Duggar vs. Normal folks like us

Say what you will about the Duggars, but I am a huge fan. Still, I find myself thinking that their portrayal of homeschool is just a little, teensy bit different than what goes on at my house. I mean, violin and harp lessons with each child meekly learning with a grin on their face—that’s just not what homeschool looks like at the Lasater’s.

Here? It’s more like forcing a dehydrated camel to water and trying to wrestle him to the ground to get him to drink. I have normal kids. The ones who don’t really enjoy school work. The kind who say, “I don’t like____.” (Fill in the blank with whatever subject we’re currently tackling.)

Then why do it? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. Just because I am constantly followed every single minute by three young, energetic, noisy boys doesn’t mean I’m not happy. After all, I’m their mom. That is pretty much what I signed up for when we decided to become parents.

We homeschool because we know that our kids really are getting the best education—at home with procrastinating little me—they can possibly receive. (Lasater Academy has small class sizes and a great teacher. Trust me on that one.) Plus, we know exactly what values and world view they’re being taught. An extra benefit… I learn a lot, too. Don’t ask my husband about my geography skills—he’ll just shake his head in shame. (I try to reassure him that I often learn right along with the kids and that we haven’t gotten to that subject yet, but he’s still doubtful that I’ll ever learn Geography.)

As Christians, we homeschool because we don’t feel comfortable handing off this job to people who may not agree with our faith. Bible is one of our subjects. Plus, since the boys and I are always together, I get the chance to teach them Biblical principles in a real environment. For example, the boys were present when a customer made fun of an elderly patron at a store. This gave them a chance to see how disgusting it is to disrespect others. I may also be teaching them some things I’d rather they forget. Like when my three year old shouts from the back seat, “Just run the red light, Mom!” I can’t imagine a Duggar child ever saying that.

When our first son was born, my husband and I decided that, as long as God provided, I would stay at home with our baby. We felt that no one else could care for him like a parent could. Two more boys and nine years later, we still feel the same way. No one can care for, educate, or advocate for our children better than we can. Having older kids doesn’t mean we’ve been relieved of responsibility.

Of course, we don’t have a problem with people who don’t homeschool. It’s obviously not for everyone. (For a long time, we thought it wasn’t for us. Honestly, it took Divine intervention for me to change my mind.) We also support traditional teachers and the important role they have. This is simply the decision we’ve made for our family.

So the next time I’m forced outside my house because indoors sound like a zoo, I won’t think to myself, “That’s not the way the Duggars do it.” (I figure my three kids make more ruckus than their nineteen kids ever could.) I’ll just remember: there’s more than one way to skin a camel.