Farkle. That’s the name of a game we recently learned to play. It’s a game where you roll dice for points and then decide whether you will keep those points or try for more, running the risk of losing the points you’ve already made. You have to weigh the benefit and the risk and choose accordingly. It’s fun!
But choosing between benefit and risk isn’t always fun. Just as the Romeike family. Benefit vs. risk for the Romeikes meant leaving their homeland because their government threatened to take away their children. Why? Because they wanted to homeschool their children which is illegal in Germany. The Romeikes deemed the benefit of homeschool great enough to leave their home and seek asylum in the US.
Homeschooling illegal??!! Seems unthinkable! After all it is a growing trend here in the US with a greater number of students being educated at home and a greater number of them achieving success in many fields. Families from all walks of life and from all across the political spectrum now homeschool.
With Memorial Day just past and Fourth of July around the corner, we celebrate the liberty and freedoms we enjoy. The right to determine how we will raise our children and who will teach them strikes at the very core of our identity as Americans. Thankfully to homeschool doesn’t require the risk faced by the Romeike family.
Yet families who homeschool have undoubtedly weighed the benefits and risks, the pros and cons and have chosen accordingly. Here is why they have chosen to homeschool:
Benefit of choice. Parents can choose curriculum taught. They can determine for themselves if the curriculum is offering the best quality education for their child and if it is not, they can change it.
Benefit of time together. In our fast-paced lives, the days with our little ones are so fleeting. Homeschool allows families to spend the precious time together.
Benefit of safety. While we cannot protect our children from everything, having more control over their safety is very comforting in these times of troubling events.
Benefit of individualized learning. With homeschooling, education can be tailored around a student’s learning style. They can go at their own pace. They can enjoy the love of learning without the added pressure of standardized tests.
Benefit of time for other interests and pursuits. Many a talented child has found homeschooling a perfect fit while they have pursued careers in entertainment or intense sports training. On a less glamorous level, homeschool allows time to really delve into an area of interest, to follow a learning adventure wherever it may lead.
Benefit of shaping your child’s character. When schooled at home, you can ensure your family’s values and beliefs are those taught and modeled for your children. Homeschool students can have a greater sense of purpose and responsibility both in their homes and in ttheir communities.
As you go to the parades and picnics and firework displays this summer, remember and remind your children that the freedoms we enjoy were not free. They were more than merely luck of the draw. Or toss of the dice. Just ask the Romeikes.
Note: The Romeikes recently lost an appeal and may face deportation. 27 members of congress have signed a letter petitioning the attorney general to grant the family asylum.
Source: Click Here.