The Gift of Friends

Being subjected to the scrutiny that comes with home schooling, regarding "socialization" , I have given friends a thorough thinking through.
The general idea seems to be: For lack of people, our home schooled children will not know the joys of friendship
I beg to differ, but I will save that can of worms for another day on the pond. I believe the socialization issue is a well intentioned misunderstanding that to the credit of the Socialization Police is at it's core trying to say "Friendship is Important!" I would be inclined to agree.


I have been homeschooled. I have also attended both public and private schools.
What I have found about friendship regardless of the setting, is that having more people to make friends with is of little use if you do not have the basic qualities of a good friend.

The core of showing oneself friendly begins with simple respect and the ethic of reciprocity.

I have found too, that despite all of the BFF and BF-4-EVA entries in my old school annuals, the closest friends I have are family.

I don't know where I would be without my Pink Ladies and The Pink Bedroom Society.
(Or my mom and her endless supply of recipes)


To me, The Gift of Friends is:

• Someone who knows you, where you've been and what has formed you
• Traveling companion at your side, if only in spirit, wherever you need to venture
• Being told the truth without worry of offense
• Commonalities
• Differences
• Sharing inside jokes, fears, tears and good news and all in wild abandon

The 12 Days of Homeschooling...

As passed on by a SUHN member:

1. On the first day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Can you homeschool legally?


2. On the second day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"


3. 
   
   On the third day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"


4. 
   
   On the fourth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "What about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"


5. 
   
   On the fifth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "YOU ARE SO STRANGE! What about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"


6. 
   
   On the sixth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "How long will you homeschool, YOU ARE S0 STRANGE, what about P.E. , do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"


7. 
   
   On the seventh day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE!, what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, do you homeschool legally?"


8. 
   
   On the eighth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Why do you do this, look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE, what about P.E. do you give them tests, are they socialized, do you homeschool legally?"


9. 
   
   On the ninth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "They'll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE!, what about P.E. do you give them tests, are they socialized, do you homeschool legally?"


10. 
    
    On the tenth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "What about graduation, they'll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE!, what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"


11. 
    
    On the eleventh day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "I could never do that, what about graduation, they'll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE, what about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"


12. 
    
    On the twelfth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "Can they go to college, I could never do that, what about graduation, they'll miss the prom, why do you do this, look at what they're missing, how long will you homeschool, YOU ARE SO STRANGE, What about P.E., do you give them tests, are they socialized, can you homeschool legally?"


13. 
    
    On the thirteenth day of homeschool I thoughtfully replied: "They Can go to college, yes you can do this, they can have graduation, we don't like the prom, we do it 'cause we like it, they are missing nothing, we'll homeschool forever, WE ARE NOT STRANGE!, We give them P.E., and we give them tests, they are socialized, AND WE HOMESCHOOL LEGALLY!


14. On the fourteenth day of homeschool my neighbor said to me, "How can I get started, why didn't you tell me, where do I buy curriculum, when is the next conference, WILL PEOPLE THINK WE'RE STRANGE? I think we can do this, if you will help us, can we join P.E. and we'll homeschool legally."

Hear The Bells Ring...

Something or other reminded me of handbells the other day. We used to have a handbell choir when I was in high school, but it is a rare thing to come across, so I decided to dial up a couple of videos to show the kids...

They especially liked The Pink Panther video :



I especially liked the David Crowder Plays Handbells video: