I said up front it was a broad brush. Probably the same one used many homeschoolers who bash public schools;)

We have, btw, with our brood of seven, experienced public, private and home school. They ALL have their pros and cons and every family should decide what is best for their children without thinking their way is best for other people’s children.

The topic is kindergarchy. I included home school where I did because it is a huge problem in our church. There was another church near us that was all home school families and sort of imploded due to legalism. Many of those now attend our church and our children’s and youth ministries have been overwhelmed with how these families demand that we cater to their child’s individual needs (I did not say special). What has emerged as a commonality among them all is how child-centered each family had become.

This from the article sums it up well, “Under Kindergarchy, no effort on behalf of one’s children’s schooling is too extensive, no expense too great, no sacrifice in time and energy on the part of parents too exacting.”

Sure these home schoolers sacrifice for their children, but they want others to as well. And it is all about their children, everyone else’s children are not their problem. Way to teach them how to live in community.

broad brush, specific families, I know some home schoolers thrive without their children’s education ruling their life or being obnoxious to others. We spent Friday with just such a family and it filled our souls.

For instance, when I was a kid (seventh grade) my science teacher assigned us to write a report on our favorite animal. I was excited about the assignment, but then for some reason he cancelled it. (I’d chosen raccoons.) If my parents had assigned a research report about raccoons (knowing already that it was an interest), and had done things to make it fun–a trip to a place where I’d probably see one, an interview with a scientist who studies them, a book about them to help with the report, maybe a roll of film to take pictures to include in my report–it would have thrilled me. Or a chance to talk with collie breeders and write up an illustrated report about caring for a dog with a litter of puppies–I’d have found it fascinating. Other kids like railroads, rockets, minerals, you name it–combine a family vacation with such field trips, and you have kids who love learning. Not all children would enjoy reports, but some would enjoy putting together a taped interview or a video or a poster.

And before anyone says, “You don’t have kids, so shut up about what you’d do if you had kids,” I think that adults should think and plan ahead for future contingencies. If nothing else, it helps when people are dating if both partners have thought about such issues as whether they’d homeschool, spank, let their kids watch network TV…. So I make no apologies that I’ve thought a lot about how I’d rear children.

Whoa, hold on just a minute. Why do you condemn the home schooler?

People don’t even think about having children today until they are in their upper 20s. Then, with a two-parent income, the children are in day care - sometimes from the second week. Then off to public school - little financial sacrifice. Also, they have fewer children. This is the norm. People generally spend less time and money on children today. The child-centered hype is just a story they tell themselves.

Earlier generations put in less time? What a crock. Oh, I get it - he doesn’t count the stay-at-home mom’s time! Yeah, I can see how they would feel like they give all their time to their children when their two careers’ demands are ignored. They probably have a family meal once a week. Question - how much time do their children spend alone?

Each child must have a vast arsenal of toys because mommy and daddy feel bad that they don’t spend much time with them and so they buy their affection? Or are they just too wimpy to say no and blame it on the kid?

The Grubman story shows how the author chooses examples that are far, far from the norm.

What I hear is a whining parent who doesn’t have the energy or interest that previous generations did. I hope the rest of the book is better than these quotes.

The poor, those with large families, single parents do not have the luxury to have child-centered families. So we need a Boomer sub-set.

Not only did you stay away from home until night fall, if you got in any trouble while you out of their sight, your parents knew how to take out their anger over your stupidity on you.

Baby boomers are woosies and overprotective when it comes to kids.