My wife grew up doing amateur theater. I've been involved in a few productions myself. I don't have anything against the art form. I find live performances--very distinct from my beloved films--offer a uniquely engaging experience.
But I've also noticed that those drawn to the stage--or backstage--can be, well, odd. Very odd. Sometimes socially awkwardly odd. Tilt-your-head-quizzically-to-the-side odd. Maybe it was because I was in public school and several of my theater friends were Wiccan... but it's more than that. There's a certain personality that fits the stage.
The same is true for a great many pursuits. That's how stereotypes emerge. We notice that cheerleaders--engaged in a very public show of themselves--are conscious of how they appear. We applaud athletes for their dedication and persistence, though their activity of choice rewards such things. We see that gamers are creative nerds, often more comfortable in their digital bodies than their own, overlooking the ways the games are, themselves, a massively creative and liberating media free from the confines of reality.
So what draws us to homeschooling? What's our "personality"?
We're odd ourselves, to be sure, going against the flow of the general masses. We're willing to chart a different path. Perhaps that's why so many reasons to homeschool are based on the stark differences between homeschooling and the other options available to us and our children.
Granted, like all stereotypes, nothing universally sticks. In fact, one of the cool things about reading a wide variety of homeschool blogs is seeing how different everyone is. You are unique. Your challenges are unique. Your children are each unique. And yet, we can all homeschool and enjoy learning together through great books.
Are we odd? Absolutely. But not that much odder than anyone else. We just get to cuddle with our family on the couch and grow together.
~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester
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