Random conversations

Do you ever have one of those parenting moments when you think, "I got this?"

Today, it happened. It's made me feel much more confident about our choice to homeschool in a week when I've had a lot of doubts.

Random Person: Do you like school?

A1: No.

Me: Do you like learning?

A1: Yes.

Me: What do you like learning?

A1: History, science, math and I love learning Chinese, Spanish and French.

RP: You like learning but you don't like school?

A1: Yep!

RP: How does that work?

A1: Because I don't GO TO school. I have autonomy in my learning.

RP: You don't go to school? How do you know you do not like it?

A1: Because I like deciding what I want to learn. Teachers make you learn what beer-o-crats want you to learn and I LOVE field trips.

Me: Bureaucrats.

RP: Doesn't your mom decide what you learn for you?

A1: She helps me learn new things but if I don't like it we find something new I like.

RP: Surely you don't give her control?

Me: Well, actually, I do. Kids love learning and exploring. If she is learning what she wants, she retains it... Otherwise, she discards it. I'm not a fan of wasting time.

RP: She is going to grow up and have to do things she doesn't want to do.

Me: I suppose... Hopefully, it wont be her job because she has opportunities to explore what real professionals do while her peers are asking for permission to pee.

This was what I needed, we are not doing this in vain... Our child recognizes what she wants and know she has the ability to change things that are not working for her. Her peers do not always have that ability. They are taught society and their parents own them. That, is one of the many reasons we homeschool.