How is homeschooling self sufficient?

[Arctichicken]

I stay pretty busy escept at the moment due to an injured ankle which has me on crutches.
I actually was an only child growing up and always wanted a big family. I got my wish.
What I hate is when we go out people look at us in a negative way and I get some of the most rediculous questions asked like "are they all yours?" or "wow that's alot of kids you have you must be rich". Gotta love ignorance!
I'm sure you are familiar with some of that coming from 9. Did people acted like that when you were growing up? How did y'all did with it?
Oh and I completely agree that homeschooling is one of the most self sufficient things a family can do for itself. I think it's pretty obvious too, at least to anyone who is truly self sufficient or striving to be.
Steph

 

[Beekissed]

Yep, every comment from Are you guys Catholic? to Boy, your Mom and Dad were sure busy! and even, Are you guys like the Waltons?

Actually, my Dad's motives for having a big family were not really good ones but that discussion will have to wait until they have a PsychotherapySelf.com forum!

That's funny, about asking if you are rich. My youngest made the observation once, "Mom? Do you notice how all "only" children are rich?" I looked at him and said, "Things that make you go.."Hmmmmm "!" Gee, I don't know why having only one child would make one seem rich, Jonny! Could it be they don't have to buy 3 of everything? Could it be that one child is less destructive, eats less, and generates less laundry, electric usage, medical bills, etc. than do 3 children? Maybe, those folks already had plenty of money and felt that they didn't want to lose any of it by having a lot of children? He just grinned and said, "Well, we're more rich, aren't we, Mom? We have a lot more love around!" I would have to agree. I have been one of the richest people on Earth and have had barely two dimes to rub together....and even when I had those, some kid took them off my dresser to pay for a "snack at school"!

 

[the simple life]

I get these comments all the time from ignorant people and I can't stand them.
People think they are so original and so side splitting funny with their comments. I have people say to me, did you ever hear of birth control or they have this new thing called birth control have you heard?
I try to ignore them but sometimes I will say" no but I bet your mother wished she did"
I hate when I let them get to me but some people just don't quit.
I had one woman say to me don't you think you have had enough now? You should stop now.
I had this couple with one child at the mall say to me, boy I feel sorry for you guys, and I said really I thought the same thing when I saw you with just the one.
People will actually say to us are you guys crazy what are you thinking?
Its very very rude.
I grew up with a large family so it seems normal to me and my husband grew up in an orphange and was surrounded with hundreds of kids every day so he was use to that.Also not having a family of his own, he wanted one and to him the more the merrier.
Its completely natural for us to have the size family that we do and all of my children are loved and taken care of.
I think its some people's own insecurity as a parent that makes them say stupid stuff like this to people who have a large family and are doing a good job at it.

 

[Cassandra]

Bless you guys for having to put up with it. I will admit to inappropriate responses sometimes when I am confronted with a large family. I never ask; it's none of my business. But when I am told "these are our Xnumberof children" I sometimes inadvertently sort of gasp and shudder and say oh my god.

I don't do that on purpose. It's very embarrassing to me because I know it's rude. But the idea is sort of frightening to me. Like if someone showed me their pet tarantula I would react the same way.

I had two children, 14 years apart. I think if I had to deal with more than that, I'd be a basket case. So my hats off to those of you who manage. It seems almost wrecklessly brave and daring to me--like base jumping or aligator wrangling...

:|



Cassandra

 

[Beekissed]

I try to ignore them but sometimes I will say" no but I bet your mother wished she did"

THAT's excellent!!

If one has a good partner and plenty of work to be done, a big family isn't very daunting. Now, if one had 6 kids just laying around complaining of boredom, or wanting to be entertained constantly, I would tear out my hair.

It seems a big deal to me because I have been raising 3 boys without a partner or second income. With some help and organization, I think it would be very rewarding.

Some people have written a novel or built a successful career....Simple Life has a different kind of "life's work"! She will have turned out some very fine human beings...you can't get any better than that!

To be a good parent, a good mother, is the single most rewarding and useful job on the planet. You have been entrusted with the world's future. Just think, the number of "not so nice" people outnumber the good folks on this Earth. Its our job to even out those numbers!

 

[the simple life]

Thank you Beekissed, its true that if I am to be remembered for anything, I hope its that my kids think that I was the best mother that I could be to them.
No one really remembers all the other stuff, it doesn't matter in the end what kind of car you drove, how much money you had in the bank or what you did for a living.
People always remember how you treated them, if you were good to them and good to others.
If you made time for them and made them feel important and loved they can pretty much forgive anything else.
We might not go to disneyland, but we go camping.
I don't drive new cars, but I drive them where they need to go in my second hand one.
I have had different jobs but none of them compare to being their mother.
I have raised them to have values, morals, compassion and awareness.
This is what I hope to be remembered for( since it most likely won't be any big inheritance I 've left them)

 

[the simple life]

You know what else bugs me that people say.
Why do people say when they find out you have X amount of kids.
Did you have all of them yourself
did you give birth to all of them
did you actually HAVE them
or are they all REALLY yours?
I never understand how any of that matters. So if someone adopts children does it make them less of a parent because they didn't HAVE them? Its really stupid.
Then when I say that I actually had them all they keep saying you mean you gave birth to 6 kids? Then I say yes and they act like they don't believe you.
Or they get personal and ask if I had an epidural then, when I say no they say what are you crazy or something.
Years ago when I became a legal guardian to my 7th child people were acting like I was crazy.
This boy needed someone to care for him, he was a friend of my kids and he came to me with no where to go.
After speaking to the only two relatives he had, they said they were too old to take care of him, I went to court and became his legal guardian and raised him with my other children.
So is he less of my child than the 6 I gave birth to?
Its really crazy how people think and I have given up trying to figure them out.

 

[nccountrygirl]

I grew up in a family with 10 kids so I know what it's like to have a larger then life family, and my parents got the same thing "Are ALL of these kids yours" Mama would just shake her head and laugh. I was not blessed enough to have more that 2, My DH and I lost 6 before we gave up and then I had to have a complete hysterectomy at 41. I think it's great those of you that have large families, the more the merrier I say.

 

[Arctichicken]

You know I love to respond to those comments about "are they all yours"... with "no I just picked them all up on the way here"...Some people are so stupid!!
My older two kids are actually my step children. Their mother has nothing to do with them and we have had sole custody for over 4 years now, your right, I say I have 6 kids because I'm raising 6 kids, I love all 6 of my kids, and I never see a "step" kid in our home. They are all mine, they call me mama and love me too.
I would have more but hubby wants to have time with me once the kids are all grown and gone before he heads for the wheelchair. He's 10 years older(38) than me(28) so he thinks about age more than me ....lol

nccountrygirl: I'm so sorry to hear about that. I suffered one miscarriage between my 3rd and 4th child but could never even imagine what that must have been like to lose 6. I'm glad you have your two precious little ones. I believe we will see the little ones we lost one day. :bouquet

 

[nccountrygirl]

Thanks Artichicken My Little Ones are 31 and almost 34. I do have 3 grands that I love more than life itself and would do anything for. I believe that when I get to heaven my babies will come running to greet me so although its bad to lose a child I can take comfort in that.