Here are 10 of the comments that I have heard after people learn we homeschool our children. I hope some of them make you giggle as much as they did me. I just needed a bit of humor tonight, lol!
1. “I’m sorry, if I would have known I wouldn’t have asked.” ~~ Guess this one thought our kids didn’t know they were homeschooled.
2. “But you went to college to work in a school. Why waste your education?” ~~ Well guess what? I’m thinking about going back to graduate school for another degree. Guess I will just have to waste another degree.
3. “Why? What did your kids do?” ~~ You know all those homeschool gangs running the streets during the school day, lol!
4. “It must be rough knowing your kids can’t make it in real school.” ~~ See response to number 3
5. “Well my Johnny Sue is so social. They have to go to real school.” ~~ I hear this one all the time from members of Heathen Dad’s family, ugh!
6. “When are you going to force your children into the real world.” ~~ Another comment from a family member, lol!
7. “When will they be ready to go to school.” ~~ That’s right, the only reason to homeschool is if your child is behind academically. I forgot about that, lol!
8. “But what about socialization?” ~~ Every homeschoolers favorite question
9. “Will they go to real school by junior high?” ~~ Because we all know that “real school” begins in junior high.
10. “But how do you have time to go out with your friends during the day?” ~~ In our area there is a large number of stay at home moms who have regular coffee dates, shopping trips, etc. They hire sitters for the children who aren’t school age. After all, who wants to stay with their children?
Perhaps I shouldn’t say it, but I often hear, “I don’t have the patience to homeschool.” Um, I don’t either. What exactly does that mean?
LOL! You are so brave to homeschool! I would LOVE too, but I am afraid I wouldn’t know enough (I DO have a degree in El Ed) but when I sub over 3rd grade – just started 2 weeks ago – I feel a bit “outsmarted”,lol! BTW – do you live in my town – the “mommy coffe dates”??LOL!!
YAY!! I love this post. I am considering homeschooling my son (8th grade) starting in Sept. The middle school is horrendous in my district and the high school not much better. I’m getting my ducks in a row and I’m ready….and even MORE ready now that I read your post. GREAT responses.
Oh Renae I hear that one too! The list gets longer and longer, lol!
Don’t be outsmarted by a third grader. They just think they know everything, lol!
When I taught in a public school, I was in an elementary school. My counseling experience was across many more grade levels.
Hmmmm, wonder if we are in the same area. I’m in the midwest.
I have had a few moms contact me (I’m on the board of a local homeschool group) because they are starting to homeschool next year. Good for you for taking the time to make sure you feel ready to jump in!
Fortunately, I don’t get many negative comments about my decision to homeschool my children. But all the non-homeschoolers usually say, “I could never do what you do.” or “I don’t know how you do it.”
Hilarious. The only comment I’ve ever made was that I couldn’t afford to homeschool – and I suppose any homeschooling parent would have been justified in pointing out that they made financial sacrifices in order to stay home and educate their kids. Interestingly, when my 9th grader was having problems in school at the start of this year, the school was actually very supportive of my suggestion that I’d homeschool him if they couldn’t come up with an alternative placement that fit him well. Now he’s part-time home and part-time in a center based school program – and done three years worth of work in six months.
Your children are pretty lucky to have you as a Mom. I know many Moms who would want to homeschool their children but they’re too afraid to even try.
Goodluck on you journey and may you inspire others
I think my favorite is the socialization one. Why do people assume they are locked away in a closet, picking their noses. Only to grow up to be weird, psychopaths. Public school can be just as damaging to a child’s psyche as a child who is unsocialized. We chose to homeschool because I absolutely enjoy teaching my children. That is what I tell people, or mind your own business if they really get on my nerves.
Mostly I get the “I don’t have enough patience”, or “It wouldn’t be good for my kids”. Guess what? Only parents who believe they can homeschool actually are able to to do it. They find a way!
It surprises me that you get so much negativity about homeschooling. I guess I never realized how “controversial” it is. I think I have the patience for it, but as Renae said I just don’t think I would know enough (hate that I’m now on “the list). Frankly I admire moms (and dads) who homeschool and make it work.
I think some people have an even harder time understanding why you homeschool if you do so from a secular point of view.
That is a good list, made me laugh. I guess their is a stigma around home schooling that is hard to shake. But then again who cares what other people think or say!
Hey
I saw your link on Problogger. I have to say, I was expecting detailed accounts of devil worship rituals and such – given the name of your site.
Nice work nonetheless.
In any event, you might like this post about parenting that I published recently… it doesn’t have anything to do with homeschooling but it’s good for a grin at any rate.
Thanks, I think, lol!
You are not the first one to assume things based upon the name of my site. Once people start reading, they realize I am pretty normal.
You should post more about your encounters w/ these clowns who think they know all about why homeschooling is bad, and how you deal with them. I’ll subscribe to your feed and I’ll look forward to your updates.
In rereading my initial comment, it looks like I forgot to link the post I was referring to… here it is:
http://unpaidentertainer.com/?p=173
Sorry about that.
I love it!
I really like the people that think I am hiding the ‘real world’ from my daughter. Ummm, we live in Las Vegas, we see all kinds of things. Hey, we even talk about the things we see. We get to talk allot since we spend time together.
My daughter is social, Not with the kids in the neighborhood but, with people all over the world that we have met online.
I also have so many people that want to ‘quiz’ her about things they think she should be learning in school. She is a bit of a sarcastic smart mouth and normally just baffles them with her use of the English language. LOL!
Keep up the good fight – Heathen Homeschoolers will overcome!
Well didn’t you know that all homeschooled children are locked away in the closet during the school day? LOL Just joking of course.
It is amazing that so many people assume that all homeschooled children are sheltered from the world. I think my children are more involved in the world compared to others their ages.
Oh don’t get me started on the quizzers. I was happy when my son started being sarcastic to the ones in his life.
Glad you like the site. Come back often!
I tend to write about the silly people when I need a laugh for the day.
I have many ideas of things to write about and improve here at Heathen Homeschoolers. I hope you continue to read my blog and enjoy it.
Thanks for the link.
My favorite is #6. As if public school is anything like the “real world”. In public school, you’re ranked and promoted by age. In the real world, you’re ranked and promoted by effort. In public school, you spend more time on drills and less time on practical problems, in the real world it’s the exact opposite. In public school, kids can get away with stuff that would get an adult sued. I could go on and on…
Thanks for visiting my blog! I hope you return again.
When I worked in schools, I always told my students “Wait until you are in the real world”. I think most educators would agree that school situations are not like the real world. I have never understood why some homeschool opponents use that as an argument.
You mean I can’t lock my child in a cupboard all day if I decide to homeschool?
You are so lucky to have secular homeschooling groups around in your area. I am just starting to look around and consider homeschooling (in South Africa) and it doesn’t look so promising so far.
Locking them up all day is frowned upon, lol! If you can’t find a group local to your family, rest assured that you will always have online support.