Kids go through a lot, especially as they get older. I've witnessed my fair share of breakups and breakdowns in the small group of kids I have the privilege of knowing. It's rarely pretty. It's often messy. Worse, there comes a point where there is no "win" situation. Rather, there is but the path you should walk and the path you could stay on... which both look rather bleak.
In those times, it's me they come to. Not their parents. They wouldn't even think of telling their parents!
And part of that is, I'm pretty sure, a natural consequence of being a parent. I know my mom and dad always told me that I could come talk to them about anything, but there were things I decided not to share with them. It was more comfortable to confide in a more removed, third-party. But even though my parents didn't know everything going on in my life, they had a pretty clear picture of what I was going through.
The parents of the school children I know are far less in touch.
How could they be? Their kids are gone for the majority of the day. There are also other engagements. And it's often the case that the parents work, further distancing both parties.
As homeschoolers, we spend a ton of time together. Even without snooping, we can get a sense of what's going on. And the close proximity and general availability give us many opportunities to check in and see what's up. Also, because we're there, learning together, discussion and questions are already part of the relationship.
Do you have any tips for staying connected with your kids, whether while homeschooling or after they've "left the nest"?
~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester
[...] a homeschool family, you have many opportunities to see how your kids are doing. But even with that close connection, sometimes it's difficult to get down to core ideas and [...]
[...] But I know this: Homeschooling gives us opportunities to hear our kids. As you discuss the literature you're reading together, as you work through areas where your children struggle, as you are involved in their daily lives, you can get a pretty clear picture of how your child is doing. [...]
<smile> That is great to hear, Carol!
~Luke
I don't regret a single second of the 10 years I spent home-schooling my kids. For me the best part was being with them day by day and knowing them in a way I couldn't have if they had been at school.