I went to get my hair cut today, and something remarkable happened. My barber, a nice lady, not a Christian, but a switched on person, started talking to me about homeschooling. She knows we do it, I can't remember ever talking to her about it, but I likely mentioned it to her in the past.
She told me a couple of things that I found incredible.
She said she notices a definite difference in her daughter on the days that she works and those that she doesn't. She is only a part time barber.
She said in the days that she stays home and picks up her daughter from school, that her daughter is quite happy, wants to play with her, and much happier around her. But on the days she works and comes home to her daughter already there her daughter is withdrawn, wants to stay on her screens and is much less happy. I just said, that's a remarkable observation.
I didn't prompt this conversation as I generally do no more than ask how my barber is, then just let them work as I believe in not distracting or bringing up controversial discussions with the person with sharp instruments near your head. Just my way.
She then noted: it must be good to have your kids not distracted by all of the other nonsense that happens in school that's not education related. Then told me she'd been reading some articles about the lifestyle of home-schooling mums, and was amazed at the flexibility.
Then she said something I wasn't expecting. She said she wished she could stay at home and homeschool her daughter. But life is too expensive and then we talked about interest rates and cost of living etc.
I was amazed at this conversation because I don't bring these things up with people like this. But it got me thinking: how many women are just like her? They'd like to stay home and be there to pick up their kids from school or some would like to teach their kids, but believe it's not workable.
A few things hold them back:
Lack of income: life is too expensive, and they need to work to cover bills. This can be fixed by simplifying your life, in lots of instances. A smaller home, cheaper car, cutting out fancy holidays, expensive activities, etc.
Perceived lack of income: many people don't realize how much money you save by not driving every day, buying uniforms, and all sorts of stuff.
Husbands: many husbands want their wife's income on top of their own. This makes women feel pressured to work. But men should be making it easier for women to be home, not pushing their wives to work. Not necessarily to homeschool, but to manage the home as God calls for.
Conditioning: most of modern education trains girls to pursue a career, not home-making, so they've been conditioned to suppress the home-making desires.
Lack of self-belief: many women, or their husbands, don't believe they could do it. That an expert is needed. But home-schooling can be done by any kind of mother no matter her qualifications. And if you start early you literally become skilled at the whole curriculum across your child's life.
Perception: Some people see private schools as a status symbol, or conversely home-schoolers as weird. As if teaching your own kids is strange, but getting strangers and state workers to raise them is the ideal? How did we become this inverted so quickly? The norm throughout history is seen as weird after only a short period of time, because it only takes a generation to enculturate a certain perspective.
All this being said, I understand why people choose differently, I believe the Old school Christian schools that were charities to those in need were some of the best ministries in history, as opposed to the modern method of catering to elitist culture. I think schooling being free, or relatively free for all, is a good thing (in theory). And the Church should be offering free education, as it once did. But if like this woman you are considering the lifestyle, I encourage you to give it a go. The advantages are manifest.
And I bet there are many ordinary Aussies who would love a simpler lifestyle.
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