If collectively homeschoolers had a nickel for every time someone asked us about socializing our children, we wouldn't have to worry about supplementing our income that is lost by choosing to stay at home and teach our own.
Homeschooling my children has not shielded them from the ignorance of others. Through their various extracurricular activities and personal pursuits, they have encountered racism, ignorance, foolishness, bisexual propositions, sexism, bullying, and a host of other socially deplorable situations that they are supposed to be missing by not attending the four walls of the institutional public school system.
Recently as I was working and thinking about a social problem that my Princess Butterfly has had to endure, I started meditating on the books of Psalms and Proverbs. Christianity, at times, has encouraged us to be doormats to mean-spirited people, but I feel that is contrary to the whole counsel of Scripture, particularly in regards to the Psalms and Proverbs. Rabbi Ralph Messer teaches that for every person in life assigned to walk with you, there is a person assigned to walk against you. I believe those people are identified in scripture as scoffers, scorners, and sometimes fools. If we don't learn to identify these people in our lives, we will be destined to be tied to them in one way or another and will continue to be annoyed and harassed by them.
I suggested to Princess Butterfly that as she reads through certain scriptures, to substitute her name and the names of her oppressors in the blanks. I have used ficticious names throughout.
For example:
Psalm 1:1-2 AMP: BLESSED (HAPPY, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is {Princess Butterfly} who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly {Minerva} [following {her}advice, {her}plans and purposes], nor stands [submissive and inactive] in the path where sinners like {Gertrude} walks, nor sits down [to relax and rest] where the scornful {Ethel} [and the mockers] gather. But {Princess Butterfly's} delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) {she} habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and by night.
Do you see how that works?
The book of Proverbs can help you to learn HOW to respond to people like this.
Proverb 26:4-5, "Answer not a [self-confident] fool {Agnes} according to {her} folly, lest you also be like {her}. Answer not a {Agnes} [self-confident] fool according to {her} folly, lest you also be like {her}."
I am not teaching her to go around calling people fools, but I am helping her to identify foolish behavior and respond to it in a godly manner.
In the same way, I taught her to substitute her own name in I Corinthians 13:4-7 AMP to ensure that HER behavior is above reproach:
{Princess Butterfly} endures long and is patient and kind; {Princess Butterfly} never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display {herself} itself haughtily. {Princess Butterfly} is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); {she} is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. {Princess Butterfly} does not insist on {her} own rights or its own way, for {she} is not self-seeking; {she} is not touchy or fretful or resentful; {she} takes no account of the evil done to {her} [{she} pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. {Princess Butterfly} does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. {Princess Butterfly} bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, {her} hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and {she} endures everything [without weakening].
As what always happens with homeschooling, while I'm schooling her, He is schooling me. (sigh)
Blessings!
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