher to make sure the punishment is adequate and meets first grade state standards for character education.
Now see, it's lucky for her she didn't call me to back her up. You do NOT keep a kid in from the book fair or a field trip or a class party or anything of that nature unless something horrible is going on that warrants a phone call in the first place. That is just not right. It's manipulative and cruel. I won't back you up on this unless there is some very extreme circumstance.
I'd have told her that I wished she'd have called me before she kept my child in from the fair. I might have instilled some other relevant consequence at home, but it wouldn't be for her to know about or log down or what-have-you. Allow me to parent. I do parent. BUT... if you instill a consequence at school? I simply don't do the double jeopardy thing and punish someone twice for the same crime.
I could be reading this post entirely wrong, especially in light of the fact that I have no clue what the kiddo did. But my own history of dealing with angry closet-locking teachers, I think, has coloured me forever.
One commenter even wrote that we ought "bring back the paddle." And I'm sorry, but if this were my blog? I'd have quashed some of these commenters and said something along the lines of, "This post was a rant. I totally did not mean that this kid would be a druggie or that we oughtta beat the crap out of kids." And I would challenge my commenters to shut their freaking yaps or take it somewhere else.
Yes, I would. Hmm... I see I don't have quite as many commenters as she does... and that's ok by me. The ones I have are (aside from an occasional troll that needs to be kicked under the bridge) really nice people! :)
By the way... here's the post. I was reading through the archives and genuinely enjoying myself/thinking of following until I got to that one. Bummer.
11 July 2011
MORE Crazy Comment Monday!
Don't be a bad parent. Be a good parent. But don't be TOO good a parent. That is BAD.
I'm telling ya, some people need to invent stuff to grouse about. Ahem. Let's pretend I had an attitude like this (I don't, the letter is fake, no fair unfriending me on facebook). Ready?
Dear Mom and Dad:
You were always there for me. You were always helping me with homework, or buying me new clothes, cheering for me when I went to soccer practice, and generally being nice people. You even FED me three times a day. I seriously blame the extra 20 pounds I had as a high school senior on YOU for indulging my pizza habit. I also blame you for the fact that I thought I was a pretty great person and had this "self-esteem" thing going on. You even paid for four years of college, my room and board and drinking- I mean spending- money, at a prestigious university.
In short, you were bad parents all around because you were too GOOD, you see. I am now in therapy to work out my issues... which are all your fault and all caused by you.
Sincerely,
Happy Elf Mom.
Can you beee-lieeeeeve this stuff? Honestly, I think it comes from the fact that most of us are able to escape childhood diseases, are well-fed, and don't get sent out to work 13 hours a day right when we turn six. Because from my perspective, a too-good parent is still good enough, you know? Reality WILL smack you in the *whatever* soon enough. Might as well have some people around who really love you.
But this. This smacks of prejudice as well. The "spoiled only child" idea, culled from the comments section:
"I think smaller families are PART of the problem simply because there are fewer kids, and they get too much focus. I know one child, for example, who for four years was the only child in her family; she was an only child, and her parents’ siblings weren’t married. So at family gatherings, everyone was an adult but her. Parents, aunts and uncles, grandparents, great-grandparents . . . and one center-of-attention child who was even bossing her own great-grandfather around, because it simply never occurred to anyone that she was the cutest person in the room but not the center of the universe. If there had been ten children and six teenagers in that room as well, children would have seemed less of a novelty. Plus, if she had had siblings she would have learned some things about sharing and negotiating; she wouldn’t have had full access to toys and attention."
May I gently say to you that this is not a "not enough children around" problem, but a DISCIPLINE problem? And um, if she's the only kid around, you have LOTS of time and energy to teach her good manners. I think siblings are excellent to have, but not everyone has them, and I don't like seeing only-kid families disparged any more than I like seeing families like mine sneered at as though we were rabbits. Plus, to be quite honest, it is much HARDER to teach manners to child #6 than kid #1 because you are that much older and have that many more things to do that MUST get done. Yes, the children must learn from siblings as well as parents because it's simply a different dynamic than in an only-child family.
I'm telling ya, some people need to invent stuff to grouse about. Ahem. Let's pretend I had an attitude like this (I don't, the letter is fake, no fair unfriending me on facebook). Ready?
Dear Mom and Dad:
You were always there for me. You were always helping me with homework, or buying me new clothes, cheering for me when I went to soccer practice, and generally being nice people. You even FED me three times a day. I seriously blame the extra 20 pounds I had as a high school senior on YOU for indulging my pizza habit. I also blame you for the fact that I thought I was a pretty great person and had this "self-esteem" thing going on. You even paid for four years of college, my room and board and drinking- I mean spending- money, at a prestigious university.
In short, you were bad parents all around because you were too GOOD, you see. I am now in therapy to work out my issues... which are all your fault and all caused by you.
Sincerely,
Happy Elf Mom.
Can you beee-lieeeeeve this stuff? Honestly, I think it comes from the fact that most of us are able to escape childhood diseases, are well-fed, and don't get sent out to work 13 hours a day right when we turn six. Because from my perspective, a too-good parent is still good enough, you know? Reality WILL smack you in the *whatever* soon enough. Might as well have some people around who really love you.
But this. This smacks of prejudice as well. The "spoiled only child" idea, culled from the comments section:
"I think smaller families are PART of the problem simply because there are fewer kids, and they get too much focus. I know one child, for example, who for four years was the only child in her family; she was an only child, and her parents’ siblings weren’t married. So at family gatherings, everyone was an adult but her. Parents, aunts and uncles, grandparents, great-grandparents . . . and one center-of-attention child who was even bossing her own great-grandfather around, because it simply never occurred to anyone that she was the cutest person in the room but not the center of the universe. If there had been ten children and six teenagers in that room as well, children would have seemed less of a novelty. Plus, if she had had siblings she would have learned some things about sharing and negotiating; she wouldn’t have had full access to toys and attention."
May I gently say to you that this is not a "not enough children around" problem, but a DISCIPLINE problem? And um, if she's the only kid around, you have LOTS of time and energy to teach her good manners. I think siblings are excellent to have, but not everyone has them, and I don't like seeing only-kid families disparged any more than I like seeing families like mine sneered at as though we were rabbits. Plus, to be quite honest, it is much HARDER to teach manners to child #6 than kid #1 because you are that much older and have that many more things to do that MUST get done. Yes, the children must learn from siblings as well as parents because it's simply a different dynamic than in an only-child family.
09 July 2011
Crazy Comment Monday!
I know it's early, but I just have to share. Would you like to join the Obedient Wives Club? Wives promise to give their husbands whatever they want in the bedroom and aim to be "good whores" for them:
"Fauziah Ariffin, the Malaysian chapter's national director, said: 'When we said that husbands should treat their wives like first-class prostitutes, we were not putting wives on the same level with prostitutes.'"
"'We are talking about first-class elite types, not street hooker types … Ordinary prostitutes can only provide good sex, but not love and affection, which only a wife can provide,' she told the Malay Mail."
"'If we provide our husbands [with] more than a prostitute can give, then he will not go out looking for it.'" Article.
Ya know, what's scary is that this is not just a "Muslim thing." I'm daggone tired of Christian websites that extol the virtues of giving the husband regular sex and backing it up with Bible verses. The implication being that if the marriage is off-kilter or altogether bad that the wife at least had a good deal to do with it if not being entirely in the wrong. That the straying husband just didn't get what he "needed" at home and so wandered elsewhere.
I should imagine that taking the verses in CONTEXT that the Christian school of thought ought be one of consideration of others' needs and forgiveness in all areas of life. This is because we see that Christ considered us and forgave us and gave His entire life for us. He did NOT at any time (excepting the Cross, which had an explicit purpose forordained from the foundation of the world etc.) simply roll over and just allow Himself to be physically and emotionally abused.
I can't imagine He wants that lifestyle for any of His children. I saw this on facebook, and it was posted by a woman in a Muslim family. She said that she was "happy to see that women everywhere are outraged about this" Obedient Wives organization. Yep, they should be.
"Fauziah Ariffin, the Malaysian chapter's national director, said: 'When we said that husbands should treat their wives like first-class prostitutes, we were not putting wives on the same level with prostitutes.'"
"'We are talking about first-class elite types, not street hooker types … Ordinary prostitutes can only provide good sex, but not love and affection, which only a wife can provide,' she told the Malay Mail."
"'If we provide our husbands [with] more than a prostitute can give, then he will not go out looking for it.'" Article.
Ya know, what's scary is that this is not just a "Muslim thing." I'm daggone tired of Christian websites that extol the virtues of giving the husband regular sex and backing it up with Bible verses. The implication being that if the marriage is off-kilter or altogether bad that the wife at least had a good deal to do with it if not being entirely in the wrong. That the straying husband just didn't get what he "needed" at home and so wandered elsewhere.
I should imagine that taking the verses in CONTEXT that the Christian school of thought ought be one of consideration of others' needs and forgiveness in all areas of life. This is because we see that Christ considered us and forgave us and gave His entire life for us. He did NOT at any time (excepting the Cross, which had an explicit purpose forordained from the foundation of the world etc.) simply roll over and just allow Himself to be physically and emotionally abused.
I can't imagine He wants that lifestyle for any of His children. I saw this on facebook, and it was posted by a woman in a Muslim family. She said that she was "happy to see that women everywhere are outraged about this" Obedient Wives organization. Yep, they should be.
09 May 2011
Crazy Comment Monday!
"As a practitioner of the healing arts, I believe that a child's Autism can be erased ... without a pill ... IF the child supports living without it. If the child no longer wants his/her Autism, it really can be shifted out... How can these children tell us that they want to keep or give up their Autism? We check in with their energy field, and that tell us everything."
"I recently started working with differently-abled children using energy work and other interesting modalities, and have seen promising results: After a few days after a session with a severely Autistic 9 year old boy, he connected with his Mom for the first time - a heart connection. She cried with joy."
-- excerpt from a comment following a blog post on whether parents should give a hypothetical cure pill to their autistic children.
I read stuff like this and think you know, she's checking in with the "energy" of that poor family's wallet. Ommm, I think I'll pass on this. Oh! And what do you think of this idea from Restored Hope Remedial Services?
"Careful testing is performed to identify the root causes (rather than just the symptoms) of learning difficulties. Diagnoses are made based on information provided by these tests. Finally, corrective programs and therapies are applied, all supported either by clinical results or by neuroscience research, the scientific study of brain function. The result is genuine correction of learning disabilities." (emphasis mine)
I'm thinking wackyyyyyy... until I read about some of the therapies. The ones I recognize are the same stuff the public school is using, not some "genuine CORRECTION of learning disabilities." Good grief. I don't know what most of the listed therapies entail, so some of it might be snake oil and fancy neurosciency mumbo jumbo as well.
"I recently started working with differently-abled children using energy work and other interesting modalities, and have seen promising results: After a few days after a session with a severely Autistic 9 year old boy, he connected with his Mom for the first time - a heart connection. She cried with joy."
-- excerpt from a comment following a blog post on whether parents should give a hypothetical cure pill to their autistic children.
I read stuff like this and think you know, she's checking in with the "energy" of that poor family's wallet. Ommm, I think I'll pass on this. Oh! And what do you think of this idea from Restored Hope Remedial Services?
"Careful testing is performed to identify the root causes (rather than just the symptoms) of learning difficulties. Diagnoses are made based on information provided by these tests. Finally, corrective programs and therapies are applied, all supported either by clinical results or by neuroscience research, the scientific study of brain function. The result is genuine correction of learning disabilities." (emphasis mine)
I'm thinking wackyyyyyy... until I read about some of the therapies. The ones I recognize are the same stuff the public school is using, not some "genuine CORRECTION of learning disabilities." Good grief. I don't know what most of the listed therapies entail, so some of it might be snake oil and fancy neurosciency mumbo jumbo as well.
02 May 2011
New Radical Sport: Snowplow Parenting!
You heard it here first, folks: parents are no longer content to hover like helicopters. Now they bulldoze into anything and anybody who gets in their way.
In an article that qualifies as Crazy Comment Monday material, Ole Jorgenson not-so-deftly psychoanalyzes all of us "GenX" parents and says well, it's all Nixon's fault. Or all our latchkey parents' fault and also due to the housing bubble. Well... ok... he wasn't so deft at the psychoanalysis. But I'm feeling that I *should* feel traumatized by all this stuff after reading about what a hard 'nuff life I have...
"Gen Xers orchestrate every move of their preschoolers, from perfect play dates and obsessively healthy diets, to instructional flashcards and hypoallergenic socks," he muses. Then the kids get older and parents are still super-bossy. Not only that, but unless we can get these parents to sit down, shut up and listen to what educators are saying, we can never have meaningful educational reform.
Yeahhh.
Let me just psychoanalyze my own generation for a sec. It's a new paradigm with proactive synergy and stuff. Here goes: we figured out our kids are OURS. That educators are not the experts in everything and further, they don't always have the interests of our kids at heart. We make mistakes. We can be rude. But we love our children.
And by the way, shut up about the hypoallergenic socks. So happens my kid is allergic to wool. With compassionate people like you in education administration, it's no wonder you have parental riots on your hands.
In an article that qualifies as Crazy Comment Monday material, Ole Jorgenson not-so-deftly psychoanalyzes all of us "GenX" parents and says well, it's all Nixon's fault. Or all our latchkey parents' fault and also due to the housing bubble. Well... ok... he wasn't so deft at the psychoanalysis. But I'm feeling that I *should* feel traumatized by all this stuff after reading about what a hard 'nuff life I have...
"Gen Xers orchestrate every move of their preschoolers, from perfect play dates and obsessively healthy diets, to instructional flashcards and hypoallergenic socks," he muses. Then the kids get older and parents are still super-bossy. Not only that, but unless we can get these parents to sit down, shut up and listen to what educators are saying, we can never have meaningful educational reform.
Yeahhh.
Let me just psychoanalyze my own generation for a sec. It's a new paradigm with proactive synergy and stuff. Here goes: we figured out our kids are OURS. That educators are not the experts in everything and further, they don't always have the interests of our kids at heart. We make mistakes. We can be rude. But we love our children.
And by the way, shut up about the hypoallergenic socks. So happens my kid is allergic to wool. With compassionate people like you in education administration, it's no wonder you have parental riots on your hands.
25 April 2011
Crazy Comment Monday!
Dear friends, I'm enclosing a video I took yesterday of Jesus popping by to declare the end of the age. I know that it would not be possible for you to know of these things without social media, twitter, or facebook. Click LIKE if you think heaven's gonna be cool!
Arg. Well, I'm glad that at least later in the video interview, Franklin Graham clarified that we DON'T know how "every eye will see" Jesus returning to earth but that he IMAGINES that social media could be a part of that process. I don't know. The whole thing comes off as kinda nutty to me. Your thoughts?
Arg. Well, I'm glad that at least later in the video interview, Franklin Graham clarified that we DON'T know how "every eye will see" Jesus returning to earth but that he IMAGINES that social media could be a part of that process. I don't know. The whole thing comes off as kinda nutty to me. Your thoughts?
17 April 2011
Crazy Comment Monday!
Context: commenting on what to do with the children over the summer.
"I rely on evangelicals for my kids' entertainment. See, since we are Catholic, evangelical Christians are always trying to convert my kids from the cult. They have lots of activities and camps, and they actually feel it's their calling to pick my kids up and take them to all these fun activities. As long as you don't mind your kids singing, "Jesus is My Friend" and bringing home felt and macaroni Jesus crafts, it's the way to go. Of course, at this point, my kids think Catholic church is real, and Protestant church is like play church."
Discuss.
01 April 2011
People Are Stupd.
Stupd, I tell you. In fact, everyone who has a different opinion than me seems a little stupd sometimes. Check out this editorial on the godless Japanese and the "tidal wave," because notice HE prefers the "American" version of the word. Myyy. Then of course, the writer launches into the fact that a good lack of real coverage of the extreme suffering and loss of life in Japan hindered charitable giving. We are too focused on other things. Ok, I agree with that last part.
I'm shocked not so much that someone wrote such things, but that someone with money printed it. The link is to a conglomerate of small-town papers. You know... the only paper in town type of thing. Read by thousands. I strongly believe in freedom of speech and of the press, but it makes me sad to see it used like that. I should save stuff like this for "Crazy Comment Monday," but sometimes things are past the point where they give you a good chuckle because of the insaneness of it all... Nevermind. I will publish this even though it is Friday. My blog, my rules. :)
14 March 2011
Crazy Comment Monday!
I know, another video... but this is too good to pass up. (Warning: F-word at beginning. I didn't notice it the first time through...) These poor downtrodden young students, who ostensibly have gazoodles of money to spend or borrow for college, seem to feel that it is your responsibility to buy their birth control. They only want to be treated like adults. And it isn't fair that the government spends so much on defense and that Planned Parenthood is so derided in the news. Activism time! People giggling, holding silly signs and talking about how they have sex ("SEEEX!") helps you think of them as adults discussing an alternate point of view, right? Yeah. That'll do it. Tell you what: if you want to be treated like adults, fine. A rational, calm, non-giggly argument could be made for the public benefits of STD testing being made available at taxpayer expense. Slogans like, "We lube and we vote" probably doesn't qualify as a rational argument in most circles, however.
06 March 2011
Crazy Comment Monday!
"Lenny" always had something exciting going on. Some new business opportunity to talk of, some new prophecy to report, some new and unusual interpretation of scripture. He had, I swear, built an entire bunker for the disaster that was sure to take place on January 1, 2000. He had enough toilet paper, canned goods and other supplies to last his family almost two years. And he had guns.
You know, he said, he's not the sort of person to go off and kill people but hard times are coming. Don't think all those crazy people from the city, who aren't preparing for this upcoming disaster, won't come out looking for food and a safe place to stay in the months to come. Meaning his place in Kearney. There were several other people from our church who were speaking similarly.
But Pastor reasoned that if it says in the Bible that we oughtn't worry about what we will eat or wear, that God will clothe and feed us, then we oughtn't borrow our troubles. You'd better plan ahead and not be foolish, but don't worry too much about it, is what he was saying. And as an aside when Lenny wasn't around, he reminded us that Lenny sometimes takes things a little far. He believes in miracles like Lenny does, he said, but he's not so sure of the miraculous benefits of oregano oil and (brandname) juice.
Back then, even some folks I knew from other churches weren't too levelheaded. One of my friends had enough supplies to last perhaps a month and a half, but she also had poison. She reasoned that if the antichrist came, she'd rather her girls were dead than see what would have to go down. I have to admit to you, I felt rather unprepared in comparison.
And I really hoped no one was right. I mean, my husband was one of the ones WORKING on the Y2k bug and he advised we have maybe two weeks' groceries and money around. He figured bugs would be worked out but things might not be up and running those first couple days. That's the thing. You can test and test and test, but you just never completely know until you're up against it. We never got a bunker or any poison. And thankfully nothing ever really awful happened.
But whyyy am I telling you this very old and somewhat silly story? Oh, because I was reading up about affinity fraud and I'm thinking, "HMmm! Sounds very familiar." Telling you, I knew people in churches who sold all kinds of stupid stuff to each other. Lenny with his specially blessed oregano oil and juice. Some other lady had gummy vitamins made from vegetable extracts that were practically guaranteed to help G get his body something or other levels into balance. One lady I knew sold air purifiers and magnetic somethings that would have cured Woodjie of his autism. I've sure missed out on a lot of opportunities to cure my children. I don't love them enough to spend the money. Only a very uncaring parent like myself wouldn't TRY EVERYTHING, you know.
But here's what we have done: we have paid off our house. As in, we haven't spent for vacations for about 12 years. We haven't bought the latest gadgets. We are driving 11-year-old cars and not eating at the restaurants twice a week. We have stuff falling apart at home, and some parts of our house look pretty doggone crappy. We have cellphones, but no Ipod/Ipad/ cable tv or well... much of anything. (We do have a VCR player, and videos at the thrift store are about $1. Yay!)
But we own our house. It's ours. And maybe our kids aren't cured, but I can live knowing that *likely* I won't be dependent on any one of them. And sorry, no, we're not mortgaging our home to send anyone through college. Though we may get a bigger or differently designed house (and take on a mortgage) that is more suitable to our special needs children at a later time.
I am very thankful to God for this opportunity, and also to my husband who has been a wise and prudent person financially. And no, we're not loaning out any money. It's all tied up in the house. :)
You know, he said, he's not the sort of person to go off and kill people but hard times are coming. Don't think all those crazy people from the city, who aren't preparing for this upcoming disaster, won't come out looking for food and a safe place to stay in the months to come. Meaning his place in Kearney. There were several other people from our church who were speaking similarly.
But Pastor reasoned that if it says in the Bible that we oughtn't worry about what we will eat or wear, that God will clothe and feed us, then we oughtn't borrow our troubles. You'd better plan ahead and not be foolish, but don't worry too much about it, is what he was saying. And as an aside when Lenny wasn't around, he reminded us that Lenny sometimes takes things a little far. He believes in miracles like Lenny does, he said, but he's not so sure of the miraculous benefits of oregano oil and (brandname) juice.
Back then, even some folks I knew from other churches weren't too levelheaded. One of my friends had enough supplies to last perhaps a month and a half, but she also had poison. She reasoned that if the antichrist came, she'd rather her girls were dead than see what would have to go down. I have to admit to you, I felt rather unprepared in comparison.
And I really hoped no one was right. I mean, my husband was one of the ones WORKING on the Y2k bug and he advised we have maybe two weeks' groceries and money around. He figured bugs would be worked out but things might not be up and running those first couple days. That's the thing. You can test and test and test, but you just never completely know until you're up against it. We never got a bunker or any poison. And thankfully nothing ever really awful happened.
But whyyy am I telling you this very old and somewhat silly story? Oh, because I was reading up about affinity fraud and I'm thinking, "HMmm! Sounds very familiar." Telling you, I knew people in churches who sold all kinds of stupid stuff to each other. Lenny with his specially blessed oregano oil and juice. Some other lady had gummy vitamins made from vegetable extracts that were practically guaranteed to help G get his body something or other levels into balance. One lady I knew sold air purifiers and magnetic somethings that would have cured Woodjie of his autism. I've sure missed out on a lot of opportunities to cure my children. I don't love them enough to spend the money. Only a very uncaring parent like myself wouldn't TRY EVERYTHING, you know.
But here's what we have done: we have paid off our house. As in, we haven't spent for vacations for about 12 years. We haven't bought the latest gadgets. We are driving 11-year-old cars and not eating at the restaurants twice a week. We have stuff falling apart at home, and some parts of our house look pretty doggone crappy. We have cellphones, but no Ipod/Ipad/ cable tv or well... much of anything. (We do have a VCR player, and videos at the thrift store are about $1. Yay!)
But we own our house. It's ours. And maybe our kids aren't cured, but I can live knowing that *likely* I won't be dependent on any one of them. And sorry, no, we're not mortgaging our home to send anyone through college. Though we may get a bigger or differently designed house (and take on a mortgage) that is more suitable to our special needs children at a later time.
I am very thankful to God for this opportunity, and also to my husband who has been a wise and prudent person financially. And no, we're not loaning out any money. It's all tied up in the house. :)
02 March 2011
Crazy Comment Monday
A public union employee, a Tea Party activist, and a CEO are sitting at a table with a plate of a dozen cookies in the middle of it. The CEO takes 11 of the cookies, turns to the tea partier and says, "Watch out for that union guy. He wants a piece of your cookie."
-- from facebook status. Posted on Wednesday because life happens. :)
-- from facebook status. Posted on Wednesday because life happens. :)
21 February 2011
Crazy Comment Monday: Homeschoolers Falling Behind.
It's a new feature I just made up. I'm going to start with some not-so-crazy comments because some of the *crazy* comments I've seen this week make my head spin too fast. I'll start out with something small until the vertigo ceases. Here goes:
"In my 10 years of teaching, I have worked with 6 students that were formerly homeschooled and then enrolled in public schools for various reasons. All of them were significantly behind academically. Though they were all wonderfully behaved and morally sound, their academic deficiencies were so profound that it grieved my heart. I know their parents believed they had their child's best interests at heart when they choose to homeschool, and I know that the time they had at home with them was very precious. But in all 6 circumstances, these average ability students will continue to struggle to compete in the 'real world' because of such significant foundational gaps."
"I stand behind a parent's right to choose to homeschool, and have no doubt that many successful students come out of these settings. However, I beg parents to weigh this choice carefully and pause to truly count the costs. Only take on homeschooling if you and your children truly have the self-discipline to be able to follow through with it each and every day."
That was an excerpt from a much longer quote by "Julia Davis" on an amazon.com discussion link on homeschooling (not sure how to link to it). I'd like to hear what you think about her idea after you listen to me drone on for a minute with my opinion:
1. I don't doubt the comment. It doesn't seem to be written with any sort of anger or outright stupidity. But the comment is based on six homeschoolers. And what does this teacher do for a living? Not a cut, but if she teaches special ed, it stands to reason that all six homeschoolers she encounters would be a bit "behind," right??
2. It can be a sign of success to enroll your child in public school when you know that things are becoming out of hand for you as a teacher. I could probably buy a boxed curriculum calculus set for Emperor later on, but likely I will seek out an actual person (public school or private tutor) to teach my son these things when we get that far along. Certainly it stands to reason that some of these parents recognized that they were beginning to put off assignments or were otherwise unable to teach well just then. Or perhaps some of these children of "average ability" were actually learning disabled in some way. Some brilliant people are, you know.
3. Do I have to say it? There are some woeful examples of public education dropout factories and the like. Even in our suburban district, one of my older sons tests "average" intelligence-wise and is functionally illiterate. Yet I never, NEVER see people be "supportive" of public education and simultaneously give the caveat that one ought to seriously, seriously think before they "take on" public schooling for their children. If you're going to send your child to school -especially at the elementary level- you must be prepared for all kinds of extra work, extra meetings, incidental expenses and a supply list that would enable a school in a Third World country to operate for about a decade.
4. No argument, based on six homeschoolers, my cousin's best friend up the street, or statistics put forth by some dude in the comment section should mean anything to you when you're thinking of what's best for your own child. It might be a terrible choice for you, but I'd hate for people to get dissuaded just because my second cousin's ex-wife is doing a bad job with it. :)
"In my 10 years of teaching, I have worked with 6 students that were formerly homeschooled and then enrolled in public schools for various reasons. All of them were significantly behind academically. Though they were all wonderfully behaved and morally sound, their academic deficiencies were so profound that it grieved my heart. I know their parents believed they had their child's best interests at heart when they choose to homeschool, and I know that the time they had at home with them was very precious. But in all 6 circumstances, these average ability students will continue to struggle to compete in the 'real world' because of such significant foundational gaps."
"I stand behind a parent's right to choose to homeschool, and have no doubt that many successful students come out of these settings. However, I beg parents to weigh this choice carefully and pause to truly count the costs. Only take on homeschooling if you and your children truly have the self-discipline to be able to follow through with it each and every day."
That was an excerpt from a much longer quote by "Julia Davis" on an amazon.com discussion link on homeschooling (not sure how to link to it). I'd like to hear what you think about her idea after you listen to me drone on for a minute with my opinion:
1. I don't doubt the comment. It doesn't seem to be written with any sort of anger or outright stupidity. But the comment is based on six homeschoolers. And what does this teacher do for a living? Not a cut, but if she teaches special ed, it stands to reason that all six homeschoolers she encounters would be a bit "behind," right??
2. It can be a sign of success to enroll your child in public school when you know that things are becoming out of hand for you as a teacher. I could probably buy a boxed curriculum calculus set for Emperor later on, but likely I will seek out an actual person (public school or private tutor) to teach my son these things when we get that far along. Certainly it stands to reason that some of these parents recognized that they were beginning to put off assignments or were otherwise unable to teach well just then. Or perhaps some of these children of "average ability" were actually learning disabled in some way. Some brilliant people are, you know.
3. Do I have to say it? There are some woeful examples of public education dropout factories and the like. Even in our suburban district, one of my older sons tests "average" intelligence-wise and is functionally illiterate. Yet I never, NEVER see people be "supportive" of public education and simultaneously give the caveat that one ought to seriously, seriously think before they "take on" public schooling for their children. If you're going to send your child to school -especially at the elementary level- you must be prepared for all kinds of extra work, extra meetings, incidental expenses and a supply list that would enable a school in a Third World country to operate for about a decade.
4. No argument, based on six homeschoolers, my cousin's best friend up the street, or statistics put forth by some dude in the comment section should mean anything to you when you're thinking of what's best for your own child. It might be a terrible choice for you, but I'd hate for people to get dissuaded just because my second cousin's ex-wife is doing a bad job with it. :)
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Look Out, Dad!!
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