What a day

Today we [my wife and I] went to our first home schooling "conference." There actually was a conference going on but we did not attend any of the sessions. We just walked around and looked at what all of the various vendors had for sale and then we bought some books.

I really wanted to be into it. I really wanted to feel like I had more stock in what was being picked out but I really felt like I was against the wall for a few reasons.

#1. My wife is the one who actually has to do the bulk of teaching. Since she stays home with the kids she will be the one who is comfortable with the curriculum.

#2. We were picking stuff out for my daughter who will essentially be starting Pre School/Kindergarten in the fall. ABC's, counting, drawing, and learning to read and right letters are probably all that she really needs to know but the education of youngsters like her is not my forte.

#3. This was a "Christian" home schooling conference. The majority of the books there were of a religious nature, no matter what the content. Another good portion of the books were just on various Christian topics and not necessarily about home schooling at all.

#4. I felt like I was in another dimension. There was nothing that I would really call a resemblance of "pop culture" Christianity about this. A lot of the women had their hair up in buns and denim skirts down to their ankles. Many of them were very Amish or Mennonite looking.

All this to say that I felt very awkward for most of the day while my wife, ironically, felt right at home.

I really do want to home school our kids. I feel that a lot of the quality of public education has gone downhill. I also don't care for the fact that the politicians and lobbyists have invaded the classrooms with all of their rhetoric. Children need to learn basic skills, not socialist propaganda.

As far as the schooling goes for my kids, I want them to be able to learn the basic skills necessary for living this life right here, right now. The religious stuff, in my mind, can wait until they are older and more ready for it.