Can a 13 year old make career decisions?

 As schools begin to ask high school freshmen what they want to major in for high school, we are all asking if a 13 year old can really make a career decision.  It seems a bit hit and miss, but I do think that a 13 year old may be able to make career decision if we let them.   When I was about 7 I loved to read so much that I declared I wanted to be a writer and illustrate my own stories. Over time, this changed to scientist, to architect, to lawyer, to artist, to decorator, and back full circle to someone who wants writing and illustrating to be a large part of what I do.  

I got off track because I allowed other people to define me (as children do).  People would say things like "writers don't make a lot of money, I bet you're smart enough to be a scientist".  Others would say, there aren't a lot of girls in science, but you draw nice building, you might be an architect".  Someone else would say, "you argue so well you should be a lawyer".  Each time I had this conversation, my personal goals shifted.  This happens all the time to kids.  It's no wonder they can't make up their mind about what they do.  It takes time to make it back to what was originally on their heart.  

I'm not saying that kids know exactly what they want to do.  They may not even be aware of their future calling.  What kid says I want to be a social worker?  They may only know that they want to help people, or to talk to people.  Of course we won't push the child to get a social work degree online or

Vote or be quiet

My mind is too busy to blog right now.  I am preparing for my first time as an Area Manager for elections in my area.  I am supervising 6 precincts... yay me.  Both of my kids and a niece are also working elelctions at the precinct I was at before I got the promotion. 

So, all I have to say right now is vote or don't complain.  No this is not the presidential election, but in my area, a whole bunch of taxes and referendums are on the ballot.

They say there's no taxation without representation, and it's true... if you go to vote.  Otherwise, you are giving up your right to have a say.


FREE HOME EDUCATION WEBSITE
ahermitt.com

He's 18

He got his selective service card in the mail the other day.

He leaves home in 3 weeks for college.

He's an adult now.  What does that make me?

Man, I love this dude.... he's been a man-child since the day he was born.  His sister likes to say he was born an old man and is aging backwards.  That's how mature and stoic he is.  He's hard to figure out, a tough nut to crack, but I can tell you this, he's a good one.  Knows right from wrong... and doesn't believe in gray areas.

I am glad I was able to provide a unique upbringing for him through homeschooling.  I can't wait to see what he'll do next.


FREE HOME EDUCATION WEBSITE
ahermitt.com

There is just no way to fully protect children

They say us homeschoolers do it because we want to insulate our kids from the world.  That could not be further from the truth.  I think what we want to insulate them from day-in and day-out stressors such as relentless bullying and rampant school violence.  They will still run into bullies... in their neighbors, siblings, cousins, church members, etc.  They will also be exposed to violence and/or tragedies in some way, either in

The View snubs their noses at homeschooling

Rosanne Barr guest hosted on The View today in Whoopie Goldberg's absence.  She mentioned that her grandkids were homeschooled for 2 years and now they are back in school.  Immediately the ladies attempted to deflect and get off the subject.

Sherri Shepard balked that she is too lazy to homeschool.

Joy Behar made faces and tried to make jokes.  When Rosanne said there was the option to get families together and maybe hire an out of work teacher, Joy make a hostile sounding remark about Little House on

Guest posts, blog spammers, and other housekeeping

 So, It's clearly time to spell out some policies:

Guest posts:  As of June 2017, I have decided to severely limit guest posts.  The requests are getting out of hand and I feel like the posts that are sent to me are not really what I am looking for in a guest post.  For the few I accept I will look for the following:

What I look for in a guest post:

• Writer must be a homeschooling parent, homeschooling student, or former homeschooling student. 
• Relevance to homeschoolers, as in you have something concrete to offer homeschoolers whether it be subject specific, experience specific, a unique perspective or something of that nature. 
• Uplifting topic, as in I don't want to read another article about the downfalls or problems in

Why You Should Teach Your Child a Second Language Now (guest post)

I thought you would enjoy the topic of the guest post.  I am strongly encouraging discussion of the idea of getting kids learning foreign language early.  ~A.hermitt

Monolinguals are fast becoming an exception to the rule. Whereas in the past, English was thought to suffice as a single language to unlock the hearts and minds of everyone on the planet, this is no longer true. Speaking a foreign language isn’t just a nice addition to a CV any more – it is becoming an almost essential commodity. An almost essential commodity your own children will soon require.

There was a time when teaching a child more than one language was discouraged. Doing so was only thought to confuse and disorientate, leaving them speaking a nonsensical hybrid of two languages. Fortunately, such myths have now largely been dispelled. Children learn far better at an early age because it involves little effort on their part, so there is never a better time in life to teach them a language. As the Multilingual Children’s