Schools complaining they are picking up the pieces of Family breakdown

Just as I was fretting that homeschooling was a bad idea...

As we can't afford to run the car these days, dh goes to work on the train and occasionally buys a paper. He came home with a copy of the Telegraph the other day and the front page carried the headline "Schools 'carry the burden of Britain's family breakdown'". It'sopening pararaph reads

"The demise of the traditional family is breeding a generation

of children who are increasingly relying on teachers to become surrogate

parents, a prominent education leader warned..."

Another article along the same lines was reported online HERE and a link from that article asks what can be done to save the traditional British family? In the comments there are plenty of people who point out the obvious-the common sense aspects of this mess, but it is something that seems to be almost out of control.

As Christians we could stand firm as a sign of contradiction, and do you know, somtimes I think we do a bit. While divorce claims something nearing half the marriages of the UK and USA and living in sin is practically endemic, I do see my Christian friends sticking with their marriages and their children at least so far, not rushing off to move in with the boyfriend.

One of the things that gets mentioned a few times in the comments is that fact that we live in a country where the cost of living is so high that both parents are expected to work in order to make ends meet. Children are left unsupervised, unfed and generally uncared for, wondering the streets or stuck at home in front of the TV or video game.

Those of us who struggle to get by on one wage are penalised by the Govt. However, I have to say, I am more than happy to be able to stay home with the children, whatever the financial strain.

A fellow homeschooler was telling me today how difficult it is for her family to make ends meet on just her husband's wage.

I have to say though neither of us would go back to our working days. We are more than happy to be able to be home for our children (and a lot of other people's too lol). And despite some of the problems we have both faced in the homeschool situation, neither of us would wish to put our children back in school.

It's interesting to note that from what American research shows and the coincidental anacdotal evidence of Dr Ray's book " Back to the Family" (scroll down) that committed Christians seem to make happier families.

Scott Hahn in his book and MP3 series FIRST COMES LOVE points out-if I am remembering him correctly- that staying together in marriage, working through it, and being faithful is humanly impossible. We need GRACE. LOADS of it.

We need more Christ in our schools and families-not less.

Meanwhile God bless Bishop O'Donaghue, effectionately known as POD for facing down the Beast.