Us Fish

In case you don't know, the title of my blog, Fish Out Of Water is in reference to the fact that we are a Christan family with kids in the public school system. You know, "fish" being a Christan symbol and all. So far in our 2-1/2 whole years of experience in the public schools, I have not had really that much to write about. There are of course, the essential differences in that, there is no chapel, no prayer and then of course quite the mixture of faiths and I'm sure nonfaiths. None of this though, so far, has effected us in a negative way. I like to think some of it has even been positive. For one, my kids are learning at an early age about different faiths. Kristin in particular has several friends that are catholic and several that are Jewish. In fact, 2 out of 3 of her teachers have been Jewish. This has all prompted, what I think are beneficial conversations about how do these other faiths differ from Christianity. It's also prompted conversations on what exactly do we, as Christians believe on a more in depth level than I think we would have otherwise felt led to do. I did go to the local Christan bookstore to see if they had any children's books that explain the differences in other faiths as they compare to Christianity but came up empty. I found an adult book that laid it out fairly easily. My intention is to use the information in the adult book I got and write my own kids book. I've started taking notes on the info I'd like to include in the book but am still trying to come up with a good concept to present this information so that it will be appealing and interesting to kids.

This is the time of year, however that we notice the most difference being in the public schools. For example; there is NO mention of even the word Christmas. They are having a "holiday" party. It's "winter break" not Christmas vacation as it was when I was a kid. There are no Christmas decorations in the school. Any seasonal art projects are centered around snow (since we have SO much of that here in the southeast.) One big pet peeve I have though, is that for some reason, it is ok for their teachers to read stories about Hanukkah but not Christmas stories. (Grace is singing "The Dreidel Song" as I write this). Although I'm sure they are just as good about leaving the religious aspects out of Hanukkah as they are Christmas.

To be honest (and I'm not sure if this is even an appropriate fear to have) but the thing I worry about most with my kids being in the public school and not the private school our church runs is that they will feel left out when it comes to church and one day youth group activities because they are in the minority. This was a problem for me as a teen. When I was growing up, my brother, sister and I were the ONLY public school kids in our entire church. ALL the other kids went to the local Christan school. We were left out. I hated youth group. I never went. I did not have close friends at church. I did not have the type of personality to break though this barrier and include myself. I needed to be included and I wasn't. So, my friends were kids I went to school with, non of which were Christians. I just want my kids to feel included and to always enjoy church and to really feel like it is an extension of our family. And I want them to have friends they can turn to that they can trust and that will help them grow as children of God. We are giving our kids a Christan education, at home. That is something both my husband and I feel is a very important part of being a parent. I just hope the church/friend thing works itself out ok.