Have you ever read a book that you just happened to pick up for a leisurely read, but it resonated with you so deeply that by the end you were standing up on the inside? Homeschool Bullies: Dealing with Mean Kids, Cliques, and Mama Drama by Tavis Fuller Armstrong was that kind of book for me! Puh-lease don’t let the pretty cover fool you, Tavis brings wisdom, conviction, and reflection to a topic that sorely needs to be discussed within the homeschooling community.
Bullying and how to address this epidemic running rampant in the public school system is a hot button issue—especially in light of teen suicides, school shootings, drug abuse, and depression. But what often flies under the radar is bullying within the homeschool community. *gas* Yes, you heard correctly! With so many misconceptions and outright attacks on the legitimacy of homeschooling, its understandable that we are loathe to dialogue about something that might put homeschooling in a bad light. We’re not trying to give ammunition to the homeschool haters out there right?
Here’s the truth: We must tackle bullying within the culture of homeschoolers lest the very things we think we’re escaping, permeate our communities as well. We must begin the conversation and Homeschool Bullies: Dealing with Mean Kids, Cliques, and Mama Drama is a great place to start. Homeschool Bullies begins with an eye-opening confession that sets the tone for the rest of the book. This confession involves dispelling with the lies we have told ourselves and accepting the truth. Fuller dispels with the myth that bullying within homeschool circles doesn’t exist or rarely happens.
She goes on to lay out how some homeschool kids can be unkind especially if their behaviors go unaddressed by parents and adults in proximity.
As the title suggests, Homeschool Bullies is divided into three main sections: 1) Mean Kids, 2) Cliques, and 3) Mama Drama.
The two sections that captivated my attention were the sections on cliques and mama drama. Tavis Armstrong eloquently and courageously addresses the prominent role we homeschooling mamas play in bullying within the homeschool community. I have to confess that I had to do a few heart checks as I read, especially when she got to the potstirrers (I’ll leave it to the book to explain).
If I’ve seemed a little gushy about this book its with good reason. I read it in one sitting! It’s an insightful, well-written ebook that should be required reading for homeschool parents—especially before joining a homeschool group! This ebook is definitely going on my fave homeschool books list, I hope it goes on yours too!
Purchase Homeschool Bullies on Amazon!
