Last night I had a friend ask me why I chose to home school. I still don't know how to answer that silly question. My kids weren't thriving and it just wasn't working out for us. Fundamentally, I think it is wrong to make a spectacle of a child. So, saying that, How do I answer that silly question??
"Why PS?" "Why not?" "Because its better for MY kids" "Because I want to." "Because they want to." "Because we want to." "Because Teachers are stupid" "Because schools are beauracratic" "Because my kids like to sleep late" "Because we dont brush our teeth before 10am" "Because God told me to" "Because Teaching is in my heart, but I hate kids." "Because I dont want them influenced by the bad kids in PS." "Because I dont want them influencing other kids" "Because my husband and I made this decision for our family" "Because I can gurantee that my kids will get the best education available" Anyway, people always ask that stupid question. Its the equivalent of asking..."Why cook from scratch, or sew your own clothes, or why build a house?" Some people dont understand that some people prefer an individualized fit, something made and molded to them, for them with them in mind.
Because I believe that it is better for my child. If they ask for more you could share that the one on one education your child will be receiving will alow you to focus on his needs. For us when we are asked that I say because we believe it to be better than the ps and that we feel this is where God wants us to be right now.
I think people just have an innate curiosity! Like anything that is outside of the typical, people just "want to know". I think most people just wonder how and why you choose this option. I think the "It works for us" answer is great... it demonstrates that you consider homeschooling 'normal' even if it is a-typical. THats a good attitude to convey. Atleast for me, things get hairy in my dealings with other's questions on our family's choice to homeschool when their questions and interest starts crossing the line from 'curiosity' to 'judgement'. And, most of the time I find that its based on a WHOLE lot of assumptions.... like I must be letting a set of experiences or beliefs WRONGLY influence my choices to the detriment of my children ... and then they start questioning me in this seemingly (They think) innocent way under the guise of curiosity. Really, though, they have this 'agenda'. SO, curiosity in people I will entertain -- I think its great to be a softspoken advocate for the things I believe in, not just homeschooling but in other life choices -- and you never know when telling someone about it will help someone in ways I couldn't realize. But,when I recognize a hidden agenda with someone I just shut down the conversation in as polite a way as possible. I am not going to let someone else either A. Make themselves feel better about THEIR choices at our expense. or B. Allow someone else to think for a minute that their beliefs and opinions should be ours by default. That said, my advice is to decide what YOU are comfortable with! Maybe you are concerned because you don't really KNOW why you homeschool... and you'd like to figure it out. If so, give some private thought to the matter -- but do it for YOUR benefit... not someone else's. On the otherhand, maybe you don't know and don't mind not knowing. No problem there. And maybe your concerned because you'd just like some easy way to respond to the inevitable curiosity of strangers... in that case, as I mentioned above, my advice is to figure out a way to respond to the polite curiosities and also a way to shut down the "my way or the highway" agressors! HTH =)
Because we feel this is what God wants for OUR family. Sure, there's lots of other reasons, including my husband being a ps teacher and knows the ins and outs of what's going on there. He has actually taught in the past at the high school my children would be assigned to, and there's NO WAY that would happen. But we don't get into ANY of that. Plain and simple, we tell them this is God's directing for OUR family, and that ends the conversation. I might add that I say "OUR family", because I don't want people to think I'm looking down on them or feel they're "not really Christian" or any such thing. This is right for US; if it's not right for YOU, that's fine!
I just think comments like the ones I answered to are the answer to why people hs. I mean to generalize people like that is not right. We as hslers don't like to be grouped a certain way. Why do it to the ps. Not all ps's are bad, have horrible teachers and such. There is no reasons to make others feel bad for the reasons they do not hs. To the original poster I believe you answered your question in your comment because your kids were not thriving and it was not working for your family.
I feel it's best to just make a simple statement as to why YOU do it, not worry about what others say or do. "It is what fits our family." works just fine, as does "Because we can." or "Because we like the freedom." or a million other reasons that fit your own reasons in a simple enough way.
I HS because I believe it is better for my children. My son was in 6th grade last year, his first at Middle School and he was bullied beyond belief. He constantly "played" sick so he could stay home and at first I couldn't understand why since he is an A+ student and does very well in school. Then he came home one day with a huge bruise on his face and said a basketball in gym was thrown at him "accidentally". Okay, maybe it was an accident by this kid, Eli. I informed the school, just in case and let it go. A couple weeks later, my son came home with another bruise on his arm and said he was pushed against his locker "accidentally". I said, "really? who did it this time?" Oh wow, Eli again? I called the school. They said it most likely was an accident and that kids sometimes get hurt at school, blah, blah, blah. Now, I could have lived with this even though I was getting very upset with the school and this kid, Eli. My son hated school, didn't want to go back and was actually relieved when he came down with the Swine Flu and couldn't go to school for a week and a half. Now it is May 22nd of this year. I get a call from my son on his cell phone (which is a HUGE NO when he is in school). Tells me his wrist hursts and can I come pick him up...he is crying hysterically. I said, "Yes, I will be right there, but go to the office". I get to school, sign him out and ask what is wrong...He says he is pushed down in gym class (by this Eli kid 2 hours ago!!!) and his wrist hurts. Okay, I am taking him to the ped cause he can't move his arm and he is still crying. My husband is beyond pissed and calls the school. It is the same thing, school doesn't want to hear about it. My son ended up with a fractured wrist and sat in school for 2 hours before he called me to come get him. He said he had told the Gym teacher that he hurt himself and the teacher said to "Shake it off". WTF? I know my case is an isolated incident and this type of stuff might not happen everyday but when my son is scared to go to school, there is something wrong. I felt horrible about his wrist and just couldn't bare to send my kids back to PS. My daughter couldn't even spell the word "then"...seriously and she was in 4th grade!!! Anyway, that is why I Homeschool now.
I think that question will have many answers and is personal to each family. For us: we travel a lot as we have 2 houses 8h away from each other....so for now this is what we will do. When he is older will we continue? I don't know....we will see if he/we thrives, has fun etc.
I think your answer is in your question... its better for your kids. I am one who agrees that its not best for every child, some parents just do not have the drive for it, and some are just plain chicken, I think some parents can do more than they do with the kids and because they make a bad name for home schoolers I think some kids need private schools or really good small town schools! My personal choice is because of two reasons; God directed us to homeschool because our local school wanted to teach our kids "to do what they want" in kindergarden! That was the start of my wanting to school at least for a year, then each year the Lord has guided our steps to continue, or not with each child. My ds 19 sees his areas that I could have helped him in had he not gone out for high schhool and also shut me out, but he had to grow through that. SO over all its best or the kids!
Oh my goodness Gizzy, You had me cracking up! LOL Beaniejumper, Well, that is the main reason for us to home school as well. Not only did my son get picked on by peers but the administration as well. They just wrote him off didn't follow his IEP and if he made any disruption at all they just sent him to the principle who just suspended him. Worked Great :evil: I guess that is why I get caught so off guard when someone is wondering why. I only had one person be brazen about it. I guess I confuse people a lot because I work at the school. All the suggestions are fantastic. What I need to hear. Because when people do ask I get the deer in the headlights look. LOL
you know what I tell those silly clowns that ask me that question I tell them BECAUSE I CAN AND I WANT TOO. THANK YOU. Then I look at them and say why do you put your kids in ps and thats the end of that subject now its one whats for supper. Can tell I been hs to long can't you.
"Because my son needs the one-on-one attention." "Because I don't want to put him on Ritalin again. The medication is the only way he can 'fit in' to the public school mold, and the side effects are awful." "Because we've had such an awful experience with the schools in our area." "Because local schools place too much emphasis on the FCAT (standardized test). Teachers have to have a certain percentage of their class pass the FCAT, or they risk taking a pay cut, or losing their job all together." The list goes on. There are a lot of good books about homeschooling at the library, that can help you pinpoint the real reasons you've decided to homeschool. One of the books I read said it was important to have those reasons be clear, so that when the going gets tough, it will help keep you going.
And I forgot to mention: "Because private schools in my area can cost anywhere from ten to twenty thousand dollars a year. It makes more sense for me to stay home and teach him myself, rather than DH and I both working two jobs each, just trying to pay for tuition."
I agree. It is important for you to be sure why you hs. Whether it is a short-term or long-term option will make an impact on your life now and your future plans...at least that is the case for our family. Plus, it will give you an answer to all those "curious" friends, family members and complete strangers who will ask you why you hs! My decision to hs was really cemented after I read a few books, like John Gatto's book "Dumbing Us Down" and the Clarkson's book "Educating the Whole-Hearted Child". These books help me to realize the importance of giving my kids a Christian worldview in this culture, so my mindset was changed *completely*. Now I see hs'ing as the best option for me as a Christian parent. Of course this is the "long answer" and 99% of the time I just say "We feel this is the best choice for our family, and we're really enjoying our time together."
I do have extremely strong convictions why I am home schooling. But, I am trying to figure something out that is simple and doesn't give away to much information.
Because they are my children, and I have decided that HS is best for them. - That is my answer to the complete stranger who I don't feel has any right to question me or my family on why we do what we do. As to what I say to people I know, it depends on how well I know them. If I know them really well I'll give them several reasons, if we don't know them as well or I feel they are asking for snarky reasons I simply tell them "Because we feel this is what God want's us to to do"
