The Homeschooled Young Man's hero ever since the 4th grade has been Dr. Ben Carson, MD. If you get the chance watch his movie Gifted Hands, we have watched it several times and I am so not a movie watching person...lol. Dr. Ben Carson also has an autobiography book for younger kids and a book called America The Beautiful, which is good for teens and adults. A homeschool friend was able to help me secure 2 tickets to see Dr. Ben Carson speak. During that time the Homeschooled Young Man was able to meet Dr. Ben, shake his hand, get his picture taken with him and get his autograph. Let me just say that this might have been the highlight of his homeschooling career! I think this may be a close runner up to meeting Dr. Jay Wile, PhD, who authored the Homeschooling Young Man's favorite science textbooks.
Now mind you, we are not a well to do family, we live on one income, we follow Dave Ramsey's budget planning, save as we go and scrimp some months. We had to figure in gas, food, miles on the vehicle, hotel, tickets to the event and purchase of Dr. Ben's latest book. So as you can figure it took a bit of financial planning to make this trip to see Dr. Ben a reality.
I was talking with the executive director of our state homeschool group and he was asking me about the medical school program that the Homeschooled Young Man is in and the experiences that all that carries with it. And he said this to me in an email. "Do you understand that you can't separate that interview from making the sacrifice to hear Ben Carson? One is affected by the other. This is where so many homeschooling parents miss the mark. They want the convenience of slapping a worksheet down in front of their children but miss the importance of real life, usually because it comes at a price of time, energy and resources."
This is what homeschooling is all about. Yes, some homeschoolers have a set of state standards that they must abide by, but there is so much more that we as homeschoolers can focus on. So many more rich life changing experiences that we can afford our children. What are you spending your homeschool resources on? Worksheets only? What can you change up this coming school year that will afford change in your child's real life world? Homeschooling dollars & sense: it's what you make of it.
Are you considering home education for your child this coming school year? It's not too late, even if you have already registered them for the big yellow school bus. You can do it!! Let me know how I can help you.
Moe
