The Future

I want to homeschool Liam. This isn't a secret. I just want one child of mine to know the joy of not living by bells, (so unnatural), to follow his own interests, and not have to conform to society at such a young age. Although most point fingers at the public school system, some of my daughter's old friends have gone to private, and say the pressure to conform is even greater.

How does this fit into Be Cheap and Be Classy? Well, a parent has to stay home to homeschool. I know there are people who do it in other ways, but to do the job I want to do, someone either has to be home, or Karl and I would have to work different shifts always.

By the time Liam is in school, Tierney and Caleb will have graduated high school. Even if they are in college, they should have parttime jobs which cover most of their personal expenses. I will most likely look to buy a house then, and will only need a three bedroom at that point. Braces and medical bills (fingers crossed) will be paid for. Karl's credit cards will be paid off. I will be halfway through paying off my student loans (almost). There is absolutely no way I can actually pay them off, but I plan to take advantage of income-based repayment, and a program which after ten years forgives remaining payments for public service workers.

So maybe it will be okay. Maybe not, after all Karl isn't sure about the whole thing. Somehow he thinks sending them to school helps them face the real world better. If being sent into a classroom with 25 other people your own age who call you names, or who you call names, is the real world, we have an even bigger problem. School isn't the real world, school isn't natural. I love education. I am a teacher, because I love education. But if I can, I will find a way for one of my children to know freedom.  And that involves handling finances correctly.