Letter to Bean: Why School?

“Momma, why can’t I write a summary of How to Train Your Dragon?”

“Because being an educated person in our culture means having a common vocabulary of books that everyone reads in school. Wind in the Willows is one of them.”

“But I want to read my books!”

I can’t believe I am curtailing her reading excitement to reinforce this paradigm.

“I know, I love that you like reading your books. However, I am teaching you an important lesson. There is a difference between books you read for pleasure and books you read and write about for school.”

“I hate school.”

“I hear that. But this is the family you were born into. School is required in America. It is the law. We live in this Global North culture where we have locked up the food. As such we need jobs where we can earn money so we can purchase food to live. Unless you decide to live in a different culture, one where they haven’t locked up the food, you will need money to live.”

“How much money do I need?”

“Honestly, not very much. It all depends how much your Cranky Monster wants as opposed to what you really need.” Golden handcuffs come in all shapes and sizes.

“Okay, back to writing. What happened when Mole and Rat knocked on Badger’s door?”

Bean was not yet finished, “why do I need to go to school?”

“Because it is required by the law. Besides, isn’t it fun to learn new things? Didn’t you have fun yesterday making the water clock?”

“Maybe.” A dubious face gazed at me.

“Okay, once again. What happened when Mole and Rat knocked on Badger’s door?”

I get it my Bean. Writing out a story in cursive makes your hand cramp. Doing schoolwork when all you want to do is play with a kitten is frustrating. Focusing on your math equations even when Momma has to talk to the visiting plumber is aggravating.

It is more difficult to focus on doing school when you have all of the distractions of home within reach and sight. Homeschooling has many benefits and it has those limitations. Again, back to your Momma’s Autumn 2022 chant - life is both and.

Your lesson time involves holding the kitten while you work, drinking warm tea, eating apple slices, and me reminding you to stay focussed while your brother flits and out of his doings .

I get it. There are parts of this homeschool paradigm that are confronting.

Being confronted with new ideas, new beliefs, and new experiences are part of what life is all about. School is the first facet of that - homeschool or not. I remember thinking when I graduated that it would be so wonderful to be finally done with academia where I didn’t have to do projects or papers where I would be graded.

But I quickly realized in my professional life synthesizing new information and regurgitating said information (in whatever form) never ends - and one is graded in different ways. Being faced with new challenges within the benign confines of the schoolroom is a good place to build those muscles.

Besides, I get to massage your forearm when it gets too sore from writing. And I put rose oil in the lotion.

You can do it. We both can.*

* Sometimes, yes, these letters are as much for me as they are for you. I recognize that and so do you. Smart girl.