making connections
Making changes for the family By Nicole McKeon WNC Parent columnist
Over the last several months, my columns have focused more on current events and how they affect our family relationships rather than homeschooling. The reasons are two-fold: my children, at two different times, re-entered traditional schools, and my family has been processing this massive change. Our family returned to the traditional school setting with great reluctance and great hope. While some of our reluctance was well-founded, we have also at times been pleasantly surprised by the changes we have seen in the school culture. Most of the reasons we home-schooled are the same reasons many of you do. We believed in the primacy of the family unit. We believed that no one was better
26
equipped to meet our children’s needs then we were. We still believe this. However, we did find certain challenges that, for our family, became paramount to our children’s well-being. One of the biggest was loneliness. There is a six-year age difference between our children, and, while they love each other dearly, they were not great company for each other, socially. We also must acknowledge — as many home-schoolers know but may not admit — home-schooling is exhausting. It can burn out even the most dedicated and patient parent, it can test the strongest marriage. We felt the need for a break. I am grateful that I have a husband and a family who are strong enough, honest enough and love each other enough to make changes when changes are needed. We were lucky to have a very small and wonderful group of home-schooling friends who were a great support to us while we were home-schooling. Nevertheless, my children still desired to try some-
W N C PA R E N T | A P R I L 2 0 1 3
thing new. Most of the issues we have encountered while home-schooling, and now in school, have really been a reflection of our turbulent political, social and economic culture. I have been shocked by the explosive way technology has increased the bullying and cruelty children impose on one another. The disconnected family has become the disconnected society, and we all suffer for it. Ultimately, the problems in our educational system are not educational problems. They are much deeper societal problems. There is no perfect solution, but there may be a solution that works better for your family. As for our family, we will take it a year at a time. In the meantime, I will continue to write this column. I would beg your indulgence as I expand my musings outside the realm of home-schooling. Email McKeon at homeschoolstation@ hotmail.com.