Real Education
January 22, 2008
The flexibility of being self employed and home educators has allowed us to do many things (outreach and personal) we would not have been able to do otherwise. Our kids are learning right along with us. Because our lives do not revolve around Jeff punching a time clock (although he works more than 40 hours a week) and we homeschool, our days do run not on a typical American schedule. Freedom is a wonderful thing, even when it is hard, and we've had some hard times the past couple of years!
Our 17 year old daughter is starting her own all natural bath products business. We received an e-book from a friend of ours who has been successful with her bath products. We have allowed our daughter to do everything herself (with a little oversight from us). She has written a business plan, researched the best places to buy products (bottles, jars, oils, goats milk, etc…), opened a checking account, set up her Quick Books account, inventory, storage, sales and marketing, business cards, brochers, labels, a domain name, EVERYTHING! She is working on a website. Even if she does not make alot of money, she is receiving a REAL education. Her goal this year is to be able to save enough money to pay for her college courses online, to get a teaching degree. These are all things that she can do from home without compromising her convictions of being a keeper at home. She is learning how to work with the public without leaving her Dad's authority and protection.
This same daughter is even co-chairing the Quilt Show Committee for our quilter's guild. She is learning TONS from this; organization, working with the media, 'dealing' with women (I can say this since I am a woman! lol), finding vendors, etc… No one can say that our kids are not socialized. They interact with all ages. They attend every group meeting we attend. If children are not welcome, then we just don't go. Even when our son was younger he went everywhere with his Dad.
Our 13 year old is looking for places to put 2 gum machines that she is buying from big sister. 
) Both girls take turns working with their Dad. The things they are learning in the real world are just as important as what they read about in their textbooks, if not more so. There are so many things our kids can and should be doing that will give them skills to be productive adults! We operate as a family unit, not only within our 4 walls, but everyday as we go out into the real world, teaching our kids as they walk and sit beside us.
Hope this will encourage someone to just keep on keeping on…or maybe it is time to think outside the box?
Topics: Home Education, Teaching Them Well | No Comments »
