Homeschooling's Diversity

I am intrigued by the Duggars, the Arkansas family with 19 children that is featured on a TLC television series. Other than enjoying my children and homeschooling, I have nothing in common with this family, and yet I find them fascinating. I don't watch their television series very often, but I find myself thinking about them a lot. Like when getting hats and mittens and boots on three little people seems a near-impossible task, or when I get interrupted from reading M a story for the umpteenth time because J is climbing on the radiator, I think about how they possibly run their household and homeschool. (I do love this tip from their website, though: “Praise your children ten times more than you correct them.”)

I think my fascination with the Duggars also highlights how homeschooling attracts-- and in some ways unites-- many different kinds of families, from southern evangelicals to northern secularists and everyone in between. While we may choose to homeschool for different reasons and pursue different homeschooling styles and methodologies, most homeschooling families value the time and customization of curriculum that homeschooling offers.

Anything that can bring together religious conservatives and urban liberals must be a fairly powerful pursuit. So while I may have very little in common with the Duggars, I can appreciate their desire to homeschool their children... and would love their tips on keeping J off the radiators... :)