Comments on: For my kids the best, and stuff the rest? http://www.signposts.org.au/2007/05/25/for-my-kids-the-best-and-stuff-the-rest/ musings from those on the journey Wed, 3 Dec 2008 23:40:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Janet http://www.signposts.org.au/2007/05/25/for-my-kids-the-best-and-stuff-the-rest/#comment-166169 Janet Sun, 10 Jun 2007 12:26:08 +0000 http://www.signposts.org.au/2007/05/25/for-my-kids-the-best-and-stuff-the-rest/#comment-166169 Absolutely. My local church has a strong relationship with the local primary school... we sponsor a chaplain there one day a week (our children's minister), and have volunteers from the church act as mentors for children at risk through Kidshope (a World Vision mentoring iniative). Parents from the church are involved in working bees, school maintennance initiatives, the wellbeing committee, etc. One mum runs a prayer meeting for the school. School mums have connected with playgroup, and many kids from the school attend the church school holiday program... then most importantly, there's all the informal relationship stuff. If all the Christian parents pull out of state schools, all these opportunities would be missed. Absolutely. My local church has a strong relationship with the local primary school… we sponsor a chaplain there one day a week (our children’s minister), and have volunteers from the church act as mentors for children at risk through Kidshope (a World Vision mentoring iniative). Parents from the church are involved in working bees, school maintennance initiatives, the wellbeing committee, etc. One mum runs a prayer meeting for the school. School mums have connected with playgroup, and many kids from the school attend the church school holiday program… then most importantly, there’s all the informal relationship stuff.

If all the Christian parents pull out of state schools, all these opportunities would be missed.

]]> By: Darryl http://www.signposts.org.au/2007/05/25/for-my-kids-the-best-and-stuff-the-rest/#comment-166162 Darryl Sun, 10 Jun 2007 10:04:47 +0000 http://www.signposts.org.au/2007/05/25/for-my-kids-the-best-and-stuff-the-rest/#comment-166162 Great comments here from everyone ... it's been great to follow along. Many well-thought ideas on all sides of the fences. I don't think anyone has raised this issue yet, but what about our involvement as parents in extracurricular activities (parents and citizens meetings, sports days, school fetes, bbq's, and stuff like that)? It's not just the kids who get involved with the school, but parents as well. I can see immediate missional needs associated with being involved with a state school as opposed to a Christian private school ... but what do others think? Great comments here from everyone … it’s been great to follow along. Many well-thought ideas on all sides of the fences.

I don’t think anyone has raised this issue yet, but what about our involvement as parents in extracurricular activities (parents and citizens meetings, sports days, school fetes, bbq’s, and stuff like that)? It’s not just the kids who get involved with the school, but parents as well.

I can see immediate missional needs associated with being involved with a state school as opposed to a Christian private school … but what do others think?

]]> By: Janet http://www.signposts.org.au/2007/05/25/for-my-kids-the-best-and-stuff-the-rest/#comment-166108 Janet Fri, 08 Jun 2007 22:25:40 +0000 http://www.signposts.org.au/2007/05/25/for-my-kids-the-best-and-stuff-the-rest/#comment-166108 "a groundbreaking initiative to alter the face of teaching and learning … to enable students to look beyond the possible to achieve the unimaginable". http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/building-boom-as-elite-schools-play-catchup/2007/06/08/1181089329499.html What happens if you attempt to reduce private school fees: http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/principal-slams-massive-edifices/2007/06/08/1181089329502.html “a groundbreaking initiative to alter the face of teaching and learning … to enable students to look beyond the possible to achieve the unimaginable”.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/building-boom-as-elite-schools-play-catchup/2007/06/08/1181089329499.html

What happens if you attempt to reduce private school fees:

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/principal-slams-massive-edifices/2007/06/08/1181089329502.html

]]> By: Janet http://www.signposts.org.au/2007/05/25/for-my-kids-the-best-and-stuff-the-rest/#comment-166107 Janet Fri, 08 Jun 2007 22:18:19 +0000 http://www.signposts.org.au/2007/05/25/for-my-kids-the-best-and-stuff-the-rest/#comment-166107 Well, the rhetoric about the federal government funding private schools to make them more affordable and give parents choice is apparently a load of bunk... especially at the elite end of the spectrum. http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/private-school-fees-rise-despite-windfall/2007/06/08/1181089329467.html Well, the rhetoric about the federal government funding private schools to make them more affordable and give parents choice is apparently a load of bunk… especially at the elite end of the spectrum.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/private-school-fees-rise-despite-windfall/2007/06/08/1181089329467.html

]]> By: just_nigel http://www.signposts.org.au/2007/05/25/for-my-kids-the-best-and-stuff-the-rest/#comment-165134 just_nigel Thu, 31 May 2007 11:34:55 +0000 http://www.signposts.org.au/2007/05/25/for-my-kids-the-best-and-stuff-the-rest/#comment-165134 How about kindergarten? Even there I was taught it is rude to call people names. Onetrusted, when you do this to me I feel you are disrespecting me. I would prefer it if you didn't. Do you want to talk about education options and how we can make those choices? How about kindergarten? Even there I was taught it is rude to call people names. Onetrusted, when you do this to me I feel you are disrespecting me. I would prefer it if you didn’t. Do you want to talk about education options and how we can make those choices?

]]> By: Eric http://www.signposts.org.au/2007/05/25/for-my-kids-the-best-and-stuff-the-rest/#comment-165129 Eric Thu, 31 May 2007 10:54:55 +0000 http://www.signposts.org.au/2007/05/25/for-my-kids-the-best-and-stuff-the-rest/#comment-165129 I think localness is an important consideration. If you're going to be living in one place long-term, it's great for your kids to be able to ride to school and have many of their friends living nearby. One morning I went to chapel at a christian high school. It was a great worship time, the best possible preparation for my long day at work. It was amazing to be in a place that was both school and church at the same time. As I sang with hundreds of voices behind me I thought of the kids who would be growing in faith and benefitting from this environment. I follwed the Y12s into the Christian Living class for a bit more of the same. I remember a teacher sitting on the floor praying with a student - I never saw anything like that in my school years, despite a large number of Christian teachers. And I thought about my high school, and how there weren't that many Christians, because so many of them were going to schools like this one! And lots of these kids, inspired to serve God and make him known, don't know many people outside the churuch to make Him known to! I wished they could graduate some of them at year 10 and send them as missionaries to their local school. I wonder how many people live in the Christian parallel universe, consisting of Sunrise/Temple/Tabor/etc, Word/Koorong, LifeFM and their church. All can be benefical, but the whole structure looks like a scheme to keep some of the most committed Christians out of the real world. I think localness is an important consideration. If you’re going to be living in one place long-term, it’s great for your kids to be able to ride to school and have many of their friends living nearby.

One morning I went to chapel at a christian high school. It was a great worship time, the best possible preparation for my long day at work. It was amazing to be in a place that was both school and church at the same time. As I sang with hundreds of voices behind me I thought of the kids who would be growing in faith and benefitting from this environment.

I follwed the Y12s into the Christian Living class for a bit more of the same. I remember a teacher sitting on the floor praying with a student - I never saw anything like that in my school years, despite a large number of Christian teachers.

And I thought about my high school, and how there weren’t that many Christians, because so many of them were going to schools like this one! And lots of these kids, inspired to serve God and make him known, don’t know many people outside the churuch to make Him known to! I wished they could graduate some of them at year 10 and send them as missionaries to their local school.

I wonder how many people live in the Christian parallel universe, consisting of Sunrise/Temple/Tabor/etc, Word/Koorong, LifeFM and their church. All can be benefical, but the whole structure looks like a scheme to keep some of the most committed Christians out of the real world.

]]> By: Toddy http://www.signposts.org.au/2007/05/25/for-my-kids-the-best-and-stuff-the-rest/#comment-165019 Toddy Thu, 31 May 2007 03:26:38 +0000 http://www.signposts.org.au/2007/05/25/for-my-kids-the-best-and-stuff-the-rest/#comment-165019 Good call, Bec. My work requires me (regularly) to put myself either in harms way, or in the way of those who cause harm. I'm comfortable with that, because it's up to me to make assessments, judgements, decisions about what is or isn't appropriate etc. If I come across one of these bods in the street and my family are with me, I'll avoid them like the plague, or ask my wife to take my kids elsewhere while I talk to the bod - they don't need to know what my family looks like... my family didn't sign on for that type of confrontation. Re schooling... I guess I'm getting more and more ok about making the best decision for MY kids as I can, and then getting about trying to help others make good decisions, take advantage of available resources etc. A bit like the airline telling the adult to 'pull the mask onto their own face 1st, then helping kids/those around them 2nd'. ...still thinking... Good call, Bec. My work requires me (regularly) to put myself either in harms way, or in the way of those who cause harm.
I’m comfortable with that, because it’s up to me to make assessments, judgements, decisions about what is or isn’t appropriate etc.

If I come across one of these bods in the street and my family are with me, I’ll avoid them like the plague, or ask my wife to take my kids elsewhere while I talk to the bod - they don’t need to know what my family looks like… my family didn’t sign on for that type of confrontation.

Re schooling… I guess I’m getting more and more ok about making the best decision for MY kids as I can, and then getting about trying to help others make good decisions, take advantage of available resources etc.

A bit like the airline telling the adult to ‘pull the mask onto their own face 1st, then helping kids/those around them 2nd’.

…still thinking…

]]> By: Emma Whale http://www.signposts.org.au/2007/05/25/for-my-kids-the-best-and-stuff-the-rest/#comment-165018 Emma Whale Thu, 31 May 2007 03:25:17 +0000 http://www.signposts.org.au/2007/05/25/for-my-kids-the-best-and-stuff-the-rest/#comment-165018 yeah totally. I was thinking about it this morning because I did a review of a DVD (true story) where some missionaries got murdered by an ecudorian tribe. their wives packed up their families and moved to equador to continue their work, taking their kids to live with/near the people who had murdered their fathers. i jsut don't know that I could have done that. and as for now having kids, I am so reluctant to put myself in immediate danger for that reason, would hate for them to grow up without me. yeah totally. I was thinking about it this morning because I did a review of a DVD (true story) where some missionaries got murdered by an ecudorian tribe. their wives packed up their families and moved to equador to continue their work, taking their kids to live with/near the people who had murdered their fathers.

i jsut don’t know that I could have done that.

and as for now having kids, I am so reluctant to put myself in immediate danger for that reason, would hate for them to grow up without me.

]]> By: bec http://www.signposts.org.au/2007/05/25/for-my-kids-the-best-and-stuff-the-rest/#comment-165015 bec Thu, 31 May 2007 03:11:07 +0000 http://www.signposts.org.au/2007/05/25/for-my-kids-the-best-and-stuff-the-rest/#comment-165015 Emma, I completely agree - and this is ANOTHER thing the church doesn't deal with well. I personally feel ill-equipped to know how I manage such questions with my HUSBAND - an adult, and equal - let alone a CHILD. I actually had to grapple with this issue last year, before we got married...I was actually approached to do some work which would be quite dangerous. I was thrilled about it - it's right up my alley - but the people close to me were worried about my personal safety. In the end it didn't get any further than an idea, for a range of reasons, but I'm not sure how I would have resolved these questions if it had proceeded. It's one thing for me to risk my life - but what impact does that have on the people who love me, let alone a child? There are plenty of people who deal with these questions all the time, but I think that the broader church has neglected them...I mean, after 27 years of going to church, I certainly don't feel like I've got anything near a theological framework in which to consider these issues!! Emma,
I completely agree - and this is ANOTHER thing the church doesn’t deal with well. I personally feel ill-equipped to know how I manage such questions with my HUSBAND - an adult, and equal - let alone a CHILD.

I actually had to grapple with this issue last year, before we got married…I was actually approached to do some work which would be quite dangerous. I was thrilled about it - it’s right up my alley - but the people close to me were worried about my personal safety. In the end it didn’t get any further than an idea, for a range of reasons, but I’m not sure how I would have resolved these questions if it had proceeded. It’s one thing for me to risk my life - but what impact does that have on the people who love me, let alone a child? There are plenty of people who deal with these questions all the time, but I think that the broader church has neglected them…I mean, after 27 years of going to church, I certainly don’t feel like I’ve got anything near a theological framework in which to consider these issues!!

]]> By: Emma Whale http://www.signposts.org.au/2007/05/25/for-my-kids-the-best-and-stuff-the-rest/#comment-165013 Emma Whale Thu, 31 May 2007 03:01:38 +0000 http://www.signposts.org.au/2007/05/25/for-my-kids-the-best-and-stuff-the-rest/#comment-165013 Yes, I agree about costly discipleship - but I make that decision for ME. Can I, and is it my right, to make that decision for a 5-year-old? Don't I have some responsibility as a parent to do that's best for THEM? as parents I feel this is constantly a source of conflict for me. Do I pick up the hitchhiker with my baby in the backseat? Do I take my three-year-old witnessing with me to the "river rats" down by the river? where do you draw that line? I'm not equating state schooling with "ultimate or immediate physical or spiritual danger? but if you['re going to argue costly discipleship then it applies in all other situations as well. Do I buy a house and "provide" for my family or rent and give the money away? Do I take my kids on holidays to have fun or do I sponsor more children? Yes, I agree about costly discipleship - but I make that decision for ME. Can I, and is it my right, to make that decision for a 5-year-old? Don’t I have some responsibility as a parent to do that’s best for THEM?

as parents I feel this is constantly a source of conflict for me. Do I pick up the hitchhiker with my baby in the backseat? Do I take my three-year-old witnessing with me to the “river rats” down by the river? where do you draw that line? I’m not equating state schooling with “ultimate or immediate physical or spiritual danger? but if you[’re going to argue costly discipleship then it applies in all other situations as well. Do I buy a house and “provide” for my family or rent and give the money away? Do I take my kids on holidays to have fun or do I sponsor more children?

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