Parents who love to spend lots of time with there kids?

Question

Have you ever felt that when you tell other people that you homeschool and spend lots of time with your kids in general, (usually seems families like this have lots of children), and that you enjoy your large family that other people think you are strange for enjoying this? I have felt this, but this ends up a huge compliment to me. What is your experience...

Answer 1

The only time I really received a bad comment from someone that I knew it wasn't about homeschooling.  It was about having 4 children.  She had only one of her own and said, "Are you CRAZY?!" and walked away --- this was just after running into each other at the grocery store and I had my newborn (4th little one) with me.  She had just swooned over him and said how wonderful he was before saying, "Is he your first?".  Good grief ----- go figure.

As far as homeschooling goes I don't get comments from people --- most of the people that I know are very supportive and encouraging.  Those that are not that way.... well, they remain silent.  It's a good thing! ;-)

I LOVE spending time with my children.  It's getting harder and harder to do because they are now adults.  I have to drive for an hour in opposite directions just to visit my daughters.  My son, his wife, and my grandbabies live on 5 minutes away.  I bought a van just to be able to do more things with them.  I'm the main driver for the family -- ;-)  It is great fun.  Field trips here we come!!!!  They will be homeschooling very soon.

It is quite interesting when people meet large families -- we know dozens of 'em.  If strangers meet each child on their own they are complimentary and encouraging because they see what fine young people they are but then when they see the whole group together they panic because they think it is weird ------ go figure.....  Don't they get the point???? The individuals in each family are what matter! And by-golly, the more the merrier!

Answer 2

I only have 2 kids, so can't share in the large family thing, but I find more often than not that instead of them finding me strange for enjoying spending all that time with my kids, they will go off on complaining about this and that and how they couldn't spend that much time with their kids and, if it's vacation time, they're oh so looking forward to their kids getting back to school. I find THAT strange. And I DESPISE the back-to-school commercials where the music is "it's the most wonderful time of the year" and the mom's all happy about buying school things because her kids will be going to school and be out of her hair, but they're miserable. :(

Answer 3

I think that sometimes, homeschooling can be a negative effect on the relationship between the parents and the children.

Answer 4

I used to say I couldn't wait until they got back to school. Until I learned that time with them is precious and short! I learned a very valuable lesson when my brother passed in Iraq and that was to enjoy the time you have with them because tomorrow is not promised. It wasn't long after that our kids were pulled from school and we started the home school journey.

To all those who say they can't wait until they get out of your hair remember time is short and they grow up too fast.

Edit: I'm the third of six and have 3 of my own. My sister has 5 and she home schools as well.  I love large families but I can't have any more kids!

Answer 5

I get two reactions, at both ends of the spectrum...either "You must be nuts!"  or "You must be a saint!"

Society and the school system have brainwashed parents into thinking that children are some kind of subhuman creatures whom adults would not want to be around.

How unfortunate for both parents and kids.

Answer 6

Oh my gosh, I hate when people say things like that!  Why would you have children if you can't even stand them for two months when they are not in school everyday, all day long?!  I teach violin lessons and I hate when parents say things like "I am so glad school is about to start so things can get back to normal and I the kids will be busy all day long.."  or  "The kids can't wait to go back to school..we're all getting sick of each other."  And they say these things in front of their children!  After I hit the teenage years I became kinda rude about people's questions regarding homeschooling and sometimes when someone would ask if I liked spending so much time with my family I would reply, "Yes I do.  My mom is my best friend and my brother and sister are my favorite peoplet to study with.  Got a problem with that?"  I am afraid it was not always said in a nice way either.  :)  Oh, well.  I have learned to be more respectful in my answers even if it is the 19,84,83,987th time I have answered that particular question.