Sometimes you just have to let the inner snark out

There are so many things that I just assume people realize, which, as J. is often pointing out to me aren't necessarily as obvious as I think they are. For my own sanity, here are some of the ones I've bumped up against recently. In no particular order, and actually no particular theme. This is a total brain dump. It is also somewhat harsh as I get it out of my system. If you are feeling tender at the moment, you might want to skip this post.

• Something a child has learned on their own is just as valid something that was taught to them. Possibly even more so.
• It is traumatic... actually extremely traumatic... for a child to change families, cultures, and languages all in one fell swoop.
• Three year old (or 18 month olds or two year olds) are not reasonable creatures. 
• If you are homeschooling, the parent will actually have to pitch-in and do some teaching.
• There is really no such thing as behind in terms of learning. A child can only do what they are capable of at that moment in time. Giving them more difficult work because that is where they "should" be is not suddenly going to change how they learn. 
• And a corollary, there just isn't actually that content in elementary school. Take a good hard look at a set of textbooks and you will see that the new material is just a fraction of what is in each of them. We routinely skip entire year's worth of textbooks with no difficulty.
• If I write that I am a recovering "gifted" child and as a result have never wanted any of my children tested for a variety of reasons, please do not reply to me that you have never met any gifted individual who didn't also have severe deficits in other areas and I am doing a disservice to my children by not doing so. Do you realize you just told me I had areas where I was functionally impaired? Do you realize that I then ponder who it is who actually has the deficits? Do you know how incredibly difficult it was for me just to walk away from that conversation?
• Also, if I write that I have never given my children a test or a grade during my homeschooling career when someone asks how homeschoolers should keep grades, I am not being contrary or disagreeable, but trying to give a perspective that someone just coming out of the public school system might not have even thought about.
• I'm sorry if a family was blind-sided by their adopted child's behaviors (I really am), but please don't blame the sending country for not telling you they had "behaviors" when you should have done due diligence in preparing yourself. Otherwise you come perilously close to sounding as though you are complaining that the used child dealer didn't give full disclosure on why the child isn't like new. 
• Yes, I really do have enough children to fill the van I drive. No, I am not their servant, they help out a lot.
• High school is not as important as many people think it is.

That about takes care of it for now. Calm, non-snarky posts should be coming your way soon.