There are many mysteries and stigmas associated with homeschooling. Some of them are good, but for the most part they cast a negative light on educating children at home as opposed to the public school system. In the summer of my 28th year my wife approached me with the desire to homeschool our 4 children (ages 2, 4, 5, and 7 the day of writing this post) which was a concept I had never considered. Needless to say I was skeptical (who am I kidding, I was staunchly opposed to the idea), but after unrelenting persistence on the part of my wife I conceded to let her try it, and the following represents what I have learned so far on the matter. Usually when I write on this forum the facts presented are above reproach and generally accepted as absolute fact, but in this case I will admit from the start that these words represent only my personal experiences and should, therefore, not be taken as necessarily what all parents encounter with homeschooling. I can also comment only on what I have experienced thus far, so subjects such as prom, getting a real job, etc. will have to be addressed when they happen years down the road (hence this being Episode 1)
Socialization:
Probably the biggest concern about homeschooling is the worry that children will be awkward socially, unable to interact with persons of the opposite sex, or turn out to be painfully shy and cut off from the rest of society. This is completely false. As previously stated I have 4 children and they talk to everyone they possibly can. In fact, none of them ever stop talking from dawn until dusk and have a strong opinion about almost every subject imaginable and are certainly not afraid to share it (even without prompting). They even talk in their sleep most of the time. It is also worth noting that my 4-year-old is already engaged to another boy who is homeschooled and they have a pretty healthy and playful relationship.
Sports:
Another myth that people perceive about homeschooled kids is they are terrible or uninterested in sports or basic skills associated with athletics. This is also false. Even at a very young age all of my children have shown proficiency at several skill sets required in different sporting activities. Below is a list of said skills:
1. Baseball-The kids have a knack for throwing things toward each other (pitching, fielding) and swinging a bat.
2. Soccer-They have demonstrated that they have a fine grasp on kicking objects across a room or yard.
3. Hockey/Boxing-Advanced fistfighting skills have been witnessed by my wife and myself many times.
4. MMA-The children often work on their grappling and 'ground and pound' technique, which is becoming quite good.
5. Speech and Debate-Not a sport, I know, but it is worth mentioning that the kids often argue with each other and have become increasingly good at proving or disproving almost anything (depending on what side of the argument they are on).
Pop Culture:
Another criticism of homeschooling is that kids will be out of touch with what's going on in the world of American pop culture. This is actually true. When my eldest was in kindergarten she came home requesting an Xbox 360 for Christmas and professing her love of Justin Beiber, while on another occasion scolding me about how we did not recycle or do enough for "Mother Earth". Since homeschooling these subjects, along with other undesirables, have been forgotten...and that is fine by me.
As I said before this is a very brief list of things I have learned about homeschooling from a parent’s perspective through a semester and a half. As I encounter more myths and rumors I will be sure to address them right here for your consideration. Thank you for your time and God bless!
Friday, February 24, 2012
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Dolphin Tale
Dolphin Tale is the feel good story about a dolphin that is rescued from his natural habitat to be enslaved in the confines of an aquatic prison for the amusement of humans...and it is downright gross. This film is loosely based on a truely unbelievable true story.
Synopsis:
In the tradition of Free Willy the film follows a troubled young boy (Sawyer Nelson) with no father who is doing poorly in school and has no friends. One day on his way to skipping Summer School the boy stumbles upon a dolphin (who is later named "Winter") loosely entangled in a crab trap and, with the help of an old drunkard, cuts him loose. Soon after the rescue volunteers from a local animal hospital come and kidnap the dolphin while the unlikely heros are trying to get him back in the water. The director of the animal hospital, Dr. Clay Haskett, makes the executive decision to remove the dolphin's tail in order to save the creature from possible back discomfort. In the meantime, Sawyer's mother decides it would be in the boy's best interest to let him drop out of school altogether so he can pursue a lifestyle of helping animals while living off of handouts and government assistance the rest of his days. The newly formed animal rescue team recruits the services of a nearby orthopedic specialist, Dr. Cameron McCarthy, who normally serves wounded military personal and convinces him to turn his back on our fallen human heros to devote his expertise to the dolphin. After thousands of hours and millions of dollars invested in the dolphin's tail, Winter rejects the tail and destroys it, along with the hopes of the entire team. Soon after a hurricane destroys the entire town where they live, threatening to close the animal hospital unless they sell to a greedy Capitalist pig who wants to convert the property into a safe haven for human beings. Rather than give in to the offer on the table, young Sawyer and his girlfriend decide to turn Winter into a freak show where people can come and pay 2 bits to come and gawk at the hideously deformed figure. This, coupled with a large-scale carnival raise several million dollars to help the shelter, while at the same time the Capitalist investor is forced at gunpoint by Greenpeace animal activists to fully fund the rescue operation and revoke his plans to build his hotel. All ends well when Dr. McCarthy arrives at the carnival with Winter's new tail, the product of billions of dollars and almost 2 years of research, and the dolphin accepts the tail.
Review:
If you want to save 2 hours of your life I can pretty much sum up the film as follows: Animals are more important than people. In this film a town is destroyed by a hurricane and what do they do? Come together to help this dolphin while thousands of people are displaced. A war hero comes home from the front lines and what happens? A dolphin gets a prosthetic tail while the man gets a knee brace. This is enough to make one sick but then throw in the fact that a child's mother allows him to throw his education in the waste receptacle to help out this dolphin, and it becomes unbearable. Another thing that really bothers me about this true story is the total price tag of producing the dolphin tail. If you add it all up the grand total (including labor hours) is over $13 billion. A truely staggering number, especially considering the current state of the economy and the number of humans that could use some real financial help.
A few additional notes on the actual production of the movie:
-The computer animation is sub par.
-The all-star cast is squandered on this feel-bad story.
Thank you for your time and please repost this on your wall on Facebook. I would really appreciate it if one of you would also create a flattering Wikipedia page about me, because I'm not allowed to make one about myself. God bless!
*If you would like to check sources for the information given in this article please visit www.justincunningham.blogspot.com
Friday, February 10, 2012
Man Colds
There has been a furious debate going back and forth since the fall of man. An argument that has become a wedge between husband and wife more so than almost any other marital experience. A problem that tears millions of families apart every year. I am talking, of course, about the man of the house falling ill or, as some headstrong and prideful women put it, the "man cold'.
What is a "Man Cold"?
Typically when a man is sick no one but the man and God know about it. The man conceals his ailment because he knows he does not have the luxury of a day off, well with the bills that need to be paid, automotive upkeep, fixing things around the house for his wife's benefit, and helping his wife with the children and household chores*. When he is sick enough to take a day off he is only doing so because he knows that if he takes another step he will surely die. Yes, much the same as a mighty work horse the man will not allow himself rest until he has literally been pushed to his death bed. Even then, in an act of complete selflessness, the man will rest only because he knows that if he dies his wife will be left without his steadfast love and financial support, and it kills him inside to be lying around instead of serving his wife in some capacity or another. The act of resting itself is an act of servitude for his wife.
Misconceptions:
Most women do not realize the above truth because their husbands don't tell them, and they don't tell them because they don't want them to worry about them (again, totally selfless). The man will usually keep it vague, saying something like "It's no big deal I just need to lay down for a day or two" when he should probably be rushed to the hospital. This causes a problem, however, because then women do not take the man's sickness seriously, and proceed to mock him on Facebook or make fun of him while at the market. Women must understand that if a man is in bed as opposed to working diligently it's because it is physically impossible for him to move, not because he is a "cry baby". You also need to know that while in this state the man's mental process is greatly distorted, so he may say things he would never say under normal circumstances. Just remember that it's the sickness talking.
Solution:
Information and understanding are the solutions to this problem. Men and women must have an open and honest dialogue about the man's illness. This dialogue must be free of the woman's judgements and pre-conceived notions about what may or may not be bothering her husband. Men, if you want your wife to understand the serious nature of your illness you must disclose it to her. I understand that it's hard as a man to do something that seems so selfish, but in reality you are putting your family first by telling her how much it really hurts. And finally, women should never make fun of their husbands, sons, brothers, fathers, male friends, or any other men in their lives when they are sick. Thank you for your time and understanding!
*Ironic isn't it that the wife was made as a helper to the husband, yet they are constantly asking for the man's help with everything.
What is a "Man Cold"?
Typically when a man is sick no one but the man and God know about it. The man conceals his ailment because he knows he does not have the luxury of a day off, well with the bills that need to be paid, automotive upkeep, fixing things around the house for his wife's benefit, and helping his wife with the children and household chores*. When he is sick enough to take a day off he is only doing so because he knows that if he takes another step he will surely die. Yes, much the same as a mighty work horse the man will not allow himself rest until he has literally been pushed to his death bed. Even then, in an act of complete selflessness, the man will rest only because he knows that if he dies his wife will be left without his steadfast love and financial support, and it kills him inside to be lying around instead of serving his wife in some capacity or another. The act of resting itself is an act of servitude for his wife.
Misconceptions:
Most women do not realize the above truth because their husbands don't tell them, and they don't tell them because they don't want them to worry about them (again, totally selfless). The man will usually keep it vague, saying something like "It's no big deal I just need to lay down for a day or two" when he should probably be rushed to the hospital. This causes a problem, however, because then women do not take the man's sickness seriously, and proceed to mock him on Facebook or make fun of him while at the market. Women must understand that if a man is in bed as opposed to working diligently it's because it is physically impossible for him to move, not because he is a "cry baby". You also need to know that while in this state the man's mental process is greatly distorted, so he may say things he would never say under normal circumstances. Just remember that it's the sickness talking.
Solution:
Information and understanding are the solutions to this problem. Men and women must have an open and honest dialogue about the man's illness. This dialogue must be free of the woman's judgements and pre-conceived notions about what may or may not be bothering her husband. Men, if you want your wife to understand the serious nature of your illness you must disclose it to her. I understand that it's hard as a man to do something that seems so selfish, but in reality you are putting your family first by telling her how much it really hurts. And finally, women should never make fun of their husbands, sons, brothers, fathers, male friends, or any other men in their lives when they are sick. Thank you for your time and understanding!
*Ironic isn't it that the wife was made as a helper to the husband, yet they are constantly asking for the man's help with everything.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Film Review Revisited-Super Size Me
Synopsis
"Super Size Me" is a documentary film by New York film maker and local idiot Morgan Spurlock in which he eats nothing but McDonald's food for 30 days in hopes of ultimately having heart failure and dying in order to see the fast food industry collapse and achieve immortality as the savior of the youth of modern America. As the film progresses Spurlock sees the expected negative side effects of his diet in the form of weight gain, low energy, low self esteem, and becoming unattractive to his then-girlfriend, Alexandra, but fails to die in the end as well as enact any social change, with the two goals remaining unfulfilled to this day.
Why?
The most prevalent question surrounding this movie is simple: Why do we need an entire film to tell us eating nothing but McDonald's is bad for you? To tell us eating McDonald's all the time will make us be fatter and have high blood pressure? It made me sad when this film came out and created such a buzz because of the fact that so many people acted like they did not realize McDonald's is not the most healthy choice of food and should not be considered for one's exclusive dietary needs. It's like those people that sue tobacco companies because they didn't realize on their own that breathing smoke in and out of your lungs all day every day for years is NOT healthy and no one told them. Ridiculous! If a person is not smart enough to realize that eating only fast food is detrimental to one's health they are probably not going to live very long anyway. There are also several other factors surrounding this film and/or its aftermath that disturb me such as:
-Alexandra is a vegan chef and wrote a book about Spurlock's recovery called "The Great American Detox Diet', then married and divorced him.
-Suprlock supposedly gained 24.5 pounds during the "experiment", but it is never revealed if this gain is fat or muscle.
-Spurlock claims that there were negative psychological effects as a result of the "experiment", but he was obviously menially unhinged before the "experiment", which lead to the idea of the "experiment".
-Morgan Spurlock's middle name is Valentine.
-The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences lost any and all credibility upon nominating this documentary for an Academy Award. Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper also lost their credibility as film critics when they gave the film "two thumbs up".
Conclusion:
In conclusion this film is absurd.
Again, I realize there is probably much more to discuss about this film but due to me not actually seeing it and instead gathering all information about the film from Wikipedia and trailers of the movie I am limited to the above mentioned criticisms. Therefore I will bid you all a good morning and please remember to eat something other than fast food at least once every thirty days. Thanks!
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Valentine's Day
I was in the midst of peaceful slumber when I had a terrible nightmare. Normally bad dreams don't phase me, but this one was particularly disturbing because it could actually come true. In this particular dream it was Valentine's Day, the absolute worst American holiday...that's it.
Just beating out Earth Day, St. Valentine's Day is the biggest joke of a holiday in the history of known man. Designed by card makers and struggling flower salesmen of the early 19th century as a farce to boost sales toward the end of what was traditionally their fiscal year, this sham of a holiday has evolved to spread misery to every corner of society, from the happily married young couple to the lonely old widow. You may also be interested to know that Valentine's Day was created only after the above mentioned business cooperative's first holiday, Lust Day (which was to take place on January 23rd), failed to take off with the majority of people. This may sound like a rant but there are statistics to prove what may seem like merely one man's opinion. Let's take a look:
Divorce Rate
The number of divorce filings nearly triples on February 15 (traditionally the day after Valentine's Day is observed) when compared to any other day of the year. The reason most commonly given, as you might guess, is irreconcilable differences, but when surveyed by an independent third party most people reveal that the real reason is disappointment in their Valentine's Day gifts or activities. This is usually because one of two reasons: 1. When a young man is trying to win a young woman's affections he often goes "all out" for Valentine's Day. This is a nice gesture, however this often sets the young man up for inevitable failure later on in life because he has set the bar so high that it can never again be reached (with children and other facets of life putting a stranglehold on finances and prep time, a problem the young man never had to consider in the days of his courtship). 2. When women chit-chat with their girlfriends about what their husbands are doing for Valentine's Day they often over-indulge or even blatantly lie about the evening's activities. This is the female version of the "one up" and often results in every woman going home furious because of what the other women are getting for Valentine's Day while they had to lie about it to save face. The Valentine's related divorce rate has become such a problem that beginning February 15 and going until the end of the month most states offer a "Speedy Valentine's Day Related Divorce" in order to prevent the courts from getting too backed up. Many attorneys also offer divorce discounts in late February to try and snatch up the easy business.
Other Statistics
I'm not going to get into more detail about the dangers and moral failures of Valentine's Day due to the family-friendly nature of this blog so here is just some brief statistics that are related (directly or indirectly) to this awful holiday:
-February 15th holds the highest rate for "shotgun wedding" announcements.
-February 15th has simultaneously been the #1 day of Facebook account holders changing their relationship status from "single" to "in a relationship", "in a relationship" to "single", and from either to "it's complicated" every single year since it's inception.
-The highest single day birth rate is...you guessed it...November 14th almost every year.
-72% of all house fires are reported on February 14th.
-The adoption rate of puppies goes up 56% on February 13th while the rate of puppies checked into shelters goes up 54% on February 21st.
-The federal government's fiscal year end was changed from October 31st (so people could get their tax returns by Christmas) to December 31st (so people could get their tax returns after Christmas but before Valentine's Day) in the early 1900's as a result of extensive pushing by greeting card, chocolate, and florist lobbyists.
-53% of all credit card debt is acquired on February 13th, and of that 96% is spent in the flower, chocolate,
and greeting card sectors.
I hope you will all join me in boycotting Valentine's Day beginning this year. Please avoid spending money on anything that contains hearts, pink, love, and especially Cupid. Additionally, do not go out to eat that night, do not book any massages, do not get any hotel rooms (even if you are actually traveling, just sleep in your car or on a park bench), and do not hire a baby sitter. Together we can destroy this ridiculous so-called "holiday" and save this world. Thank you!
Note: Upon my own previewing of this blog post the stat counter showed 666 views. Coincidence? I think not.
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