homeschooling

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Homeschoolers might be interested in this:

April 13, 2099 Reunited Press Home Eating a Threat to Public Kitchens? State Allows Growing Trend of Eating At Home

After much heated debate on the house floor, legislation was passed today to allow a growing number of families to cook meals for their families in their homes. The children must have annual physical examinations to assure proper growth and weight gain. Attempts to require weekly meal plans and monthly kitchen inspections were voted down.

A spokesperson from the National Association of Nutritionists (NANs) condemns this decision. "These children are being denied the rich socialization and diversity that is an essential part of the eating process. Without the proper nutritional background, it is impossible for the average person to feed their own children. We, as child advocates, see this as a step backwards and speak out for the sake of the children who cannot speak for themselves."

Homecooking parents say the benefits of eating at home include increased family unity and the ability to tailor a diet to a particular need. Elizabeth Crocker, a home cook, states, "We started cooking and eating at home when we realized that my son had a severe allergy to eggs. The public kitchens required him to take numerous medications that had serious side effects in order to counteract his allergy. We found that eliminating eggs was a simpler method and our son has thrived since we began doing so."

After this experience, the Crockers decided to home cook for all of their children, and converted their media room into a kitchen. Elizabeth says, "We have experienced so much closeness as we have explored recipes and spent time cooking together and eating together. We have a dining circle with other families where we sometimes share ideas and meals together."

The Crocker children have done well physically under their mother's care, weighing in at optimum weights for their ages and having health records far above average. It should be noted that Mrs. Crocker, while not a professional nutritionist, has a family history rich with nutritionists and home economists. "Surely the success of the Crocker children is due to the background of their mother," responded the spokesman from NANs. "The results they have achieved should not be viewed as normative." Mrs. Crocker counters that her background was actually a hindrance to the nutritional principles she follows. "Our paternal great-grandmother was a home economist, but she prepared most meal from pre-made mixes. In our homecooking we try not to duplicate public-kitchen meals, but to tailor our meals to the needs and preferences of our children."

In a related issue, legislation is in committee that would provide oversight for the emerging homecooking movement. Says the Home Eating Legal Defense Association (HELDA): "We want to provide umbrella kitchens to aid parents in the complicated tasks of feeding their children. Many families lack the expertise of the Crocker family, yet desire to eat at home. As we have seen, the umbrella kitchens meet the needs of all concerned. We are happy to provide this service."

Written by Angela Paul

-- walt (longyear@shentel.net), July 04, 2000

Answers

As a follow-on to the above, in last Sunday's paper the school system in Dickson, TN was decrying that homeschoolers decreased attendance at their schools, which decreased state and federal funding according. However, as an offset, they did mention it decreased students per classroom size.

-- Ken Scharabok (scharabo@aol.com), July 04, 2000.

Our last homeschooler graduated in May of 1999 but I really appreciated the irony of this piece. Thank you! This should make some people REALLY THINK about what's going to happen if we don't all stand up for our rights!

-- Suzy in'Bama (slgt@yahoo.com), July 04, 2000.

Am I to understand that these authorities think we cant feed our families properly? I suppose there may be certain segments of society where food may be hard to come by and then the diet may be lacking. I would personally find this type of program very intrusive. Are they talking about homeschoolers not having lunch in the school cafeteria? I have read those lunches are some of the highest in fat meals you can find. All I can say is we're really in trouble if the government starts telling us what and where to eat!

-- Denise (jphammock@msn.com), July 05, 2000.

OK, you got me! I didn't read the date and thought this was for real. I just couldn't believe it! Hahahahahehehehe!

-- Denise (jphammock@msn.com), July 05, 2000.

LOL!! But, Denise, re-read your original post and then apply your answer to homeschooling instead of food, which is what the point of the original post was!!

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), July 06, 2000.


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