I had a recent e-mail conversation with a friend. We both felt that school was taking over our lives. How is there any time to do anything as a family, any lessons, any sports, any church activities when the kids are in school all day, then they have homework in the evenings? When do they have time to play? I don't know how people have time to put their kids in extracurricular activities.
Then I start to think about it and get slightly lazy. I realize my child gets extracurricular activities at school: art, sports, music, recess, lunch, socializing, fieldtrips. I don't have to provide it for him. I don't have to pay extra for it, either -- I've already paid for it in my taxes.
As for field-trips, I do get slightly annoyed with them. My son has already gone to a play and will be going to the planetarium shortly. I'd like to take him to the planetarium myself, but when would we go? Why would I take him if he's just gone? I'd also have to pay for it.
What an irony! Is the school system replacing me as a parent? Shouldn't I be doing these things?
I realize I can. It's called volunteering. When I am in the classroom, I can feel a part of my child's academic and social education!
(OK, this post is a little satirical, and there are additional worthwhile extra-curricular activities and things the schools can't/don't do, but I think I'll feel better about my kids' education when I am as involved as I can be. You can bet I will work harder to be in the classroom/at the school even more now! It's a lot easier than home-schooling them!)
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