I am not usually one to make waves, I like to have intelligent conversation and I am always up for a healthy debate of facts and opinions as long as the mud and slinger are left at the door. I have been reading thread after thread, post after post, to gain knowledge and confidence in homeschooling and my choice to do it and although I have found droves of information and I feel like I have been respected and helped with questions I also feel frustrated. I guess maybe I am a minority in the homeschooling community or something, and I am just not meant to fit in with the support systems set up for homeschooling but it saddens me. I don't mean this to attack anyones opinions or beliefs at all, I guess I just don't understand.
From what I have read here and on other groups, as well as my own (new) experience when you decide to homeschool/continue to homeschool you are put down, ridiculed, and questioned by many for the duration because of stereotypes and misconceptions. But entwined in so many threads are stereotypical remarks about "x" type of people and "y" type of people grouping people by all sorts of things and maybe the people who post these stereotypical comments don't realize that maybe someone who is x or y might be a homeschooler on this board it is very hurtful when you are and its no different to those x and y people to see that part of them put down than it is to have the homeschooling part of them put down.
Every single person on here could be grouped in one stereotype or another, whether it be "everyone over 21" or "every red-head" or "every one who uses x curriculum" etc. everyone can be "put" somewhere. Every time anyone uses any stereotype it is offending someone and all of us knows what that feels like.
I don't want to get into specifics as far as what offended me or who said it, because I don't think anyone had that intention, I think more likely than not it just wasn't thought about. Many of the posts were made quite a time ago too. I am sure I have offended someone in my lifetime and maybe I have even on this board and I certainly didn't mean to. I do know however that every time I do go to post here or anywhere I will think twice. I want nothing more than to have a place like this to feel welcome and be accepted because I don't have any local support in this new part of my life. Homeschooling is something that has already changed my life and my relationships with my children greatly and I wouldn't give it up for the world. Having a place for support is something I feel I need though to be able to be successful at it.
I mentioned in a recent post of mine in another thread that I think the only way any change would come (change was regarding government control issues in the thread I am speaking of) was if all homeschoolers put aside there differences and came together for the purpose. I think that fits here too. I am very different than a lot of people here, I don't share the same beliefs, methods, and/or opinions of many, but that doesn't matter to me. I wanted to be a part of this community to broaden my horizons to give my children the best and most I can and tap into the minds and lives of people who know more about homeschooling than I do and also to share my knowledge with other people, because even though I have only been homeschooling for a short time I have been a mom all of my adult life
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I just wanted to bring the matter up in the hopes that it might help people remember that we are all different, but regardless of our method of homeschooling, political party, religion, affiliations, opinions, race, gender, age, hair color, and everything in between we all want the same thing, the best for our children's lives and education. Before hitting the submit button think about who you might be singling out and if you really want to.
