Well, it's been a whirlwind week. Still no jacket. Tonight's the first real online time I've had this week, and I'm going to blow it checking email and reading my favorite blogs. :-) So this will be quick:
John Baby is four now! His birthday was Sunday, and he had a lovely day. He awoke early, we had leftover pizza and junk-food cereal for breakfast, then read and played until James got up. The kids and I played while Zorak slept in (Happy Father's Day!), then we went shopping (had to get the peripherals for John's new bicycle!) John picked out a chocolate brownie cheesecake for his birthday cake. WOO HOO! Good taste, Sweetie. All the neighbor kids were out of town this weekend, but he didn't seem to mind not having a party. Several neighbors came over while he opened his presents and then we all migrated out front to play catch and ride bikes for the rest of the evening. That's a great day when you're four.
Today the boys began swim lessons. We got up, fed, dressed and out the door before seven thirty, for lessons at eight (yes, AM!). James did stunningly well in his class. (Or, at least, I was stunned.) I think he's hit a real milestone in his atttiude toward bodies of water, and this is going to be a great summer for him. John's class was a few hours later, so we ran errands and grabbed a bite to eat. He screamed bloody murder getting into the pool. I have to admit, I wanted to scream, too. It was COLD! Once he got submerged and warmed up a bit, though, he had a splendid time and did well. This routine will continue four days a week for four weeks. After which, I can be reached via cell phone only, as I will be hiding under the bed, whimpering and sipping coffee at an accelerated rate.
OK, *swig o' coffee* education, and the role of government.
Basically, as I see it, it is the role of the government to protect rights and it is our responsibility as a free nation to provide opportunities. America is not the land of equal achievement, regardless of how many people would love to see it as such. That is simply not feasible. Not going to happen. Not worth attempting, because in the attempt, many people will be brought down so that the playing field is "level" and there will STILL be those who just refuse to achieve or are incapable of achieving.
Education is a wonderful thing, one which every child in America has the opportunity to attain. It is a priviledge and a responsibility, but it is not a right. If education were a right, then it would be bestowed upon everyone upon either birth or reaching the age of majority. *poof* There ya go, you can now vote, own real estate, and oh, yes, here's your education. It doesn't happen that way. Education, the act of attaining an education, is something that a person is responsible for doing (at whatever age, learning is not confined to the years from 6 to 18), and the parents of a minor child are responsible for guiding and facilitating that endeavor. Notice how the government doesn't factor in here? I wholeheartedly support educational opportunity, and support (to some extent) our public school systems. For many children, public education is the only education they will receive in their primary years. I'm glad it's there. What I do not support is the idea that we are beholden to look to the government as some staunch paragon of standards by which we must all prove ourselves or else be deemed "unfit". NO. Again, I say, NO!
As for the the cry that we need these measures (oversight, review, mandatory testing, etc) for the poor homeschooled children who need this government protection because their parents are not advocates for the children... um, this is basically what I call "feel good" legislation that makes people feel warm and fuzzy about what's being done "for the children" while in effect, it does nothing for anyone but the overloaded, overpaid, and overconvoluted Government.
First of all, the vast, overwhelming, amazingly large majority of families who opt to homeschool ARE advocates for their children. I don't care if their goals are college track, developing an entrepreneurial outlook, vocational training, or a lifetime on the Amish farm... homeschooling families tailor their educational philosophy and goals to fit the needs of the student. We have college firmly entrenched in our plans for the boys. We have friends who do not. So who is to determine the "standards" by which we should plan? Which one of us is WRONG? Anyone? Anyone? (Bueller? Bueller?)*
If every person who is convinced that the children whose parents are not "there" need some help would get off their collective butts and DO something about it (teach a child to read, take a child to the ballet, take a child for hikes and get him out-of-doors... DO something rather than demand that "They" do something), we would see much greater results with much fewer invasion into our own homes. We would not only have greater freedoms and a greater society, but we would have a greater investment in our Future Generations. Anything worth having is worth investing our own time and effort into, isn't it? Let me ask you this: is the reviewer asking me inane questions about whether little Johnny is "capable of sensitively handling multi-cultural identifications in stories" truly concerned about little Johnny? Perhaps. Let's quit paying Mr. Reviewer and see how long he's willing to tow the invasion line.
I have seen personal involvement in action, and can attest to the fact that a little goes a long way. Children are our greatest resource. Government is known far and wide for bungling things, raising the cost and lowering the output. So why does everybody seem to think it's such a great idea to trust our greatest resource to those who have proven themselves least competent to nurture and develop those resources wisely? That strikes me as lazy or weird, probably both.
*The correct answer to that one is, "neither"- we are all doing what we see is best for our children to fulfill their roles in society. Hallelujah!*
Anyhow, that's my take on the big hype of "for the children". We do a lot for the children, and would do more if the government would get out of the way and let us. But as long as the rest of you are willing to kick back and demand that the gov't do it instead, not much is going to happen. We'll be too busy trying to keep from drowning in ridiculous regulations and useless feel good legislation to be able to help many other children.
And so, another day begins tomorrow. Fight the good fight. Do it for the children. Anyone up for a tea party?
Dy
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