Happy weekend coffee share! Let’s have a light brunch at Huckleberry in Santa Monica. I’ve been hearing great things about this place for years. I even borrowed their cookbook from the library to try out some recipes even though I’ve never been at the time. The jam-filled brioche loaf on the cover page caught my eye and that’s why I borrowed it. I was ambitious to venture into brioche-making. When I was about to return the library book, my miniature Schnauzer, Teddy, ruined the cover. Maybe he thought eating the cover page was a delicious idea. The library did not want want the book back in that condition (obviously). I had to pay for a replacement and got to keep the wrecked version.
To be honest, the damage is not as bad you think. Thank god for hardcover. Plus the pages are in great condition.
I guess I never bothered going because there are many other great brunches between there and where I lived. This morning I decided to finally go because it’s hot where I live. I wanted to escape the heat of the Valley for a little bit and hang out at Santa Monica. I am happy to say I am glad I made the small trek. This quiche gruyere and mushroom quiche is amazing! I also had their fruit crisp. This place definitely lives up to the hype. I’ll definitely go back to re-read this cookbook and replicate these dishes.
Anyways, if we were having coffee, I want to share a thing that bothered me. Background: my daughter’s daycare is at my work in the hospital so I get to see her during my lunch breaks. The other day, I decided to have lunch at the daycare to watch Lana do waterplay because it was first time doing waterplay. I like to see her have fun and engage with the other kids. I asked the daycare supervisor if I could eat lunch at the daycare and he said it was ok but as long as I’m not eating chips or other junk food in front of the other kids. He was explaining the importance of modeling good eating habits for the kids at the daycare. Also, he did not want to have some kid say “hey I don’t want to eat this watermelon, I want to chips because she’s eating chips!” I understood where he was coming from and I am not against this policy. Funny thing was that I had a bag of chip with me. All I had to do was walk a few feet to the staff cafeteria and eat them away from the kid’s sight. No big deal.
But that is not the part that frustrated me. After work, I met up with my husband for dinner and his friend tagged along. I shared with my husband about their lunch policy because we don’t want Lana become a picky eater as she gets older. But his friend exploded saying “Oh my gosh…ugh…they’re social engineering your kid. This is why you should not put your kids through public school, blah blah blah. This is why homeschool is far superior blah blah” Side note: this friend does not have any kids. And if you think public health and teaching kids and anybody about healthy eating (and washing your hands, brushing your teeth, etc.) is social engineering, then sure… Then hope you have one or all the things as a result of not doing any of these healthy habits. Also daycare is not the same as public school because I pay for daycare. It’s completely ridiculous. As much as I am ok with hearing other perspectives, I prefer to keep them at arm’s length. I commend my husband for taking these comments with a tiny grain of salt, while I am a little bit more sensitive.
Eat, Play, Live 
Ugh, unsolicited advice is always irritating, especially when there is no experience to back it up.
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There’s a lot fear mongering articles. Unfortunately there are a lot of people who take this stance. He did even get into critical race theory too shortly afterwards. Honesty I think dealing with sanctimonious people is the hardest part of parenting.
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The brunch looks delicious. Sorry to hear your dinner fun turned frustrating. Sounds like someone needs to learn the art of conversations. Thank you for linking with #weekendcoffeeshare.
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Thank you Natalie.
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Hi Julie.
Well – wow! I was on your side through your whole essay and laughed out loud when you mentioned this gal doesn’t even have kids herself.
We home schooled 3 wonderful kids and make jokes about how we used the threat of public school as a threat to keep them in line. They knew plenty of public schoolers and while they appreciated the friendships, our kids wanted no part in the attitudes they sensed between their home schooled and public schooled friends. This was an unexpected dynamic in our grand plan.
The thing is, that your friend was also right, at least about our schools where we live. There is a lot of social engineering going on and worse, outright experimentation of how to teach things that we see as detrimental.
But, for someone to go off on you about this – is frankly unwise and I doubt she left you any more likely to try home schooling.
It never will be for everyone. You have a job yourself. It’s part of your life and likely you would want to do it even if you didn’t need the money (which for all I know, you don’t). Of necessity, home schooling requires one parent to stay home with the kids and do it.
I’m sorry this woman left such a bad taste in your mind about this topic. She likely meant well and may have a story behind her passion against public education.
But wow. Talk about an unwise way to deliver a message. A rational, calm discussion might have been interesting and useful, but not a rant.
Please don’t hold all home schoolers to her example.
Blessings.
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Lol actually this friend was a man and he was being outrageous. Honestly, I feel nuance is dead. Her daycare is in the hospital I work at. Of course they are going to promote healthy habits. Each semester we have student nurses volunteer at the daycare as part of their public health hours. I mean daycares are a cesspool and have the potential to spread illnesses and lice. From a public health point of view, we need to be vigilant in promoting simple healthy behaviors like washing your hands and covering your mouth when you cough. After 6pm when I am out of work mode and into the wild, the cacophony of outrage reminds me there are other points of views.
Anyways, I knew many kids who were homeschooled through my community orchestra. They were incredibly talented musicians. They played as though they had decades of experience though they haven’t practiced that long. The perks of homeschooling is that they get to pursue the passion allowing them to be part of multiple community orchestras. I kind of envied that but I knew from the parents’ side it was A LOT of driving. I’ve entertained the idea, but if I were to have more kids it may be difficult to teach between different grade levels. I am blessed that there are lots of public schools in my area and certain schools have different concentrations — even elementary schools. Like there’s a magnet on STEM, performing arts, etc. I’m not married to my neighborhood scnool if she’s not interested in STEM.
I also see the dangerous side of homeschooling too. I know a few families who decide to homeschool their kids to promote QAnon and other conspiracy theories.
I have to say for this person he came from a position of privilege and perhaps personal trauma to come up with this stance. I work in a public hospital in a blue collar community. A lot of the high school students who volunteer have parents who do not have the time and resources to do homeschool their kids. For personal trauma, maybe he hasn’t healed from his time in school.
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Having a parent who cares and pays attention is our first line in keeping school as a school, but your QAnon example is blood chilling. On the flip side, those parents would likely screw up their kids if they left them in public school too.
Yikes!
But if you’re ever in the mood for a short and fun story from our home schooling days – give this one a try:
https://garyawilsonstories.wordpress.com/home-schooling-moms-and-dads/
Thanks Julie.
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I was lured in by the quiche, but read everything. I am sorry that what could have been a relaxing dinner was anything but relaxing. I like Natalie’s point about the art of conversation. Blessings for the week, Michele
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Thank you for stopping by. But yes, it was a pretty awkward conversation. But rather being angry, I will position his stance coming from a position of priviledge`and perhaps a traumatic experience in public school (if he went to public school).
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Those dishes look yummy!! So sorry for your frustrating experience
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