As I have mentioned before, when I began homeschooling I did so because I felt directed by the Lord that this was what was right for our family. However, every now and then it can feel very lonely. Sometimes I question, if this is so right, why aren’t more people doing it? I usually gain sufficient comfort and encouragement in scriptures like Dueteronomy 26:18 “And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his apeculiar people”, and 1 Nephi 18:2 “Now I, Nephi, did not work the timbers after the manner which was learned by men, neither did I build the ship after the manner of men; but I did build it after the manner which the Lord had shown unto me; wherefore, it was not after the manner of men.” I know that the world’s ways are not God’s ways, and that just because “everyone else is doing it” doesn’t make it right, but sometimes I miss the comfort of “fitting in”. I realize this sounds rather juvenile, but sometimes it can feel frustrating to be the “only one”. Luckily, I don’t feel this way very often. Unfortunately, right now just happens to be one of the times that I do. It has been building for the past week, or so, and since writing my thoughts always seems to clear my head, I thought I would give it a try.
I have had several conversations lately that have got me thinking about this. The main topic I always get hit with is socialization. No one ever asks me how I could possibly educate my children at home, but most people seem to think it would be impossible for them to be “properly socialized”. We don’t sit home alone all day every day. My children are involved in various sports and study groups. They play, almost every day, with kids in the neighborhood, and typically seem like pretty normal kids. Why do most people feel that a child will be better “socialized” if they are exposed to the foul language, back-bighting, crassness, dress, rudeness, immorality, drug abuse, and violence that is the norm in almost every public school. The comments I often hear about this behavior at school from concerned parents is, “luckily they get used to it”, “it used to really bother them, but now they don’t even notice”, or “that is how it is in the real world, so they better learn how to deal with it.” I don’t know what kind of “real world” other people are living in, but my world looks little like the halls of the schools I went to, let alone the ones our should-be-innocent children have to endure now. There is so much talk of the dangers of “desensitization” that occurs when we watch movies that exhibit this sort of behavior, but somehow it is o-kay to be desensitized by our peers? I am not saying that a child can’t survive this and do alright, but I wonder why I am made to feel like the one who is crazy, because I don’t want this for my children.
I have to admit there are times that I have prayed that someone else would either move into our neighborhood, or someone here would decide to start homeschooling. Somehow it seems like that would make it easier, somehow validate my decision. Most of the time I don’t need that, but every now and then it sounds really nice. Until then, I will keep reminding myself of the reasons I do what I do, and trust that some day this poem will ring true.
The Road Not Taken
by Robert Frost
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth.
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
