I am so glad to live in the area I do. I have yet to have a truly surprised reaction to homeschooling. In fact, I usually get one of three reactions: 1. Oh no way! I could never do that. or 2. I'm so jealous. I wish I could homeschool. or 3. Us too. I have had a couple of people who work for public schools kind of look down on me, but they didn't make comments. Another consultant in my cluster, however, works for the district and she went off on me once. I mean, if the district says that my son is 19 days too young to start K, who am I to think that he's ready. What do I know? I don't even have a BA in anything!
Amie, I met a lady down ther oad, and she asked what school the kids went to. She has a son aged in between my 2 oldest. When I told her I HS'ed she said the "Oh I'm so jealous. I wish *I* could HS." Come to find out, she's a PS SCHOOL TEACHER!!!!!!!! The reason she can't HS though- her hubby is in a wheelchair, and he's losing his ability to function well, so she has to work, as he won't be able to much longer. On top of that, she's taking care of not only 2 children but her home, job & him as well. She's such a sweet woman, and I feel for her.
OH IT HAPPENED TO ME TOO JEN!!!! Maybe that Librarian came to Louisiana and stood behind me in line at Walmart???? I swear almost the SAME THING was said to me!!! I was checking out one thing in the Jewlery Dept (all the other lines were full as usual...) and this really frazzeled older lady with 4 elem aged kids was wanting to check out a jug of juice was behind me and dd. Now let me set the scene.....Dd is waiting VERY patiently with myself to check out her "treat" , and I am wearing my hsing group's t shirt that reads in BIG letters at the top....HOLY FAMILY HOME EDUCATORS in BIG BLACK LETTERS......ok, here is how it went.... lady: "ohhhh this "chillren" are makin me crazy and I have to get up in the mornin and deal with more "chillren" dd and I: {nod and smile politely and continue to wait patiently} lady: "what school does she go to?" (motioning to dd) (it was the night before the schools in that parish were starting...) me: Oh, she doesn't...I homeschool her lady: WHAT? YOU DO WHAT??? me: I homeschool her... lady: where do yall do it at?? me: ummmm, at home... lady: well how many do you teach????? me: my daughter, but when we have more I will teach them also lady: what do you teach her?? me: everything....math, reading history, ect...... lady: how do you know what to teach her?? me: i order my books from Catholic and Christian homeschool suppliers... lady: How do you know if she is ok?? me::shock: lady: she gets tested right????? me::evil: lady: well, i wanted to know because I work in the schools and I wanted to make sure YOU WERE DOING IT RIGHT!!! YES YES YES this REALLY HAPPENED!!!!!! This woman said this as her "chillren" were running like animals and fighting as my dd was calmly waiting to be checked out..... Yeah lady, I really want my kid around you for 8 hours a day, yeah that would be better for her. You are a better choice to teach her than her mother..... I went to the car and told dh want happened and he said, "well, I guess it was a good thing I was out here..." Of course, I thought of a ton of really cool things I could have told her afterwards!! I had been wanting to post about it, but havent had the time so when i saw your post Jen......
Many people who say they'd love to, but can't, have legitimate reasons. Some say things like "We don't want to lose my income" (purely selfish reasoning, not out of necessity) or "I'm just not smart enough for that." And I think this thread has been hijacked...lol
Definitely agree with that! She has legit reasons, but what I just found awesome is, she as a teacher, would prefer to HS. I will never ever get the "I couldn't stand to be around my kids that much." WHY have them, if you don't want to be around them? That one just breaks my heart! And, yes, sorry bout the jack! LOL
Ok...to expand and continue the jack...I just have to add a comment..lol When I was doing day care a mom said to me "I would love to stay home with my kids but I think the novelty would wear off." Yep... Ya know...people are so brainwashed that the school system is how we educate children and that parents not properly trained are unable. So many depend on the schools to the point of wanting them to "parent" the kid. It is that brainwashing that makes some think that homeschoolers are in danger of "doing it wrong". Hey, I don't mind being accused of "doing it wrong" as long as my kids remain a year or more ahead of the standards the ps lives by and they are well behaved and God fearing. That's fine...in the world's eyes I am happy to be seen as "doing it wrong." lol.
I guess I have an advantage over some because I am certified by the state of NC in music and special education, and was a PS teacher for 8 years. I still have to deal with the "socialization" line though. Sunday, I was talking with a woman from church and it came up. donna: what about socialization? Not that they need to do everything the kids in the PS do, but to learn how to deal with different kinds of people. me: true. I'm teaching a music class for K and 1st graders once a week, he will play Upward Basketball, and football next fall, and other things. Donna: Oh, okay. THEN, she goes into this spiel about how one of her sons was bullied and harrassed in the public shcools for being Iraqi (it was soon after 9/11 and Greg has dark hair and eyes, but in no ways looks middle eastern). Then she said, "I guess sometimes even public schools don't help them deal with people who are different, do they?" I just chuckled and agreed. She then conceded that homeschooling was probably a good thing in today's world. Another story (just to keep up with the jack) In a department store the other day, I ran into my brother's and sister's 5th grade teacher. She is now retired, but taught for like a 150 years or so. She asked what I did now, because she knew that I was teaching at one point, and I told her and one of those things is providing standardized testing for homeschoolers (NC does require it). She said, "Those homeschoolers" with *that* look. We talked a bit more and she looked at my kids and asked, "Where do they go to school?" I grinned and said, "At home. We homeschool." "Oh," was all she could say. I'm still laughing about that one.
LOL!!! I love it. You know I get things said to me also, but never come up with good comebacks until I`m long gone down the road.
Ever notice that a parent can speak of the horrors of public school or of the failing educational system or of bullies and cliques to anyone that will listen....except a homeschooler...once a homeschooler is in the midst suddenly public school is the authority on education and the place for proper socialization. LOL.
I feel so blessed. Our local teachers, who all know we HS & know my Ditzy, have always been supportive ~ even to lending school resources!!! They even agree classrooms are not the best learning environments. Lots of people will ask me about HS but very few will actually go on to do anything about it.
Jennifer, I am so impressed with the classy and informative way you handled that! I am still a little insecure and fearful of those kind of confrontations. I should just print out this post and memorize it! LOL
Thanks! Heck, I thought for sure you guys would tell me to not be so emotional ! hahahaha! I think the lesson here is that EVERYTHING, on BOTH sides comes down to perception. I had a preconceived idea of what a librarian should know and I had a preconceived idea of what I would say if asked questions like that.
Well, who can blame them, really...? To me, contrasting the public school system is like eating chocolate. It is one of life's simple and rare pleasures for me. (Probably sinful too. Why else would it be so enjoyable? :angel: )
