Hold Onto Your Kids

I was just reading Kathleen's booklist. I noticed Hold onto Your Kids by Gordon Neufeld was on there. I have read segments of it and agreed with a lot of what I read. We decided to start homeschooling our kids two years ago. I have to say that it was NOT my idea- I totally felt God laying it on my heart and knew that I should be obedient. I spent about a week in tears, talking it over with my husband and then we removed our kids from school. The next week the teachers went on a long strike, so that was cool affirmation!

Getting back to Hold Onto Your Kids- it talks about how the child's main attachment should be to his/her family, not to peers. Children are placed into daycare or other programs at such young ages, that they are not spending the time to bond with family first. I have children who love to socialize and be out of the home, especially my dd, who sometimes tries to act twice her age. Since we have been homeschooling, I have noticed a softening in her attitude and I really am thankful for all the time that we get to spend together. I don't think that I will ever regret it,. Of course, we get the comments about how our kids will not know how to socialize properly, but i think that is just a presumption about homeschoolers. I admit that I know some really awkward, shy homelearners, but I see lots of kids like them in the school system too!

I want to know where my kids are, who they are with, and what they are doing. I want to be friends with their friend's parents, I want to have lots of playdates at our house- I don't think that is sheltering them. I want them to be able to function successfully in society, but I think family attachment is the priority at this age.