"Are You Poor?"

Goal setting…this is the first step for many of us who travel down the homeschooling road. Short term goals are easy: my child should learn how to write name, learn to read, not have fits over handwriting assignments, etc. Long term goals tend to be lofty and philosophical: my child should be a Godly role model to his peers, be the next president, etc.

One of my long term goals has always been that my children will be able to articulate and defend their beliefs. I figured it would be a continued pursuit or a goal gradually achieved and mastered at adulthood, but maybe I need to move it more into the short term goal category.

About a month ago we were out to lunch with the Headmistress and her children. Our server, Abdu, (or rather server’s helper, as his mother was our official server) was an eight year old boy whose father owned the pizzeria. He was very friendly and assertive and seemed to enjoy visiting with us while he helped his mother serve our food. During our meal he asked where our children go to school and we told him that they are home schooled. He looked at us and asked “Are you poor?” We assured him that we are not (didn’t want him to think we weren’t going to pay the bill) and that some kids just do school at home, which seemed to be enough to satisfy him.

I didn’t really give it much thought until today while I was talking with my mother-in-law. She gave me a good bit of advice. She said that my children need to be prepared to give an answer when other children ask them “Why do you homeschool?” And I thought again about Abdu and if he’d asked my sweet six year old and four year old “Are you poor?” How would they have answered? Would they have been able to articulate and defend themselves? How do I teach/train them to answer those questions?

I asked my children today why we homeschool and they told me that it’s because we get done so much earlier. Maybe that’s the best answer for them to give to another child!