Homeschool Mondays — Freaks

Last updated on: August 22, 2014 at 3:47 pm by Rebecca Frech

Homeschool Mondays — Freaks 2014-08-22T15:47:55-05:00 Rebecca Frech

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

**Because it’s Monday, and we could all use a little encouragement**

“I wish that I could homeschool,” my neighbor told me. “I would in a minute, but their dad says no. He prefers the public schools. He’s afraid that they’d become freaks.”

I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve heard this over the years. There is a fear in all of us (even those of us who’ve been doing this for what seems like forever) that somehow our children need an institutional school setting to make them “normal,” as though it is peer pressure and bad cafeteria lunches which take the weirdos that all children are and turns them into socially acceptable versions of themselves.

I say “Who wants to raise ‘normal’ children. I hope mine are freaks.”

When I was in school, the kids who worried about getting good grades and actually studied were freaks. The girl who graduated high school still a virgin was a freak. If they went to church and actually liked it…freaks. The kids who thought that reading was fun were freaks. The ones who actually enjoyed the challenge of Mrs Throm’s English class were freaks. The ones who refused to make fun of others, were genuinely kind, refused to play those mean reindeer games….freaks, freaks, freaks.

I know, because I made fun of them. (I hope they can forgive me.)

It wasn’t until I was a couple years into college that I discovered the truth about the freaks — they were the interesting ones. While the “cool” kids spent their weekends getting drunk or getting laid, the freaks challenged each other to become better more honest versions of themselves. I saw that there was an honesty in their freakiness that the “cool” ones weren’t yet smart enough to appreciate.

I hope that the children I’m raising are freaks. I’ve dedicated my life to it, because “freak” in our society has come to be a euphemism for people who are genuinely themselves. I’m hoping that my children will be the ones who run up the down escalators of life, and refuse to be forced in going one direction just because their peers are all going that way. I want them to learn to dance to the music they hear in their hearts, and to sing the words out loud for all the world to hear. I pray that they will learn to shrug off the opinions of others and listen to the truth of their own lives. Those are the people I’m educating them to be — freakishly, wonderfully, completely the person God created them to be. It’s one of the many blessings of homeschooling, our children have the privilege of discovering who they are without a chorus of other voices telling them what that looks like.

It is the freaks who change out world and keep it interesting. The freaks are the ones who start computer companies in their garage, win the national spelling bee, the priest who sets hearts on fire for God, or the artist who is touted as the next Picasso. They are the kinds of people we all wish to raise — the ones who refuse to let other people define what “normal” should look like for them.

Think back to high school…what made the “cool kids” cool was that studied air of boredom and too much time on their hands. Do you want to raise bored and boring people, or do you want to raise people who are excited by life?

Homeschooling may not be the only way to get there, but it’s one of the surest. Please, God, may they all be freaks.

**For the record: There’s a difference between being socially inept and being a freak. Whereas raising a freak may be desirable, raising the socially inept is a thing to be avoided whenever possible.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

December 6, 2012

The Secret Society of St Nick

Next Post

December 12, 2012 Holiday Home Tour 2012

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which prophet's father was a priest named Buzi?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Joel Ezekiel Hosea Daniel