My Mom was a quote-unquote Refried Jesus Wheezer.  The oldest daughter of eleven children, she broke away from a traditional middle-class Catholic tradesmen family to go gung-ho for Jesus during the other hippie revolution... the Charismatic Christian movement.

Mom was already wierd... born a wierdo.  Bird brain.  Artist.  A real Anne Shirley.  But as a late 70's - early 80's follower of Jesus, she was straight-up eccentric.  I have early memories of her outcast gang of prayer warrior gals, thumping out in Christian garage rock bands, waving banners all over the place, and passing out tracts just about everywhere.  We kids did without most toys, movies, and music that were popular among our peers.  My craziest memory of her was when I was really little... I was standing on the street outside of an abortion clinic, and we were all holding up signs with photos of mutilated babies, getting into an altercation with the police.  I wouldn't let my kids see those images today, but I admire her spirit.

Today, the spirit of women like her still exists... in the form of God-fearing, homeschooling moms.  These women buck the system, carefully navigating the required laws of their respective States and ignoring the looks of haters who stare and whisper when they see her whopping with her school-age kids at 10AM on a Monday during the school year.

These women stand their ground against un-approving family members and so-called friends, against school district officials, State officials, local law enforcement, Child Protective Services and chatty passers by.  Even in 2018, when homeschooling--more popular than ever--isn't just for eccentric Christians anymore.  It's for traveling families.  It's for folks who are fed up with school shootings, and bullies (including teachers), and piss-poor curricula.  And the teachers aren't just stay-home moms, either.  Moms, dads, grandparents, caretakers... working or not.  Degrees not required.  But despite nationwide legal protection for homeschoolers, they face ridicule and disdain and disagreement with their choice, every day.

The good news is that there's help.  The Home School Legal Defense Association, or HSLDA, offers a wealth of information to homeschooling parents in all 50 U.S. States, and provides legal defense against the haters.

So moms, keep on keeping on.  Proud of you all!!!  Keep sticking it to the man, and raise those kids in the way you know to be best.  They'll turn out great!