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hullojess.bsky.social
šŸŽ¤ children’s rights, culture, creativity šŸ’¼ comms director, Coalition for Responsible Home Education (https://bsky.app/profile/responsiblehs.bsky.social) šŸ’­ views are mine.
128 posts 1,673 followers 515 following
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Thank you for taking part!
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Thank you for joining!!
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🧔
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And thank you for being here!
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More to come! Keep your eyes peeled for a Pride Month chat in June šŸ‘€
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A5: One thing that helps my mental health is volunteering. It’s easy to spiral into hopelessness when I think about how bad things are, but taking action, even in small ways, reminds me that I’m not powerless. Contributing gives me purpose and helps me feel connected. #HomeschoolChat
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Yes to all of this. A lot of these parents want to keep their child dependent on them forever.
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getting a glimpse at a possible future that is hopeful and reassuring can be a lifeline for a child struggling and feeling alone in their own struggles. I guess I'm asking adults to talk openly about mental health issues in ways that are reassuring & model good self-care/boundaries. #HomeschoolChat
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A4: I think it's really important for kids to see functioning, well adults who live with their same mental health challenges and are able to have full, big lives. Learning my aunt has been on the same antidepressant that saved my life for 30 years was WILD.
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Spend time with them. Encourage their parents to put them in activities and ask the kids about their friends and what they are learning in school. #HomeschoolChat
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Same here!! The career women in my life when I was a kid ensured I didn't only hear one narrow-minded perspective of what a woman should be. #HomeschoolChat
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we're in great company 😭
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Showing up is major. I have never, ever forgotten the people who did that for me. #HomeschoolChat
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It's not your fault; you were just a kid. You deserved more support from the adults around you. #HomeschoolChat
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A2: Mental health was a heart problem. Poor mental health meant you weren’t right with God. We didn’t believe in ā€œmental healthā€ as a medical issue — therapists and psychiatrists were treated with suspicion. ā€œBiblical counselorsā€ (usually a pastor) were suggested instead. #HomeschoolChat
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If you're a homeschooled kid and your parents are incapable of teaching you or just don't feel like it, there's nobody coming to help you. You're on your own. #HomeschoolChat
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A3: What would’ve helped the most was access to a non-religious therapist, someone I could talk to safely and honestly, AWAY from my parents. Someone who had my best interests at heart and could’ve helped me see a way out of that environment. #HomeschoolChat
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That is horrific. I'm so sorry that happened to you.
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A1: Being homeschooled, in an intense and isolating religious environment, meant that I had very little to use as points of comparison for how people should behave or treat each other.
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A1, cont'd: I had severe depression, but no idea what the signs were, and tried to combat it with Christian devotion and prayer. Homeschooling was a factor because I was lacking socialization and proper education, and was instead kept busy helping with over a dozen younger siblings. #HomeschoolChat