I have a friend.
This friend is divorced.
This friend home schools her son.
This friend's ex's girlfriend is, according to witnesses and the child, scoffing at home schooling, denigrating the friend's performance as a home schooler, and telling the child that he'd be much smarter if he went to a traditional school.
The girlfriend believes that my friend is doing a bad job because the child doesn't have a traditional store of knowledge learned on a regular timeline - they're schooling tends to be in clusters, beginning with a subject of interest and following it along different pathways.
The ex reinforces the girlfriend's opinion, echoing it as often as he can to the boy even as he's telling my friend that he's all for home schooling.
People constantly tell my friend how smart, polite, and well spoken the boy is. They marvel that he's only eight. They remark upon his maturity.
The boy is now asking to go to regular school because he doesn't want to be stupid. If he goes to regular school, it will be a public school, and he will likely be forced to take medication to keep him calm as he's used to freely moving and speaking his mind (so very NOT accepted in a traditional classroom), and does not do well when made to focus on one subject at a time for hours on end - the traditional school model for education.
So.
What would you do? Hypothetically speaking, of course?
Tell people to mind their own damn business and tell the friend to continue what she is doing as it will pay off in the end.
ReplyDeleteDitto. Seriously.
ReplyDeleteDrop the 'friend'. Or, at least tell her to butt out. It's none of that person's business how your friend chooses to educate her son. Ditto on the above.
ReplyDeleteKeep doing what is REALLY helping the boy. The ex's girlfriend has no business in the matter. end of story.
ReplyDeleteDitto... but it sounds like the damage is done. Perhaps she can talk to the schoolboard about allowing him to try public school for a term? I suspect he will quickly figure out that his Mom did indeed have it right, and want to come back to homeschooling. I have an 8 year old, and I can tell you that words don't sway a kid at this age; trying it for himself usually does.
ReplyDeleteI agree, it is none of the girlfriends business, but I also agree with Wild Cakes.
ReplyDeleteI'd let the child try public school and see how it goes.
I worked as a yard supervisor at an elementary school, there were a couple of kids that had previously been home-schooled that transitioned to the change really well.
I agree with giving it a try, but I might be tempted to just have him visit for a day or so... in order that he can find out what it is like without committing himself to a whole term or school year. Especially if he is one who is accustomed to being able to walk around or speak at will during homeschooling.
ReplyDeleteShoot the bitch.
ReplyDeleteOh wait...did I say that out loud???
:)