Einstein

My son informed me the other day that his friends down in the village park had given him a nickname.
I said "Oh, really. What do they call you?"
"Einstein," he replied.
"That is interesting, indeed" said I, "Why do they call you that?"
"Because they think I know a lot."

This is what prompted me to write this post. In the year 2008 all my children went back to school because of certain official circumstances. Big mistake. My youngest, who was then in 2nd grade, did his work (most of which he had already completed in his home studies) and was then allowed to sleep for the rest of the lesson! No, I am not kidding.

This was the only year he has spent in a state school and  these aforementioned friends were his class companions at that time (and a real sweet bunch of children they were, too.) At home we have followed state requirements all the way, so, what IS the difference between my child and these not - so - little ones?

Well, the answer is that my son M. has been home schooled, and these children have been state schooled. Therefore:
   a) M. has much free time, they have very little, if any.
   b) These children spend six hours at school and then at least two more hours  with  homework, totalling an eight hour day. When are they supposed to play, read or relax with the family, etc.? The state decides what these children are taught and allows them no time to learn anything else.
   c) M. has been always been encouraged to make his own decisions, and guided on how to spend his abundant free time. These other children have to have everything crammed into an organized time table, with few possibilities to be able think for themselves.
   d) M.'s lessons are adapted to his way of learning, and for the most part he chooses what he would like to learn. Children who attend school have to fit in to the system.  It is for this reason there are so many who apparently "don't do well."
   e) M. is with his family 24/7, therefore influenced only by one set of people with one set of principles, morals and beliefs, whereas other children spend half their lives drifting from pillar to post.
   f) M. has been shown that he has to make an effort in order to succeed, whereas the majority of children in todays society are convinced that life owes them something.
   g) M. has a big family. It helps him to understand how to treat other people, young and old alike. This is an unbelievable advantage which other children are not given the possibility to experience, particularly if they spend so much time away from the family environment.
   h) In M.'s one on one lessons he has been encouraged right from the beginning to think out things for himself or to ask "why?" He has never been humiliated in front of class companions, a common practice in many schools.

My Einstein experimenting with the forces and properties of magnetism.