Homeschool mom vices (pot smoking homeschooler?)

Is this a joke?

I don't know if the Andrew Sullivan blog is a parody blog or not, but I stumbled upon this post about a homeschool mom pot smoker this morning.  I mean what sane person would out themselves like that... but if they smoke pot regularly then maybe their sanity should be in question. 

It got me wondering if I had any vices that helped me gain my sanity at the end of the day.  The only think I could think of was blogging... and maybe the occasional mega sized bag of chocolate when I am a little stressed.  When they are really rowdy... I go to sleep early.  No medicinal drugs needed here... though high school math could make you consider it. 

Do you have any special vices that make homeschooling easier for you?  I would love to know.

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5 comments:

Peggy Sue Brister said...

The only vice I really have is spending a little too much time on Twitter. But it's not hurting anybody, and it's free. :)

Tammy Takahashi said...

It doesn't look like a joke. People are willing to tell personal things about themselves in the somewhat anonymous world of the internet. And it doesn't surprise me at all that a parent (homeschooling or not) would smoke pot instead of drink to relax. It's also a common enough remedy for adult ADHD/ADD that I have met several people who use it regularly to help them manage their energy.

We don't blink an eye if a mom says they have a glass of wine (we talk about it often on our homeschool elists, on FB, and even in blogs), yet alcohol can be a serious mental destablizer in some people, and what if a mom passes out? Many parents also use valium and sleep aids, which can make a person very "out of it". Yet we don't worry about that, because it's common.

Smoking canabis is not that serious of a drug in and of itself, in the sense of how it effects the nervous system and brain, unless one smokes a lot of it. This is true with alcohol and with sleep medication. But canabis is culturally not as accepted. And we are used to seeing the "pot heads" in the movies, so most of us are not aware of how many people use it in moderate and careful ways.

That said, the mom who posted her story has a good reason to fear that she might be "caught". Not because she's doing something that will endanger her children any more than drinking or sleeping pills, but because unless she lives in a state where canabis is legal and she is using it in a legal way, she is breaking the law. And that is what will be the main problem. As a responsible mom, that's what she should be worried about.

But to answer your question about vices - I enjoy wine and beer, but not to make homeschooling easier for me. Homeschooling and parenting and living my life is not that difficult. And when it is difficult, the last thing I want to do is escape, because that's when I need to be the most on and ready to make good decisions.

When homeschooling gets hard (and it does), I find long-term large-scale solutions to it. If I'm overwhelmed, I schedule more regular time alone doing things I love. If the kids and I are arguing a lot, I back off and focus on fostering our relationship or spend more time with other people. If I feel tired and overworked, I get help and sleep more.

Oh, and part of my "making homeschooling easier" long-term plan is to read, write, and socialize on blogs and facebook, much like Peggy Sue. :)

Happy Elf Mom (Christine) said...

WOW... I have at least three autistic children and I hope never to use them as an excuse for an unhealthy lifestyle of any kind. Having only one autistic child, and a "mildly autistic" one at that? Her life sounds like a cakewalk.

Then again, Tammy is right in comparing this to drinking, too. Drinking alcohol is IMO something that ought to be illegal as well. And after learning more about FASD from a friend with an affected daughter, I am more solidified in this conviction.

Catherine said...

Does cleaning count? Of course, that's only when I don't have a migraine!

But, wow, smoking pot. Hmmmm. Never thought about that one.

April Mitchell said...

Wow! As far as I know pot is still illegal in all US states unless you have a prescription. So I hope homeschooling parents are not modeling how to break our government laws and engage in illgal activity and substance abuse.

That being said...I like to go out with my friends to unwind. Once a month we go to a local dive and sing karaoke. It's fun! and I get to be a star for a night.

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