Educate Me

My first attempt at blogging, and I'm in a hell of a mood. Which is probably what got me here, typing to no one in particular. I suppose I should say that I am new to cynicism as well as blogging, and I do not think cynicism is particularly good for my digestion (we'll see about blogging), so I'm here to see if I expel my thoughts into the world (sort of) I can clear my head. So far I like this because I can say what I feel and not end up in a row with someone. At least, not right away.

What started this blog, really, was my new feeling of standing alone on something. What started the cynicism, unbelievably, was having two young kids. Which, of course, is completely contrary to what most people say after having kids, but let me explain. Or try anyway.

Before kids, I was a believer in the system. You are born, often you are cared for by someone who is not your parent because they are working, you get to be about four, and you go to school. You go to school for all your formative years, you get good grades, you graduate, you go to college. You graduate college, you get a job, you have kids, you go back to your job, your kids go to daycare, then on to school, etc.

There is nothing inherently wrong with this.

But to think that this is the only option seems... well, narrow-minded at best. This is where I clash with most people. Well, pretty much everyone. So I list education among other taboo topics like religion and politics. I avoid talking about it as much as possible, but every once in awhile I allow myself to get sucked in. Never advisable, since I'm hard pressed to find a receptive audience. Most of my family inexorably, passionately disagrees with an alternative to standardized schooling. Namely homeschooling.

The arguments are nothing new from when I was in school. Those kids are maladjusted. They don't fit in. They aren't socialized. Only religion nuts do that. All things that may be true from time to time, but it's funny how when I make my broad assertions about the downsides of "regular" schooling, all I get in return is about how we all turned out fine.

Are we fine? I know too many who hate their jobs, are on 15 different medications to subvert high blood pressure, anxiety, or any other ailments that come with modern life (or those caused by the medications), but that's beside the point. Speaking especially for myself, there are many who are not going to be happy sitting in a cubicle or an office for 8 or more hours a day. And some will say that work isn't supposed to make you happy, but it's two-thirds of our lives we're talking about here.

I mean, most people will get by or better with the hand they've been dealt. If you're like me, you would have maybe liked someone to show you there was an option other than the seeming inevitability of 9-5, rush hour, and casual Friday, which is what my education and my upbringing taught me to shoot for. I figure that if I hang out with my kids a little longer, teaching them myself, I will know better than anyone what they are capable of, what they are interested in, and if or when it comes to it, find the teachers and the schools that will really help them reach the potential we all hear so much about.