₿HS020: Overcoming Legal and Fiat Challenges to Homeschooling

SHOW TOPICS:  criminalized homeschooling, “homeschooling” public-school students, screen-time and other challenges

Parents are ultimately responsible for their kids’ education.   Some families live in places where homeschooling is criminalized, e.g., Germany.  Some families can’t afford to formally homeschool, e.g., because both parents must work.  Nonetheless, there are actions parents can take.  Tali and Scott go deep on this challenging situation.  One key takeaway is focusing on relationships because, if your relationships are open, you've got a chance to reach the kids.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:

• Not everyone who wants to homeschool can.  Some families live in places where homeschooling is criminalized, e.g., Germany.  Some families can’t afford to homeschool, e.g., because both parents must work.  
• Nonetheless, there are actions you can take if you are in this circumstance.
• Intentional courage: You are responsible for your kids’ education, not the state.
• Kids are always watching and learning from what we do, not just what we say.
• We as parents are not helpless.  We can take action.
• The nuance between “learning” and “drawing conclusions”
• Parents can start by clarifying for themselves what they want their kids to learn.
• Apply the “Don’t trust. Verify.” ethos of Bitcoin.  Don’t hope that public school teachers or administrators will teach things your kids should know.  Parents must ask questions.  Be very deliberate in poking into your kids’ business.  Don’t expect it to be easy.
• Approaches vary based on age-range.  The younger, the easier.
• Asking kids about school is not for the purpose of judging them, or their performance, e.g., on a test.  It’s about what they are actually learning.  
• Proof of love.  Despite eye rolls, they do appreciate that you care.  You are vested in their future.  
• Teenage years do NOT have to be antagonistic or confrontational all the time as is often portrayed in movies and shows.
• You as a parent have to be continuously learning yourself.
• Teaching kids the importance of having courage is valuable.  There’s also a caution: we as parents must remain sensitive to the intense pressures kids will face, not just from other kids but from adults in positions of authority.  
• If the family is strong, if the relationships are really strong, it's easier for the child to be courageous.
• Choosing your battles and remaining flexible
• Principle of choosing the harder right over the easier wrong
• Example subjects to boost public-school kids’ knowledge:  history, economics, social studies, current events.
• Parents and kids are busy.  Attention time is scarce.  Lectures are not effective for heavy subjects.  Be aware of creating unintentional resistance.
• One of the things that works against us as parents trying to build relationships with kids today is screen time. 
• Options and methods:

o   Game nights

o   Family dinners

o   Special projects

o   Movie nights (selective movies) 

o   Captured audience, e.g., driving time

o   Assigned readings, videos (e.g., documentaries) (“home” homework vs. “school” homework)

• A key takeaway is to focus on the relationship because, because if your relationship is open, you've got a chance to communicate.  Focus on that and the other things will fall into place.
• Do you know someone who is doing these things?  Tali and...