Archive for July, 2008

Christian Parents: Why DON’T You Homeschool?

As I continue to watch the daily homeschool blog feeds, I’ve noticed that there seem to be quite a number of posts devoted to the topic of “Why We Homeschool”.  While I appreciate each of those blogs and I think that most every reason given is a good one, I also think many of these posts appear to be preaching to the choir.  In the interest of honest and loving debate, I think it is time to hear opinions from the flip side.  

So, what I want to know is:  Why DON’T some Christian parents homeschool?

If there are any Christian folks out there reading this blog who would like to offer a brief explanation for why you don’t homeschool your children, please feel free to offer your reasons here.  I’m sure some of our readers would love to know your thoughts as much as I would.  

This is obviously a controversial topic and I know that some of you may take offense to this.  Please don’t.

NOTE:  I apologize to those of you who may have read this post earlier before I took the time to really fine tune my words. And thank you, my wife, for setting me straight.

I am not trying to stand in judgement over you when asking this question.  I am asking this out of genuine curiosity and not to start a flame war.  

In that spirit, I would expect that all comments remain civil and show the utmost of respect for those with whom you may disagree.  If not, your post will be unapproved and you’ll have wasted your time typing it.  Nobody wants that, right?

Please provide your explanation in the comments section of this post.  Thanks for your time today.

Lance


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A Penny Saved…

You have made the commitment to homeschooling your children and for that reason your family has chosen to live on a single income.  God has blessed you with everything you need, but the rising costs of gas, food and health care are giving you occasional moments of budgetary heartburn.  We know what it is like!

Below are a handful of the sites and programs we’ve found online that can help you save a buck or two.  

On to the good stuff...

The freeflys.com web site
The freeflys.com web site

Freeflys  - Everyone likes to get free things and this site is devoted to just that:  sending you free samples of all kinds of things.  In their own words:  

“FreeFlys.com collects hundreds of freebies throughout cyberspace and offers them straight to you. Shampoo,coffee, make-up, candy bars even over the counter medicine. Whatever you’re looking for, you can find a freesample of it. Name brand products line the virtual shelves of FreeFlys waiting for you to give them a try.” 

Comment:  I just learned about this one and haven’t tried it yet.  Sounds very interesting, but I think their “forums” section is a bit useless.  Seriously – who needs to see a discussion board devoted to “Relationships” on a site devoted to freebies?!   Not me.  It makes little sense in light of what they do.  Plus, the comments seemed juvenile.  

Next site…

The greenpoints.com rewards web site
The greenpoints.com rewards web site

greenpoints.com -  This site is the electronic version of S&H Green Stamps (remember those?!). You earn “greenpoints” for making purchases with a number of well-known online stores and services (like LifeLockShoes.com1-800-CONTACTSiTunes and more) and then you can redeem those points for FREE stuff.  There is no cost to join.  

According to the info we found on their site, they also have participating grocery stores in New YorkNew Jersey and North Carolina - but none yet in Florida.  Bummer.

Comment:  This site is good for those of you who make a regular habit of making purchases online. You earn these “greenpoints” at a rate of 20 per dollar (usually), so over the course of time you can earn something from their rewards selection.

Speaking of points...

mypoints.com
mypoints.com

MyPoints.com – I guess you could consider this one the competitor to greenpoints.com.  Like greenpoints, these points are earned by shopping online, as well as participating in surveys.  Your points can be redeemed for similar merchandise and gift cards.  Unlike greenpoints, mypoints doesn’t appear to have any grocery store participation and they seem to make much greater use of email marketing.  I seem to receive a couple a day, which I honestly don’t always appreciate or read.  You earn fewer MyPoints per dollar than you do with greenpoints, but a single MyPoint seems be worth more than a single greenpoint, so it seems to work out in the end.

Next site…

homeschoolfreebie

Homeschool Freebie of the Day - This site promises to make available a new “freebie” every day (Monday thru Friday).  Each of the items that are made available for free would be of appeal to homeschoolers.  Examples given on their site include:  Unit Studies, Ebooks, Audio Programs, Games, Samples, Lesson Plans, classic books, and other quality resources.

Comment:  For a homeschool family on a budget, this seems like a nice, easy way to acquire some useful materials from time to time.

Last one for today…

 

paymentcard.com
paymentcard.com

National Payment Card - Prices at the pump making you sick to your stomach?  This Florida-based company may be able to ease the pain a little.  They offer a unique service that allows you to pay for fuel (at a discounted rate – usually 3¢ to 5¢ per gallon) at participating fuel sites using your driver license or a valid loyalty card.  Using this form of payment, they claim that the fuel station owner can pass savings on you to because they do not have to pay credit card fees on that transaction.

Comment:  I’ve tried this one and it works.  Fortunately for me, there’s a participating station near my home.  Your mileage may vary (pun intended).  I recommend that you check our their site for yourself and make your choice.

 

Thanks for stopping by.  We’ll be writing about more sites in a future post.

If you have a favorite cost-saving site that you’d like to share, drop us a note or write a comment.  Don’t be shy!  We’d love to hear from you so that we can share with others.  This site all about homeschoolers helping each other.


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Does your Pastor support your homeschool efforts?

There is a very encouraging and helpful article recently posted on the American Vision web site that I encourage all homeschoolers to read, especially if you feel like your pastor doesn’t support your homeschooling efforts.

By God’s grace, my wife and I never had this problem.  Our Florida church pastor and his wife introduced us to homeschooling and we never looked back.  We were so impressed by their children’s conduct and knowledge, we knew that we had to homeschool our children too.

 

http://www.americanvision.org/

American Vision

By the way, if you never visited the American Vision web site, it is a great resource Christian homeschoolers.  It will be well worth your time to go there and take a deep dive into their numerous books and materials.  They cover a wide variety of topics, including Christian Worldview, Reformed Theology, American History and Eschatology.  Gary DeMar also has a great weekly podcast that I highly recommend.

 

Until next time,

Lance

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Homeschool Educators Open House at Museum of Science and Industry (Tampa, FL)

Hey folks, I stumbled across a homeschool event in Tampa that some of your may be interested in attending.  The Tampa Museum of Science and Industry is offering a Homeschool Educators Open House on August 11, 2008.For more information, check out this link. Farewell! Lance 

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Keeping an Eye on California (updated)

UPDATE 8/8/08:  According to this new WorldNetDaily article, a California court has reversed a prior decision which stated that parents did not have the right to homeschool their own children.

I‘m sure many California homeschool families are breathing a sigh of relief today, but that does not mean that this is the last of it.  As I stated previously, we must always be prayerful and remain vigilant for any further attempts to take away our homeschooling rights.

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Hey folks!  Me again.  Yes, two posts in one day.  Don’t get used to it.  :)

In case you haven’t heard, there was a recent decision in the California courts that many homeschool advocacy groups have been watching closely, as it could have negative effects for homeschoolers in California and beyond if it is not reversed.  I recommend that you keep this one in your thoughts and prayers.  You can follow the latest news regarding this case on the HSLDA web site.  

The latest update is favorable, but we should always remain vigilant.  

Signing off for now,  

Lance   

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