Choices

    I am truely amazed at the attitudes of some people and how they feel it is their duty to convince you that your choice is wrong.  My husband & I have chosen to raise our kids in the manner that we think is best.  We don't expect everyone else to make the same choices we have but I don't think it is too much to ask for others to respect our choices. 

    We decided that I would stay home with our children.  We knew that this would mean that we would be giving up certain things, luxuries, like week long vacations (not really something you can do with a farm anyway), and frequent dinners out.  But in our hearts we felt that our kids would benefit more from having a parent home with them.  Yet when we turn down and offer to go out to a bar, (Neither of us really cares to drink.) or an expensive restaurant or vacation with a group we hear how I should be sent out to get a job.  As though raising our children is not important work.

     We have even been told that I shouldn't be feeding my family food that we raise on our farm that I should buy all of our food from the store.  Really!?!  Are they just trying to be rude.  Where do you think the food at the store comes from?  Farms.  And I will have you know that by raising a lot of our own food not only does it cut down on the grocery bill but I know exactly what I'm feeding my family because I am the only one who put anything in that jar.  Do you know exactly what is in your can of green beans or soup?  Can you pronounce all of those ingredients? 

     Then we have the home schooling issue.  It is amazing how polarizing this topic is.  We have actually lost friends over this one.  My husband has had people at his work tell him that if we don't put our children into public school they will become serial killers.  Come on people.  First of all, Jeff and I would presume to tell you how or where to educate your children, so why do you think it's OK to tell us.  It's not like we're all hermits.  The boys have lots of friends and cousins to play with.  The difference is that when they are having school it is time for learning.  Socializing is done when we when it is time for that.  Kind of like how as adults we have to work when it's time to work and socialize after.  When asked how we like cyber school or home schooling we always respond "We love it!"  because we do.  That does not mean that I am going to try to convince you that it is the only way a child should be educated or tell you that you have to do this too.  However, it also doesn't mean that I am willing to sit and listen to you read me the riot act about how the brick and mortar public schools are the choice we should have made and what we need to do to get our boys into the public school.  Every family should do what works best for them and not have to spend the rest of their lives justifying it.