If you are like me, you may feel that you have read enough "how to" parenting books to fill several bookshelves. And you have been to enough homeschool conventions and been part of enough homeschool cooperatives that they begin to blur. (But we are always happy to go to or join up with one more!) You may also have noticed that homeschool families can start to fall into certain categories. I wanted to share five dangerous stereotypes we can find ourselves falling into if we don't pay attention:
Attack Parents: These parents want to control everything and live by the philosophy that their children can easily be turned into small miniature robots. These robots will later be used to cure every social ill in the world and will achieve great things simply by recognizing the errors of other generations and applying to correct formula of superior parenting. Often, those of us in this category forget to fix ourselves first.
Surrender Parents: These parents feel sorry that their children will not have the opportunity to live the "high life" that is the American Public School education. They believe that all children must be given as much rope as possible or they will rebel. These parents will usually follow all worldly patterns, lifestyles, and educational philosophies but tattoo on (literally sometimes) a little Jesus sticker to worldly activities and events. Those of us in this categories live in terror that our children will not be "cool" or "relevant."
Overload Parents: These parents have tried to create there own private schools by signing up for every program, co-opt, and extra curricular event that they can find. Their children, and more importantly themselves, can not be allowed to get bored! There is a 50- 50 chance that you will see these parents shortly dropping out and enrolling their children in school because that is what they really wanted anyway. After all, it is hard for us to go to the gym and participate in Rotary the same time you are supposed to teach Chemistry.
Post Modern Parents: These parents live by the philosophy we only do what we like. We only study what we like, show up when we like, participate when we like, believe what we like, go to church when and where we like. Those of us in this category have a deep envy of the Rainbow People and would like to make a living studying Indian Basket Weaving or driving at Nascar depending on our liberal or redneck tendencies.
"Harvard or Bust" Parents: These parents believe that Plato, Jesus, and Mark Zuckerberg are kissing cousins and that success in college, or at least attending the right college, is the ultimate success in homeschooling, life, and pretty much everything else. Those of us in this category have a Harvard application for admittance stapled to the back of the Bible and a Stanford application tucked in just before Revelation.
Biblical Parenting: These parents try to find the balance of providing correct daily discipleship, good peers and activities, and leading our children in the direction and blessing of our child's design. Our parenting and our lives should be most marked by Joy despite sometimes very trying circumstances and our own failures. Our Bible is our blue print and our goal is Heaven. Christ is the center and purpose of our lives. Let us repent and move forward toward the goal!
Attack Parents: These parents want to control everything and live by the philosophy that their children can easily be turned into small miniature robots. These robots will later be used to cure every social ill in the world and will achieve great things simply by recognizing the errors of other generations and applying to correct formula of superior parenting. Often, those of us in this category forget to fix ourselves first.
Surrender Parents: These parents feel sorry that their children will not have the opportunity to live the "high life" that is the American Public School education. They believe that all children must be given as much rope as possible or they will rebel. These parents will usually follow all worldly patterns, lifestyles, and educational philosophies but tattoo on (literally sometimes) a little Jesus sticker to worldly activities and events. Those of us in this categories live in terror that our children will not be "cool" or "relevant."
Overload Parents: These parents have tried to create there own private schools by signing up for every program, co-opt, and extra curricular event that they can find. Their children, and more importantly themselves, can not be allowed to get bored! There is a 50- 50 chance that you will see these parents shortly dropping out and enrolling their children in school because that is what they really wanted anyway. After all, it is hard for us to go to the gym and participate in Rotary the same time you are supposed to teach Chemistry.
Post Modern Parents: These parents live by the philosophy we only do what we like. We only study what we like, show up when we like, participate when we like, believe what we like, go to church when and where we like. Those of us in this category have a deep envy of the Rainbow People and would like to make a living studying Indian Basket Weaving or driving at Nascar depending on our liberal or redneck tendencies.
"Harvard or Bust" Parents: These parents believe that Plato, Jesus, and Mark Zuckerberg are kissing cousins and that success in college, or at least attending the right college, is the ultimate success in homeschooling, life, and pretty much everything else. Those of us in this category have a Harvard application for admittance stapled to the back of the Bible and a Stanford application tucked in just before Revelation.
Biblical Parenting: These parents try to find the balance of providing correct daily discipleship, good peers and activities, and leading our children in the direction and blessing of our child's design. Our parenting and our lives should be most marked by Joy despite sometimes very trying circumstances and our own failures. Our Bible is our blue print and our goal is Heaven. Christ is the center and purpose of our lives. Let us repent and move forward toward the goal!
