7 Things I do NOT like about Homeschooling

Just to be fair, I want to cover the other side of the coin.  :)

1. For many homeschoolers, mom seldom or never gets a day off.  I confess there are times I envy the freedom of my public school parent peers (those without a full time job), having long stretches of free time day after day to pursue their own interests, get a part time job, or just hang around with adults! 

2. When things go wrong (and they will), there is no convenient scapegoat to blame (teacher, school system, etc.).  It's all on you.  As pointed out in my prior list, we do have the ability to make immediate changes to try to correct what went wrong, but this doesn't help when you are feeling guilty because Johnny still doesn't know his times tables!!

3. There are some things that are difficult or impossible to do at home, and they are not always available in the community.  My eldest was dual-enrolled with the public school for this reason, and he was able to do Band, woodshop, and lab sciences at the school (among other things).  Now that we don't live so close to a school, this isn't as feasible for my younger two.... and not all schools are friendly to part-time students (who homeschool for the core classes).  Many homeschoolers have to fight to be included in group classes like Band and Sports, and some don't win that fight so the kids just have to miss out on those activities.

4. Curriculum and supplies can be expensive, and there are no tax dollars or fundraisers to help with home education!  Sometimes we have to compromise on what we would like to buy but can't afford.

5. There is often little or no backup, and very little thanks.  This relates to never getting a break, but it's more than that... institutional school teachers have a principal, a school nurse, special needs teachers and/or aides, and a school counselor to help them out if they have a difficult or injured student.  If they need time off (for any reason), they can get a substitute to teach the kids that day.  School teachers also receive a salary, of course, and generally have paid vacation days also!  When you teach at home, it's all you all the time, bad days and good days, sick days and healthy days, no pay and often little or no appreciation.  This can be discouraging at times!!

6. In spite of the continuing growth of homeschooling, there are still a lot of people who don't understand or appreciate it, so you are constantly being asked to defend your choice.  Many people just ask out of curiosity, but some are very negative, often complete strangers.

7. Although we do get lots of socialization, there is more work involved in maintaining friendships than there would be if (in theory) if the kids were in school with the same people all day every day.  This is actually much more like adulthood, since few people are best buddies with their co-workers but actually have to work at finding and maintaining relationships, but it can be a bit of a bother, especially for military homeschoolers who move frequently (so the pool of potential friends is constantly changing!). 

7 Reasons Why I Love Homeschooling

I could make lots of lists about this topic, but here's my list for today:

1. We start when we are good and ready!  There have been times where schedules are tight and we have a set start time for our schooling day, but even then if there is illness or appointments or we were just up late the night before, the morning start time is completely flexible!  Our typical start time is around 8:30 or 9, but with no bus and no dress code that means the kids can easily sleep until 8 daily if they wish.  Love it!!

2. Like our daily schedule, our calendar is 100% flexible also.  My goal is to do a minimum of 180 days of school each year, and most years we exceed that considerably.... but we start the year whenever works for us and take vacation days whenever we like.  Many years we have taken 3 weeks for Christmas break, which I love!  With eldest in college, homeschooling means that we can set our schedule here to better match his college schedule, maximizing the limited time his brothers can spend with him.  Military families especially love this flexibility, because they can take vacation around dad's deployments and trips, without the hassle of obtaining "permission" from anyone else, or doing makeup work, or having grades penalized.

3. We study what we want, when we want (for the most part).  Eldest had an interest in the World Wars, so we devoted a semester to focused study on just that topic.  When we lived in Japan, we did a semester of Japanese history.  We aren't limited to class offerings by the local school--granted anyone can do "after school" lessons in outside topics too, but we do it as part of our regular school.  And we can repeat topics or focus on skills as much or little as is necessary... at home every single child has his own "individual education plan" automatically!

4. The kids have so much more time to pursue their individual interests when they are not spending hours each day on the bus, in lines, and doing pointless busywork.  Granted my kids are pros at wasting time sometimes, LOL, but free play time is important too imho!  And when they do take fire to build something or join a group or volunteer, they are almost guaranteed to have the time to do it.

5. We eat what we want when we want.  I remember the year my elder son took several classes at the public school which put him in the school every other day.  The high school set the lunch period for 1 p.m. (on a school day that began at 8!).  That was his hardest year food-wise, when he was rushed for early breakfast, and stuffing granola bars in his pockets to eat in the hallways.  Thankfully we lived next door to the school at that time, so he could come home for a good lunch.  That year really made him appreciate what he had on the alternating homeschool days, being able to eat a hearty breakfast and lunch when he got hungry instead of when the institution told him he could!  I know well the argument of "well, when he has a job he'll be on a schedule and be rushed for eating too"... but he'll also be an adult then, without the greater hunger (and nutritional needs) of a growing teen!!

6. If something isn't working, we can throw it out (or pass it on) and get something else.  Granted this does up the expense at times, but that freedom is something many of my teacher friends have wished they had!  It's nice to have the freedom to customize around each child's learning style and ability.

7.  We aren't tied to a school building, but education goes with the child.  With increasing expenses and sometimes decreasing budgets, many school systems (both public and private) have had to severely curtail field trips.  Of course finances and availability limit us also, but we have multiple field trips every year--and even a trip to the store can be a field trip (math, nutrition, economics, etc.)!  Best of all, if we need to move during the school year or take a long trip to help family, our education doesn't stop or falter--the books just come along with us!  Same teacher, same curriculum, same classmates (siblings), just a new location! 

Why Living in the USA is Better

From the Crawford County Fair, PA

(Last one from Facebook, originally published October 2, 2010... would my answers be the same if I wrote these today? Perhaps not entirely, but I didn't see the point of re-inventing the wheel on these, and thought these blists were as good a place to start as any!)   :)

Ok, ok, the one you've all been waiting for (ha), why living right here in the good old USA is best (again, in no particular order but just as my mind wanders and I think about things)...

1. We are still one of the free-est Nations on Earth

2. Many many more choices of fast/cheap food (you knew food had to come in there somewhere, LOL)!!

3. Almost everyone here speaks english (or american, or something)  ;)

4. NO exchange rate headaches!!  :)-

5. This is my native home, where I was born and raised and my family has lived since the Mayflower (and even before that if you count my grandmother's great-grandmother from the Seneca tribe!)

6. At Disney you don't have to look for the english-language headphones or listen carefully for the english-language instructions to come up after half a dozen other languages  ;)-

7. I understand the culture and it's lingo, so I don't have to worry about accidentally insulting someone or giving an unintended rude gesture (of course that also means that if I flip you off, I really mean it and can't say oops LOL)

8. Shopping is easier, since I can easily read the phone book, ask for directions, etc., and again back to #5 it's easy to find chains I know and don't have to guess which store sells what (or not as much, anyway!)

9.  The U.S. also has lots more discount and thrift stores than anywhere else I've seen.  :)

10. As long as both you and they are in the Conus 48, it's much MUCH easier, cheaper, and faster to visit family  :)

11. Little worry about time change for phoning--again, as long as you are Conus the most you have to consider is 3 hours' difference!!  Also it may be cheaper or easier to call from state-to-state, even on the cells (without need for computer-based phone)

12. NO MORE annoying "sorry but you aren't in the U.S. so you can't watch this show or access this web site or enter this contest or join this club" messages!!!!  :-p

13. MAIL!!!  My 10 year old twins have both already said that is the thing they love by far the most in the US--they get mail almost every day in the box RIGHT in front of our HOUSE, wahoo!!!  :)-  No more trips to the post office, customs forms, etc.

14. Also regarding mail, we don't get the "sorry we won't ship to APO" or insanely excessive "handling" fees for APO... plus we can get furniture and books and etc. shipped to us through UPS and other land-based carriers

15. The walls are NOT made of concrete!!  ;)  (my germany friends will appreciate that one LOL)

16. I can see movies (in theory, LOL) when they first come out, without waiting for the european or AAFES release

17. American stores and companies are much more likely to offer military discounts to American servicemen and their families  ;)

18. I can wear things with flags on them without fear of offending someone or risking attack, standing out as an "ugly American"

19. I can visit Christian book stores and listen to Christian radio  :)

20. I can VOTE again!!!!!  (We gave up trying to vote from overseas nearly 5 years ago when the first 5 years overseas we tried every election and only once did either of us actually get a vote through the mail to the recording center, ugh)

21. I never have to even think about darkening the door of stupid AAFES   :-p

Why Living in Japan is Better

(Second cut and paste from Facebook Notes, original published September 28, 2010)


Beautiful Sakura (on Yokota AFB)

Second in my three-part "series" applauding nations in which I have lived.  :)  While I'm not getting into State differences, I do want to point out that my Japan experience will likely be completely different than someone who lived on Okinawa, or even Sapporo.  We lived on Honshu, in the suburbs of Tokyo, the world's largest city (in population).  This is a much shorter list than Germany, but each item is longer... I've not lived there in 6 years, so it's harder to remember the little details.

1. Food, glorious food!!  In Tokyo you can get about any kind of food you want, but like the United States Japan has it's own "take" on italian, mexican, etc.  Their italian is light and fresh--better in some ways than food in the actual Italy!  :)  My favorite Pizza Hut (Japan) pizza was the eggplant, and my favorite McDonald's sandwich there was the chicken tatsu--flattened and grilled and covered in fresh cabbage.  The teriyaki burger was yummy too.  ;)  And of course I can't even begin to describe how fantastic the chinese, thai, and japanese food is there... I'm getting hungry just thinking about it, and I just ate lunch!!  :)-

2.  Public transportation!!!  Yes, there are trains in Europe, but we never found them as convenient and NO ONE beats the japanese record for being on time!  I'll never forget the time we tried to take a train in to the city during a typhoon (aka hurricane), and they apologized profusely and humbly over the loudspeakers for the train being 5 minutes late because one blew off the tracks... really!!!  And of course people walk and bike everywhere around Tokyo too.  :)

3.  World's best customer service.  My husband has been to several dozen Nations and has visited every continent except Antarctica.  My Aunt and others I've met have been to just as much or more.  I have yet to find a single person who can include Tokyo in their history who does NOT rant and rave about how fantastic the service is there.  :)  Yes, there are individual places that are great elsewhere, but in greater Tokyo it is everywhere you go, from the humblest drug store to the fanciest hotel.  Even most people in the street will bend over backwards to help you if you ask.  It's truly amazing, and humbling when you come from an ambivalent place like the U.S.  A couple of "only in Japan" examples:  the garbage men handscrub each garbage can when they empty it, and the maintenance people (even on the military base) would tell you "we'll be there between 4 and 4:05 tomorrow (yes you read that right--a 5 MINUTE window, not 5 hours or more as elsewhere... and they would actually show up on time, too!!!).  A lot of japanese worked on base too, so the on-base services were approximately 50 billion light years better than anyplace we've ever been also.  :)-  (Warning: may be very slightly exaggerated)  LOL

4.  Safety.  Unless you get on the bad side of the mob (yes, they do have one there), Tokyo is amazingly safe.  Random violent crime is almost non-existent, and a theft is huge news that will be talked about for weeks.  Yes, this is the world's LARGEST city in the World, and yet statistically I would not be the least bit surprised to learn it is also the safest.  We would go to city parks with my twin toddlers and leave cameras, bags, even wallets just sitting on a bench while we chased the boys around.  NO ONE steals there--you see this everywhere (people leaving valuable items lying around and no one bothering it).  Oddly, the one exception was bicycles, those were always locked up tightly LOL.  People from all over the world were talking about how safe it was during the World Cup, I remember, because it was such a surprise to so many from other Nations.  :)

5.  So much to do and see.  This may be a "duh" kind of thing, but being the world's largest city there was a LOT to do.  :)  Besides cultural and historical things Tokyo also has two wonderful zoos, a Sesame Place, and Disneyland (plus the world's only DisneySEA park!).  Some of their city playground/parks were truly wonderful and unique too--one had giant areas of rubber (like a moonwalk) for jumping that the americans called "mushroom mountain."  Another had a bizarre giant slide with rubber strips all down it that you went on by sled that the americans called a "spaghetti slide" LOL.  The base services were fantastic there too, with horseback riding and camping and fantastic family-friendly and inexpensive bus trips all over the area.  It is also designated as an area which qualified for "morale leave" (we never could fathom why, unless it was simple distance from the U.S.), so we could take 2 "hop" trips per year if we wished.  We never really took advantage of that, but a lot of people I met did, going shopping in Korea and Singapore, hopping over to the beaches in Guam and Okinawa, etc.

6.  Wonderful friendly people.  Unlike Germany or the U.S., the japanese are thrilled when you make an effort to learn their language, and they will help you whenever they can, being very patient and kind with your mangling of their words.  (The Americans are notorious for shouting at people, of course, and in our experience where we lived most germans would just growl at us and switch to english, refusing to even try to listen to our attempts at german.)  Of course my experience is also probably colored by the fact that I was walking around with adorable and VERY blonde twin toddlers (and later preschoolers) during our years there.  ;)  They would constantly stop us to take their photo, pat them on the heads, etc.  The twins were quite disgruntled with the lack of adoration they received in Germany LOL  ;)-

7.  Not as much living adjustment difficulties as in Europe.  I went to public school and learned virtually nothing about Asia, so when we got orders there I felt like I was going to the moon and was really worried!!  What a wonderful surprise to learn that almost everyone in Tokyo speaks at least a little english (and will try to help you even when they don't LOL).  The signs around Tokyo are usually in "romanji" (roman letters) and not just the 3 asian script sets they use, and in fact a great number of signs were also in english!  The electric and video is the same, so no worries about transformers or dual-system TVs, etc.... and the japanese believe in A/C LOL!!!  :)- Plus at least when we were there the exchange rate was almost one-to-one, so it wasn't difficult to translate yen to dollars.  :)  The japanese also love thrift stores and have "100 yen" stores (equivalent to $1), so it wasn't terribly expensive like we expected.  Of course it helped that almost everyone lived on base--but my brother lived off base in Yokosuka (south of Tokyo), and so we got to share a bit of his experiences.  His biggest adjustment was the japanese concept of size.  He and his wife rented a one-bedroom home of perhaps 800 square feet, and all his japanese neighbors were shocked that they would want such a gigantic home with only the two of them!

8.  NO tipping!!!  Ok, this may be selfish on my part LOL, but I loved loved loved the fact that we didn't have to worry about whom to tip for what and what the percentages were and etc.  In Japan tipping is considered an insult, because their honor requires them to do the best job they possibly can already.... to tip would be like saying you are helping them get by while they find a new job, because they really stink at the one they have now!!

9.  Being on the opposite side of the planet gives you a nice cushion from family drama.  ;)-  Ok, it's far... even though I'm trying to keep these all positive, I thought it only fair to mention that small fact.  However, it's not all bad.  Granted we were very lucky having my brother stationed there at the same time we were, and it does make seeing family a challenge being so far away!  But in this day and age we have internet chat and email and facebook, so it's not so bad.  And truly, we would often hear about family squabbles after they were completely over and resolved already LOL.  And no one gets mad when you say you just can't make it for Christmas this year.  ;)  Besides, we were a day ahead of everyone else so could tell them that there really is a tomorrow.  ;)-

Why Living in Germany is Better

(Copied and pasted directly as originally published on Facebook, September 27, 2010)

The first in a three part series, one "why it's better" for each Nation in which I have lived!  :)-  Maybe it's time I got a blog after all LOL...

Hohenecken, Germany

 For my dear friends currently still living in Germany... I know some of you are lamenting the future year or years that you are scheduled to remain there, and I do completely understand--btdt!!  :)  But in spite of my belly-aching there were many things I loved there (as I've told my boys, noplace in this World is perfect, but all have good and bad points!), and it really did feel like home to me (esp. since David and I lived longer in that house on Vogelweh than any other place we have ever lived, a full 1/4 of our 20 years of married life!!).  :)  In brief, here are 30 advantages to Germany that I miss the most now that I no longer have them (not in order of importance, but just as I think of them):

1.  REAL mayonaisse (made from rapeseed oil, yummy!), not soyonaisse like all the american companies have gone to, YUCK
2.  Best chocolate in the World (Europe in general)  :)
3.  France (just an hour's drive, whoohoo!)  :)-
4.  Ants that DON'T bite/burn (ie, no fire ants!!!), and in fact few insect issues (compared to most places I've been!)
5. Luxembourg City (2 hours' drive)
6.  The Autobahn, which in Germany is a beautiful thing  ;)
7.  Practical approach to speeding (for those who don't know, in Germany a typical speeding ticket is almost like a road tax--as long as you pay the fine, you are done, no points and no insurance penalties, just pay and keep on truckin')
8.  the Bergshanke in Hohenecken  ;)
9.  At least a dozen *fantastic* italian restaurants in the area (making the Macaroni Grill on base seem like ChefBoyArDee)  :)-
10.  Sweater weather (I love sweaters, grin)
11.  Belgium & Holland & Switzerland & Poland (also easy drives and great weekend getaways!)
12.  Ryan Air!!  :)
13.  Bakeries in almost every teeny little town, all fantastically delicious!  :)
14.  German beer (ok, I don't like it, but I still confess it's light years away from most american beers)
15.  Cheap european wine  :)
16.  Kaiserslautern Schools, who were great to work with and very accepting of my boys as part-timers (mostly homeschooled)
17.  Best Boy Scout Troop in the world
18.  Furniture that costs no more than in the U.S. but is about 20x better quality
19.  Cheap cell phones (our pay-as-you-go phones cost us maybe 15 euros per month, the equivalent of about $20-25)
20.  Amazing history to see all around you (castle ruins, etc.)
21.  Worms, Idar-Oberstein, Heidelberg, Mainz, etc. etc.
22.  Legoland and Paris Disney  ;)
23.  Eidelweiss (military)  Lodge & Resort
24.  Tons of storage (cupboards, closets etc.--in my base house)
25.  Friendly chatty local yahoo groups
26.  Ramstein yard sales (while I found it kind of annoying at the time, it's a million times easier to navigate than Craig's List, IMHO)
27.  Best Cub Scout Pack in the world
28.  Great neighborhood (hi Susan, wink, but I'm talking the year we lived off base too--we were blessed with great neighbors all around)
29.  Pomme Frites (yes I really really miss the food)
30.  Beautiful scenery (esp. on those rare days of sunshine, LOL)
31. German windows (open like doors instead of slide like guillotines, and also will crack open at just the top for a breeze!)
32. ROLLADENS!!!!!!!!!!!!

You may have noticed I don't include friends in my list... not because I don't miss people, but many of our friends left before we did, and we do make friends everywhere we go.  :)  I'm trying to keep it Germany specific, things that are there no matter what

ABOUT

What is a Blist?  As the header says, it's just a blog that is a list!  When I decided to create a blog, I decided to do it in List form, just because I can.  :)  I'm almost famous among family and close friends for deciding things with my pro/con lists, LOL, and planning things with my plot/calendar lists, so why not?  My goal is to eventually get on a set schedule, where I blist regularly about not only things that are on my mind, but current events and such.  But to start off I'm being rather random, and sharing some old lists I originally posted on Facebook.  :)