Monday Q&A | Frugal Makeup and Homeschool Socialization
Every Monday, I answer a few of the questions that my readers send me. If you have a question you'd like me to answer in a future Q&A post, just leave me a comment here or email me (thefrugalgirl [at] gmail [dot] com) and put Q&A in the subject line. I look forward to hearing from you!
I had a question about frugal makeup. Any tips? My makeup use is very basic (at least I think so). I use foundation (Covergirl), mascara (Maybelline) and eyeliner (Physicians Formula). Do you have any tips for making it last, or purchasing?
Thanks!
Alyssa
I think it sounds like you're doing a pretty good job already of keeping it simple and frugal. All of the brands you're using are fairly inexpensive, and you're not using oodles of products.
I know you're not supposed to keep makeup for a really long time (especially eye makeup) because bacteria can grow in the makeup, so I wouldn't do anything special to stretch out the life of your makeup.
Aside from just not using makeup (an option I prefer to pass up!), another way to save is to look for sales on the brands you use and buy extras. Also, look for coupons for these brands...CoverGirl almost always has coupons in the Sunday paper, and if you like the Facebook page of the brands, you'll also be alerted to any special coupons.
I would love to homeschool my son, but when thinking about homeschooling, my main concern is socialization....especially in the high school years. I feel that its such an important time.....I had my first boyfriend, first kiss, etc.....I remember the homecoming dance, football games, etc. How did you socialize? Did you have a boyfriend? How did you meet your husband if you didn't attend a school? When you went to college, was it hard for you to adjust to sitting in a classroom? Meeting people?
-Andrea
That's a lot of questions, so I'll answer them one by one.
- I didn't have a boyfriend in my high school years, but that's not because I was homeschooled. I didn't want to pursue a romantic relationship until I was in a place in life where I could possibly get married, so homeschooled or not, I wouldn't have dated in high school.
- I met my husband at church when I was 18, and we got married when I was 19 (almost 15 years ago now!).
- I didn't have any trouble adjusting to college classes, though I was a little nervous at first. I maintained a 4.0 GPA while taking a fairly heavy load (15-18 credit hours/semester), and I made friends in all my classes.
I really don't feel like I missed out on anything during my high school years...they were a happy time in my life. I taught piano lessons, baked and cooked to my heart's content, babysat, worked out regularly, invested lots of time into practicing the piano, participated in a Bible study with other teenage girls, and sang in choir among other things. And I did get asked to go to prom with a guy, but I said no. 😉
Studies have shown that homeschool graduates do well at college, perform well at their jobs, and are involved in their communities, so I don't really think there's cause for concern.
I think sometimes people are under the impression that homeschoolers never leave their homes and never see other people. While that might be true for some families, especially those who live in remote areas, the vast majority of homeschoolers I know are involved with church and community groups and they definitely do leave their homes on a regular basis.
I hope that doesn't sound defensive, because I don't mean it that way. I just want to encourage you to believe that people can do just fine with a non-mainstream education.
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Today's 365 post: The rooftop pool
We don't homeschool but I do have a comment on socialization of homeschooled children. When I lived in NYC, I assumed they did not have contact with other children. Since moving to a small Pennsylvania town and attending a new church, I see that often you can't tell them from kids who go to school. With church activities, scouts, sports teams through the schools and town and other activities, not to mention homeschool groups homeschooled children are easily socialized if you take the time as a parent to ensure they are. I thought an outside view looking in might help. I hope it adds some insight
Hi Andrea - thanks for considering homeschooling! It has been a wonderful experience for our family of 5 kids. We are on the last one (23 years of homeschooling) and have schooled them all at home from kindergarten through high school. Our calendar will attest to the busy social life of our kids. Each has had an area of interest (sports, language, music, drama, outdoor adventures) and, as their parents, we've supported that interest by investing time in getting them to and from activities involving that interest. They have all found friends outside of homeschooling in these areas and been accepted into the groups. I will say that when we began, homeschooling was avant-garde and our oldest probably had the most difficult time feeling welcomed by those who were schooled differently. As a result, this experience has made our family more focused on the person than on their mode of schooling. Keep thinking and come spend some time around homeschoolers. Look on the Internet for local groups in your area and hang out with them over the summer. Ask them your questions and I'm sure they'll be happy to help!
thanks everyone for the responses! one more question - why did everyone decide to homeschool? religious reasons? bad schools? im asking because our schools are in the top 10 for the state....maybe even the top 5 and my husband cant understand why i would want to if the schools are that good
We are considering homeschooling and our public schools are some of the best in the country. We are finding that public schools, in general, are quite poor at addressing the needs of individual students (unless they qualify for special services), and can be very hard for students with certain personality traits. A student's success and happiness will vary from year to year based on the teacher and the peer group he is placed with. Public schools cater to the masses. As a parent, I most certainly do not consider either of my children "one of the masses".
Andrea, I was homeschooled from kindergarten till 10th grade. Looking back on my two years of public school eduction, I really wish I had finished high school as a homeschooler. We moved to Arizona before my 10th grade year, and my parents gave me the option to finish out my high school years at a public school. I had a decent time, but my academic learning basically ground to a halt.
My parents chose to homeschool me and my siblings for two main reasons: first, we lived in Los Angeles, and the LAUSD is one of the worst in the nation. Second, my family has a strong faith in Jesus Christ, so homeschooling allowed my parents to give us a great education with a Christian perspective and world view.
Honestly, it bothers me when, upon finding out that I was homeschooled, people bring up the whole socialization thing. We were involved in church youth groups, sports, and an assortment of other activities like any other kid. The vast majority of homeschooled kids are completely normal and function perfectly in a social setting with their peers. Just like you might find a few kids in a public school setting who are socially awkward and "different," you will find the same in the homeschooling realm. However, in a homeschooled setting, that awkward social behavior is blamed on the child's sheltered upbringing and lack of socialization, whereas the awkward public school kid is an outcast at his school because he is weird and different.
I think socialization is the least of your worries. That will happen naturally as your son becomes involved in sports and clubs. I think the biggest concern in homeschooling a child is finding a curriculum that suits your sons needs, and the organizational capacities to school him effectively. It definitely takes a lot of hard work and dedication. Do some research on homeschool groups in your area. We had a large group or homeschooled families that would get together a few times every week for support and mingling. We even took language an science classes through our group.
And just to give you an idea of how successful a homeschooled student can be, I graduated from college with honors and event went on to graduate school to receive my MA degree. I have a great career and a great family of my own.
The best part about being homeschooled for me was the time I was able to spend with my parents and siblings. I feel lik our relationships with each other are much stronger because if it. Give it a shot; you won't regret it.
Andrea - the question of 'Why homeschooling?' is a good one to ask and the answer will likely be different from every family. There are several commonalities - religious, poor schools, special needs, remote areas, the list could go on. But what KEEPS a family homeschooling may be very different. For us, in the beginning, it was predominately for religious & financial reasons. Those reasons remained (and indeed continue to this very day), but other reasons came into play: flexibility (Kristen's done several good posts on this), teaching to your child's mode of learning, the bonding among the siblings (the most cherished and unexpected gift!), pace of learning for your child, opportunities to explore areas of interest, service projects, to name a few.
When I explain homeschooling, I call it a lifestyle. Learning takes place all day every day whether we are cooking or sitting at the table discussing the periodic table. Integrating life & school has enriched our minds in ways I'd never have predicted. Dinner discussions are never boring! We have been able to guide our kids, play to their strengths, shore up their weaknesses, and learn alongside them the whole way. Could we have done better? Absolutely! Would we do it again? In a heartbeat! Will I miss it? Yes and no - for the goal is grown up young adults, capable, intelligent, and contributing citizens of their country, lovers of God and lovers of people.
I agree with those that say the motivation is different for each family, but one thing I think people over look is the fact that no matter how good the school is, how amazing the teacher is, (and there are really amazing teachers out there!), your child is not getting one-on-one attention. Your child is part of a large group and the teacher simply cannot give each child individual attention or adapt teaching styles to fit each child's needs. Children can learn much more efficiently with a lower teacher/student ratio. That is why so many homeschoolers graduate early. It drives me a bit batty that people give me a hard time about being "some sort of genius" just because I started college early. I'm not, by any means, I just had the opportunity to learn more efficiently than they did.
As a homeschooling family we are so blessed to have the time to pursue service projects with our homeschool cooperative. We are not only involved in feed the homeless at a shelter but we also visit retirement homes and nursing home facilities, play sports, attend functions at the local university, etc... The whole unsocialized homeschooler thing is such a myth- this is 2012, and with more opportunities to connect and serve the community thru various organizations, homeschooling families are more than ready to be active outside the home, with in reason of course;0). Homeschooling is much more accepted than it was 20+ years ago. There are so many more families both religious and secular who choose to teach their children in the home for various reasons and choose to participate in things that the whole family can enjoy out in the community.
We are choosy and only pick activities that are edifying and will build up others so we aren't running ourselves into the ground but I can promise those skeptical to homeschooling because of the socialization "issue" that this isn't your 1980's version of home education- we as a homeschooling community are very active:0)
I have homeschooled for 15 years, 2 graduates, one in 10th grade and one in 8th. It has been awhile since I have read homeschool books and my Dermatoligist asked a lot of questions last week. I am not sure why he is considering homeschooling but would like to give him a book to read that covers socialization, can't get into college and other concerns. Does anyone have any recommendations?
For the question on making make-up last -- from what I've heard, you should toss anything that goes up against your eyes (liners and mascaras) after about 6 months. I'm careful about that stuff.
Other stuff, like blush and shadow, if I buy powder, I just keep using it till it's gone. If the powder breaks, you can mix the broken bits with some rubbing alcohol, and press back together. When it dries it works almost as well as the rest of the little compact.
Liquid foundation can be stored in the fridge during warm months. You can pour a small amount (a week's worth) into a small dish and use that, storing the rest in the fridge. The oils are less likely to separate from the pigments over time, I've heard.
Probably the best tips, though, are don't share, ever, and always keep your fingers or brushes/sponges clean.
One other thing, when I was in college, my roommate and I had similar skin tones. One afternoon we decided to buy one vial of foundation and split it. She poured half of the bottle into a clean, used bottle. And I kept the new bottle. Next time, she got the new bottle and I poured half into my used one. We did this for not quite 3 years, mostly because neither one of us ever had enough spare cash to buy an entire new bottle ourselves.
It's very curious, in my mind, the concern people have over "socializing" their children. There is always a huge uproar over children who are home-schooled and their social skills. What I see (my children are in public schools) that I think is of greater concern is the amount of media that so many children are exposed to. Video games ... third graders with cell phones ... TV ... computer games ... and yet these activities don't carry nearly the stigma that homeschooling does. I think the mode of schooling is less important than the social skills taught in the home. If children are exposed to other kids on a regular basis and their media exposure is strictly monitored, I'm sure their social skills will progress just fine. 🙂
"Over socialized" is exactly the term I have used since my first entered school over 35 years ago and noticed that it seemed to worsen by the time our last graduated in 2000.
I'm not even entirely sure that the "socialization" you get in a traditional school is even appropriate.
As an adult, I can't think of a single time I was forced to socialize with 30+ people because we lived in the same geographical area and were born within a year or two of each other.
I teach at a community college. We have a variety of home-schooled students who attend during high school (as well as students from the local Christian school who get the majority of their credits from the college). They always seem "well-socialized" if the parents let them be. Just like our other (non-high school) students, their level of socialization varies. The one piece of advice I could give to homeschooling families (really--to all families) is to let your student take ownership of their education. Let them choose their classes and converse with the faculty and advisors. Yes--provide input into their decisons--but don't make your voice the primary voice during the conversation. I had two home-schooled students stop by for advising this summer on the same day. The first one was by herself, but had her mother on the phone to verify some information. She had a direction and we laid out a plan for her AA as she finished high school. It was wonderful. The second student was with his father. The poor kid couldn't get a word in because his father tried to make all the decisions. Whenever he expressed interest in a class, his father said another class would be more appropriate. I don't see that student succeeding to the best of his ability. The father was also hampering his son's social skills by not letting him interact with adults. I've had similar things happen with first-time in college traditional school students also--so I am not saying that it is a homeschooling problem. Some of my best students have been homeschooled--they tended to have parents who gave them some level of autonomy and worked hard to let their children have interactions with others instead of doing it for them. They excelled both in the classroom and in extracurriculars. So...if you worry about socialization, make sure to give your child social skills. Most of them will be just fine.
I find it curious the concern others have regarding children's socialization. Home is where we learn to relate to others; home is where the most important social skills are taught. The mode of schooling is less important; if children are taught to be kind, considerate, and good listeners, then home-schooling vs. public schools vs. private schools is a minor issue. Parents, in my opinion, should be far more concerned with the amount and quality of media their children are exposed to. We should regularly eat meals together as a family and gently work on dinner conversation skills as well as food etiquette. Involvement in church/community activities will encourage kids to be "other-centered" rather than self-centered. We should model the values we want our children to have. Yes, exposure to other children is important, but it is not the only predictor of "social success".
I have another tip for frugal makeup finds. Find the discount bins (or carts) in your grocery store! My store has two or three carts they keep by the dairy section, where they toss all the mark down items. You can find pasta, canned goods, and personal items. Two weeks ago I found Natureluxe foundation marked down from $14 to $2 each!!! I freaked and bought three, and they had $10 lipgloss marked down to between $1 and $2! I bought 4 of those, and spent $12 total! All Covergirl brand, and all in great colors. The foundation alone will last me the next year. Definitely the way to do it. Oh, and watch the end caps of Target too. I've found Burts Bees body butter tubs for $3.50, and $30 face cream for $6.
What about children who do wish to date as they enter into their high-school years?
Well, I'd say they're quite free to do that...like I mentioned, homeschoolers do venture out of their homes and do meet other people. So, it's not impossible to meet someone you want to date. 🙂
I was homeschooled K-12 and I dated plenty in my teen years. 12 boyfriends before finally meeting my hubby, (at 17), lucky number 13 😉 Homeschooling doesn't mean locking your kids in the basement!
For what it's worth, my very first boyfriend ever, I met in church. He went to a different school altogether, and only through church youth group did I even meet him. Homeschoolers frequently meet boyfriends/girlfriends through church.
My children were all homeschooled through the 8th grade (no dating there!) My grown son has made all his significant friends through our church young adult group.
My two daughters are 17 now. We've had many discussions on choosing friends and dates wisely. Neither one of them dates. Their father and I believe that neither is ready for the emotional responsibility of dating at this point. But I can see that we're getting quite close to that time.
They do go out socially, though, with both boys and girls their age. Activities through church and their small high school. They've gone to the prom every year in high school, just gone stag. Many kids are doing that these days.
There are many opportunities for social groups for homeschoolers in high school, including 4-H, church youth groups, homeschool organizations, library book clubs for teens, sports clubs, to name a few.
The whole socialization thing of public schooling is overblown. There are just as many quiet, introspective types who have gone all the way through public school, as those who homeschool. It's what the parents do to help their kids find social activities that fit each child, that seems to make the difference, whether they homeschool or traditional school.
We homeschool. I have a 6 year old and an almost 3 year old. Admittedly we are at the beginning of our journey. I've gotten some great advice and seen some positive experiences.
I have a cousin who home schooled her children and her children are now homeschooling their children. She laughed when I asked her about socialization-because even when she was doing it long before the internet-she found plenty of ways for her kids to socialize. Her kids are amazing adults doing amazing things in the world.
The best piece of homeschooling advice I've gotten lately-from a veteran homeschooling mom is this: while you can consider the future and that's all well and good-you can't KNOW the future. So worry about this year and next. You never know what life will bring you and your family. If you worry too much about the what if's way down the road you are going to what if yourself right out of all kinds of great things!
As for makeup-I ditto the eye makeup thing. Not worth the risk! Personally I prefer organic make up but either way-not keeping eye makeup past it's useable life is the smartest way to go.
We homeschool. I have a 6 year old and an almost 3 year old. Admittedly we are at the beginning of our journey. I've gotten some great advice and seen some positive experiences.
I have a cousin who home schooled her children and her children are now homeschooling their children. She laughed when I asked her about socialization-because even when she was doing it long before the internet-she found plenty of ways for her kids to socialize. Her kids are amazing adults doing amazing things in the world.
The best piece of homeschooling advice I've gotten lately-from a veteran homeschooling mom is this: while you can consider the future and that's all well and good-you can't KNOW the future. So worry about this year and next. You never know what life will bring you and your family. If you worry too much about the what if's way down the road you are going to what if yourself right out of all kinds of great things!
As for makeup-I ditto the eye makeup thing. Not worth the risk! Personally I prefer organic make up but either way-not keeping eye makeup past it's useable life is the smartest way to go.
We too homeschooled and lived remotely. We did some homeschool groups for a while and I did take my kids with me when I hit church rummage sales, did the grocery shopping, chuch etc. Daughter is out of the house now and she is a writer, has gotten married and joined the National Guard. I raised them to think for themselves and she is adapting real well. Son is finally considering driving, working on his on home business as well. So kids do thrive in a homeschool environment. It is a fallacy that they do not get socialized. Your attitudes are a big influence so if you are open to others they kids more likely will be too. Good luck it is very worth it.
as an add in, I homeschooled my kids since I know them better than those "trained" strangers. Also I could control for longer how young they were in this too fast world. Also believing in God told me to train up my children. So you see it is a multi faceted reason for me to homeschool.Also they study for the proficiency tests more than learn useful things, forgot to add that we concentreated on basics and real life skills that school don't touch.
We home schooled our children through their age ranges of 3-14. In the later years we enrolled them in two classes each in the YMCA; they chose their own . Plus they both took swimming classes. They had friends outside the family and none of the children seemed interested in home versus state schooling--not a topic they discussed apparently. Bot our son and daughter transferred to the state schools with no problems at all.
From someone who was not homeschooled, I have to say that I really didn't have the best time in high school and in retrospect would have been happy to have skipped out on it. I'm certain I'm not the only person who feels that way. The sort of 'socialization' that one often gets in high schools is likely not the kind that reflects the values you want to instill in your kids and is not likely to promote self confidence. And I'm saying this as someone who is not at all religious and has always been an academic high-achiever. College though, is another story, I loved my time there!
Mr. FG is right there with you! His high school experience wasn't great, so he hasn't had any concerns about our kids "missing out" on it.
Kristen, I am so happy to have started reading your blog long before I plan to have kids- homeschooling (or even staying home) was never something I expected or considered as a kid. I still don't know what I'll choose when the time comes, but I love learning about homeschooling and seeing the projects you share on your blog. I've been reading your blog for years and always enjoy your cheerful attitude, so I nominated you for a Very Inspiring Blogger Award. Congrats on a well deserved award! http://humblefoodie.com/2012/07/23/very-inspiring-blogger-award/
I was homeschooled from 7th grade through high school, really had no adjustment issues in college (lots of friends) and went on to receive a full scholarship to get my Master's degree. I feel that socialization wasn't really that much of an issue because my parents and our home school group encouraged interaction. We were involved in ministry to nursing homes, organized group activities, etc. In college, I felt I related better to people in general than some of the high school graduates I met, perhaps because they seemed to be accustomed to interacting only with people their own age. I felt more prepared to enter the job market and society in general because I was used to dealing with all kinds of people and could interact with them comfortably. I feel quite strongly that homeschoolers who are given the opportunity to be involved in their communities are actually better prepared to deal with life. I grew up in the country on a farm, and homeschooling wasn't as prevalent then as it is now, but my mother made an effort to get us involved.
I think it's great that homeschooling families get to control so much of their kids' worlds and what influences they are allowed to come into contact with, directly and indirectly.
How do you guys handle your kids' online access and access to other types of media? I have chosen to turn the TV and internet off, except when I am on for a specific purpose. I worry about dating someone who has kids, and who gives them a lot of loosely supervised media and online time. How do you handle that side of education, or teach your kids discretion there?
How about kids and Facebook, chats, and the like?
My kids are 6 & 8 so Facebook, etc., isn't an issue yet. I stick with the guideline of 2 hours or less/day of screen time (usually less, many days none at all!). PBS kids is the main TV programming they watch. We allow some internet time on fun, educational sites. We don't have video games. We try to model responsible media behavior to our kids. Those are the "nuts and bolts" of what we do--I guess my overall philosophy is that media is a tool. Tools can be wonderfully helpful or they can cause much damage. Each child and family are different and media usage will look different in every case, but I believe we need to teach our children moral and responsible use of media sources. The internet is a part of our world and our kids need (under our guidance) to learn to navigate it successfully. My question for my kids is, are you participating in something that builds you and others up or tears yourself or others down? How much time are you spending with your media? Are you doing non-media activities (reading, playing, sports, etc.) in a healthy proportion?
Hope that is helpful (and makes sense!).
It does--lots of good ideas 🙂 Thank you.
We have just started homeschooling our kids after withdrawing them from school. It has quite honestly been the best thing for our family and has slowed down our pace of life and subsequent enjoyment of our children dramatically! We are planning to homeschool for a few years and see how we go. I doubt we will homeschool for highschool and that's a personal preference because of how much my husband and I loved highschool. I was involved in music, bands, choirs, debating, sports, clubs etc...I was very independent so enjoyed having the freedom to do my own thing. I hope that by the time my kids hit highschool age they have developed such a strong sense of who they are and confidence that it will avoid some of the typical issues present in schools these days. I think the socialization question isn't really an issue unless you live VERY remote, the children are only children and don't see other people regularly...but even then...
I really like E.L.F for inexpensive cosmetics. I'm not really a fan of their brushes or their mascara, but I really like the rest of their line. Their products start at $1 and they have a really solid quality for that price point.
I don't believe the socialization kids get on public school to be a positive thing. I home school my two boys (11 & 12) from the beginning and no one would never guess they were homeschooled because they get along with other kids so well. They probably encounter a wider range of people than most other kids their age. They are not shy to talk to adults and they don't mind playing with kids younger than they are.
As for why I decided to homeschool, the decision was based purely on academic reasons since I live in a horrible school district. But I continue to homeschool because of the many other benefits of homeschooling.
For the homeschooling question -- I got nothing. As for the makeup question...
1) One obvious way to stretch your cosmetics is to find ones that you don't need to reapply constantly. You can also purchase an eyelid or a face primer. ELF makes a decent one for eyes that is $3. My eyeshadow would stay on for about 6 hours or so. If you want to go a little pricier, NYX's HD eyeshadow base (you can find this at Ulta!) is practically perfect. I haven't had any issues with it yet. I think it's about $6.95 a tube and it goes a looong way.
There are more expensive options, but I've been trying to find something that is less than $20, and those are my picks.
2) If you can find a decent powder foundation, you won't necessarily need two products!
3) It's usually, IMO, not worth it to purchase any mascara that costs over $10. Maybelline does have an awesome selection (as does Rimmel).
4) Check out your CVS occasionally for those 75% off items -- ESPECIALLY keeping an eye on the Physician's Formula. The cheapest prices I've seen for that brand are at CVS.
Make sure the products aren't separated. I would personally steer away from purchasing any of the liquid products, but there are powder blushes, eyeshadows, et cetera that you can still buy and use with no problems. I second the grocery store clearance aisle! I have found Burt's Bees products for under $2, Neutrogena face wash, Cover Girl lipglosses, etc. It can be a gold mine.
5) Ulta occasionally offers coupons. If you get the e-mails from the website, you can find out when they have their sales. They sell drugstore makeup as well as higher end items. Look out for the "Buy one get one" deals for your staple products. There's quite a few sale offerings every week.
6) I can't stress Makeupalley enough. When you're trying to keep your makeup purchases to a minimum, read all of the reviews there before making a purchase.
Our local homeschool co-ops have social groups for tweens and teens. They have game nights, movie nights, pool parties, park days etc. The teens have prom every year. We are not anywhere ready for dating, my son is only 9, but we still " socialize" with "public school kids" also. We attend community events, local high school football games. You have kids, whether they are homeschooled or public schooled, you would normally be taking them to activities where kids are, there is your socializing.
Hi Kristen!
I have recently started reading your blog and absolutely love it! I am in awe of your "frugalness". I have a question that I am hoping hasn't been answered before. I am trying to move to using mostly glass storage containers for leftovers, lunches, etc. I use A LOT of containers (because I hate to waste ANYthing). My problem is how do you store them? Mine tend to get stuck together if I stack the same size ones up. Right now, I place a plastic bowl between them, but eventually I would like to phase most (if not all) of the plastic ones out. Suggestions?
Thanks for inspiring me to be more frugal!
Lee Ann
I haven't tried this yet, but I saw a tip on Pinterest about adding a few drops of contact solution to mascara tubes when they start to dry up!
Andrea - I think your points about fun experiences in high school is a good one. However, keep in mind that possibly losing some of those experience could make space to replace them with other positive experiences.
I would also like to say that looking back a lot of the "social skills" kids learn in school aren't actually very useful lessons. Do you remember high school? If I behaved that way in normal life I don't think I'd do very well. 🙁 I think that being in an age segregated environment "normalizes" a lot of really stupid behaviour.
Of course, conventional schooling can be a great option too. But I think that both options can be good ones, it's just a matter of tradeoffs.
(I went to conventional school and had a very positive experience, for reference.)