OK, it's your opportunity to weigh in on a NYT blog.

[spradlin02]

It's a few days old, but the comments are still open. Let 'em have it. Most of the highly recommended posts are critical of the author's decision.

 

http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/17/deciding-to-home-school/

Edited August 19, 2010 by spradlin02

[ravengal]

I'm impressed at the reduced level of venom toward the "institution" of homeschooling, as it were. The commenters are addressing their concerns about her motives and intent, rather than attacking homeschooling itself. Most seem to see hs'ing as a valid choice when that choice is made for what they consider valid reasons.

[Jean in Newcastle]

But her motives (wanting to spend time with her child) are valid. It's valid because building strong family ties benefits everyone - not just the mother. It's valid because being able to slow down and explore all there is to learn together slows down the need to bark those orders and gives you a relationship built on something other than on meeting the standards of an outside institution. Yes, there are needy mothers who do not let their children grow and test their wings. But this mother does not sound like one of them. She has evaluated her life and seen that what she values is being passed over in order to satisfy a societal norm. And while she realizes that she will still have to some extent the role of a traffic cop, she knows that she will also have another role - that of a child's natural teacher.

[Guest]

I'm afraid I wrote a somewhat sarcastic reply to the people who were attacking the original author. I am usually fairly polite and try to explain, but this is one of a number of NYT blog entries about homeschooling that readers have responded to in this way and I was just getting a bit fed up.

[ravengal]

But her motives (wanting to spend time with her child) are valid.<snip>

 

I agree that her motives are valid, but blogging invites motive questioning. Homeschooling is open to, and deserves a healthy dose of questioning, as does public and private schooling.

[Chris in VA]

I could only read the first page because I felt the bile rising.

 

People call her decision to homeschool "selfish," and make fun of her for wanting time with her son. They say she only gave reasons that are about her, but they've totally missed--TOTALLY missed--the way homeschooling changes the relationship, and that investing in your child this way is so wonderful, and not "all about you." They don't see homeschooling as SACRIFICIAL on her part.

 

Oh--it just made me cringe.