First Impressions

I want to begin by recording my first and earliest impressions of homeschooling, homeschoolers and their lives.

My very first contact with the concept of homeschooling was when I was in fifth grade, in public school. We had a student, Jimmy, who seemed to be a social misfit. Whether he was or not, it did seem like he came from an odd family. His mother came to school to eat lunch with him because the other boys would not play with him. The boys were constantly picking on him and teasing him, I don't know if Jimmy provoked it. However, the situation escalated and I can imagine school must have been a horrible experience for this boy.

Eventually, Jimmy's mother pulled him out of school to teach him at home. Of course all of the other children thought it was because Jimmy couldn't handle "real" school and that he was a momma's boy. Unfortunately, my earliest attitude towards homeschooling was shaped by this experience.

I just want to say that now I realize Jimmy had a wonderful mother who really cared about him. Jimmy is probably out there working on his doctorate or pursuing something else great or at least worthwhile. Meanwhile, many other students from our school are working at Odd-Lots and Valu-City, I know because I see them when I go home to visit.