DISQUS

Curmudgeon · 1 year ago

Hmmm. Classical languages are okay, but impractical math and science isn't. Your biases may be showing, Steve.

Regarding socialization, I have a friend who largely home-schooled four children. He scoffs at the notion of schools encouraging socialization, pointing out that mostly you get cliques and bullying. He's observed (with a parent's eye, mind you) that his children appear more comfortable and mature in social situations than others who have attended school. While you may argue with his point of view, his opinion is valid in at least a general sense.

plonkee · 1 year ago

I'm another person who's in favour of abstract science and mathematics, but I think that what's going to be put forward is the idea of learning about science and maths in a predominantly practical way - by observation and experimentation. Whilst rote learning of your times tables has its place, I'm not sure it's the best way of inspiring a love of maths.

Regarding the actual point about raising a family in a location independent way, I actually think that one of the issues is whether you, the parents, care that your children won't have a home location. I don't think it matters that much to the kids, but how upset will you be if they don't exactly feel like they're from America/New York/anywhere.

bubelah · 1 year ago

In general, children are very adaptable. I wonder what happens when children get older and they make friends at one location, then have to move to another, and another, etc. At some point they are going to start hating this whole traveling idea that their parents like so much.

guinness416 · 1 year ago

Bubelah, my aunt and her husband have lived a fairly peripatetic lifestyle (they own a small consulting biz and go where their next client is), and have lived all over Canada in the last 20 years, all the big and small cities, some interesting towns and rural places. They love this lifestyle. But when their sons were teens the boys put their feet down and said "no more", although their parents still move around. For exactly that reason - friends, clubs, school. Unfortunately the boys chose to stay in the city my aunt and uncle disliked the most in all their travels, and now they have to return regularly.

deepali · 1 year ago

I think it can be really hard to tell, sometimes. Kids change a lot in those first few years, and they don't always turn out like their parents. I took my first transcontinental flight at age 6 months, and did it again and again for the next 3 years. Before I was 4, I lived in 4 countries on 3 continents, and spoke 3 languages.
And for the past 10 years, I've been in the same place, being slowly stifled, and losing all the language skills I've gained in life (add an additional 3 to the ones from my childhood).

Kids definitely bounce back, and better at earlier ages. I think once you hit middle school, though, you do want a place you can call home. But what that translates into can be very different - the place we eventually settled from ages 5-17 never really felt like "my place" to me. I just never really felt like I fit in.

Mrs. Micah · 1 year ago

I think the key is being dedicated to socialization. There are a lot of vibrant homeschooling communities...but not being a conservative Christian may limit how at-home you feel in them. Still, I know people who pulled it off (really depends on where you are).

We were fortunate enough to live in a real hub, encouraged greatly by Micah's mom, who helped foster choir, debate club, student government, a teen club, as well as numerous one-day-per-week co-op classes for specialized subjects or things that were done better in groups (like languages). Despite being in all of these, I only met Micah later on because he was already at college when I joined.

Most areas have plenty that kids can get involved in, so as long as you're dedicated to getting them out there you shouldn't have a problem.

Dividend Growth Investor · 1 year ago

I have always thought that the main reason why kids go to kindergarten/school is for them to gain some "people" skills. Math, science and all the other stuff kids are taught could be learned anywhere; but teamwork has to be experienced.