I especially loved and appreciated this feedback the most:
“I also have to wonder if knocking something down, just to build up your own point, is effective. You wouldn't ever want to criticize someone else just to make yourself feel better, or appear to others to be better, right? Maybe the focus should solely be on the benefits of home schooling, regardless of your thoughts on public school.”
Very well said, and I thank you a thousand times. Public embarrassment is hard, but OH so wonderful when you can get feedback from a wide variety of people everywhere who love you enough to let you know what they think. I’ve learned a lot about myself these past few days. Intent: Good. Delivery: Unpolished.
I’ll try not to feel guilty but have godly sorrow instead! How does your own medicine taste, Nat? Ha!!!!!
Well, again, thanks for all those people—who I didn’t even realize read this blog—hanging in there with me.
I keep thinking a lot about how CJane handled an emotionally-charged topic:
Her first post: I am Not, it Turns Out
The post after all the feedback: Post About a Post
And her last words on the subject before wisely moving on: What I Have Learned
And I had a lot more respect for her.
I’ll give all these thoughts a few days to mull over and then begin again.
6 comments:
I really don't know why people are criticizing, or saying you're knocking something just to build up your own point, unless they're just trying to make themselves better. You've been very clear and up front that this is YOUR opinion, this is what's best for YOUR family, and those that don't choose it are just FINE too. It's definitely made me consider something I never thought I would before.
I agree with Kirsten. You aren't knocking any one person when you speak out against public schools. I think it is fine to use comparisons to make your point when you are not attacking a person. In fact your posts have been helping me. I have been seriously considering home schooling my kids starting next year. I have a daughter in the 7th grade this year, so it will be a big change for our family if we go ahead with home school.
My school experiences were very similar to what you confessed to in your confessions post. Somehow I thought my kids would need to attend school to learn to deal with bad people.
A month ago, when arguing why we do not allow sleep overs, I realized that the same argument I used there nullified my reasons for sending my kids to school. However, before then I had been feeling impressed that home school may be better for my family.
Anyone than you for your honesty and sharing your research.
My comments were not meant to humiliate anyone, or to make myself feel better. I just offered a suggestion that might help Natalie to avoid future comments that are sometimes impolite. I am afraid that by taking that one quote out of my entire comment, it is taking it out of its context - or else @kirsten and @mostly diane would see that my comment was merely meant as a helpful suggestion that one could use to avoid such negative comments. That was my only intention. Out of respect for both the author and the readers of this blog, I will not comment again.
Erin, I liked your comment. You're welcome to send them to me anytime you want. If you don't want to do it publicly, you've got my email, right?
Erin, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. That was my impression and thoughts when I read the quote. Now knowing where you were coming from,and the point you were trying to make and reading that quote again it reads with a different tone entirely.
Don't be afraid to comment, obviously things can be misunderstood, but it allows us to talk about them even more and understand each other better.
Erin, if you read this. I am sorry. Please keep commenting. I don't feel emotional over comments on others blogs. I was just pointing out that institutions alone don't have feelings.
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