Saturday, January 29, 2011

The "S" Word

There is a word that should be banned from vocabulary, just because I'm tired of hearing it. That word is "socialization". When I hear the word, "socialization", I think of things like Socialists, Socialism, and a whole host of other negative things that have nothing to do with what people mean when they ask that question that is always asked of homeschoolers.

"What about socialization?"


Let me start with some background information, that I just need to get off of my chest for once and for all. Forgive me, Lord, but I'm about to let this out in the open, and I'm going to consciously forgive some people as soon as this post is published.

We have homeschooled for over ten years. Apparently, some folks didn't realize that we have been homeschoolers all along, and didn't find anything unusual or different about our children until THEY FOUND OUT.

Of course, we weren't hiding anything from them. It just wasn't really any of their business. Their children attend the school that they attend, and mine attend the school that MINE attend. When they became closer to us, they decided to try to convert us to their way of thinking.

Even though their primary contact with my children has been at parties and other social events, they determined that we have kept our children from the real world, and that they won't even know how to be around other people. It is also their job to save us from ourselves, or didn't we know?

This ends badly, because our relationship was forever marred when the male part of this group stood, screaming at me in my own home about how my children have no lives, and that they could never do that to their own children. Of course, he did this in front of my children, going on to insinuate that they lack intelligence, among other things. I hope that my children can be forgiving, because right now, they don't enjoy spending time with this part of the family any more.

I won't attack the way that they parent their own children, because the destructiveness of their lifestyle is already manifesting itself in some very not so surprising ways.

So as of this post, I end the catty remarks, and things like that from me. No matter how angry I get at the things that they say to me, my husband, or my children, we will continue to do what we do, because that is what is right for our family.

If the real world is all about sex, drugs, drinking, failing grades, disrespect, teen pregnancy, and outright child neglect, then we reject that world.

If the real world is about hurting other people just to make ourselves look better, then we reject that world, too.

If the real world ignores God and family, just for the sake of pleasure, then we are also guilty of rejecting those things.

If the real world means that my children can't pursue the information that they truly need in pursuit of the lives that they want to live, then we reject it once again.

If the real world means that it is ok to cheat on things like science projects for the sake of winning instead of learning, then we are guilty once more.

We don't care if the Three Princesses never win a science fair, listen to rap music, have a swagga, call themselves Gucci, or become homecoming queens. We don't care if they never get their noses pierced, go cruising, or find out what going out to the boonies is all about.

I'm tired of listening to you brag about your children's accomplishments, and tired of pretending that I am impressed. I am tired of being careful to not mention the accomplishments of my own children, lest you insult me or try to start a fight. If you will notice, I am the one that stops talking when you throw something insulting and demeaning into the air for all to hear. Years ago, I adopted a philosophy for myself that goes like this, "PRAY, DON'T CONFRONT"

We are raising Americans, NOT Socialists.

Yet as I said, I will forgive now, because it's past time to do that.

Giving Thanks and Praise to God,

Laurel Santiago

1 comment:

  1. WOW!..... just WOW!!!

    Sorry for what you are going through with some. I can understand your anger/frustration. Education, in any form or fashion, should be approached with prayer. You have to find what is right for your family!

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