So its 2 in the morning, and I’m still awake. In the backround, some classical music hums quietly through my speakers. A dull glow illuminates Los Angeles.. hmm..

What brings a homeschooler to Los Angeles?

Homeschooler? Yeah.. that’s me. Just another sheltered homeschooler ;).

I’ve talked with many many people about homeschooling. They are interested in my experiences and, more often than not, are quick to offer advice. It could be anything from, “Ohh you poor thing, you need to get out more! be with people!”.. too.. “you’re crazy’. Yeah, I get that last one a lot..

So, lets talk about the first. According to the ‘norm’, as a homeschooler, I should NOT be able to handle myself in public. I should shy away from any contact with ‘outsiders’ and any chance I have to be outgoing should be squashed by my extreme sense of insecurity. I shouldn’t be comfortable meeting new people and I certainly shouldn’t be running businesses that require any sort of contact with the ‘outside’.

The solution, as offered, is that I desperately needed public school. I needed a dose of real life, I need to be given a taste of what the real world has to offer.

Hmmm..

Well. I can’t tell you what I would be like if I had gone to public school.. except that I would be completely different. How do I know that? Well.. I wouldn’t have had nearly the time I did back when I got ‘started’ on the internet.. I wouldn’t have met the people I met.. I probably wouldn’t have had a real interest in business.. and I wouldn’t have such a strong desire to be with ‘people’.

Yeah, homeschooling did that to me..

Instead of sending me running into a corner, I want to be out there, I want to be around people. I decided long ago I wouldn’t cut it as a programmer or anything that required long hours in front of a computer or desk.. I have to be out with people.. interacting, enjoying, learning..

Now, I’m not putting down public school. I don’t agree with a lot of what goes on in our systems, particularly here in America, yet I’m not putting them down. Just like my position on college education, I feel that more often than not peopel shirk their responsibility to truly research and know what their options are. For some, public school may be EXACTLY the environment they need.

I have seen homeschoolers who just aren’t social.. and I’ve seen public schoolers the exact same way. (I’m lumping private on in with the public schoolers, forgive me ;).. For me, homeschooling was the environment that I needed. There are definitely things I would do over if given the chance.. I believe I wasted a lot of opporunity while I was younger and given the chance, I would relive that. However, I don’t have the chance :). What I do have is today.

Hmm.. and that’s just about that. Where did all that come from? Well, I tell ya.. this is what happens when you’re up at 2 in the morning ;). Feel free to add in your thoughts and comments, I’ll be writing more on this as time passes.

-Jonathan Wold

Daily Action Step:

sleeping in.. wait.. that’s not an action step.. uhmm.. waking up :).. and.. getting youthcove back online ;).