Below are actual things that have been said to me (sometimes in front of my children):
“Are you a homeschooler? I thought so…I know how to spot them. I knew there was something different about your family.”
“You homeschool? I’ve found homeschoolers to be very awkward in
social situations. What do you think?” (I’m assuming she was
traditionally schooled because that wasn’t awkward at all…)
Said to me while I was holding (not nursing) my newborn at a
political convention (I wasn’t even wearing a dress or skirt, and this
person did not know me): “Changing the culture, one breastfed,
homeschooled baby at a time.”
“Oh…you homeschool. My husband worked with two boys that had been
homeschooled and they were strange. I think real life is hard for
homeschooled kids… (awkward pause)…but I’m sure yours will do okay…”
“We know a couple homeschooled kids that started going to our public school in middle and high school. They did just fine.”
Random Stranger: “So, where do you go to school?” One of my children: “We’re homeschooled.”
Random Stranger: “Oh…do you like your teacher? Hahahahahahaha!!!”
“I know people who think that everyone who homeschools raises
chickens and lives in the woods.” (Okay, okay, we used to have
chickens and we still live in the woods. What of it?)
Regularly hearing such things could give anyone a complex. It makes me
think that all homeschoolers are viewed in a stereotypical light…by
everyone...
To read the rest of this post, please head on over to Heart of the Matter, where I continue... :)
6 comments:
We are about to start out first homeschooling year as our oldest enters kindergarten. Even our family has responses like, "Well, I guess you could always have him start regular school in first grade." I don't get it. Up until very recently, this is how children were schooled, or in the one room school house with kids of all ages and one teacher. I am a certified elementary school teacher with a master's degree and several years of experience in public schools, I have no problem with public school, but it wasn't the right choice for my kid. It seems to be just another battle in the mommy wars. I don't get it.
So, so very true. Thank you for posting that! We don't live in the woods and we don't have chickens, but our family thinks we're strange because we memorize Scripture as a family and make our own pizza. Sigh...
You make your own pizza?! Crazy... ;)
Thanks for commenting ladies. :)
My husband and I sometimes say that we're so weird we've forgotten how weird we really are... Oh, and we make our own pizza, too. ;) Shoot, we even make our own pancake mix. I wish we had chickens so we could use our own eggs in it. :D Just gearing up for the first real year of academic HSing here and I have actually practiced my what-do-I-say-when-someone-asks-us responses out loud. :/ What are the odds I have to use them??
Great article Heidi!! I often get a sideways glance from people when I say I was home-schooled...somehow it either explains my oddity or counteracts their stereotypes..not sure which one it is! :)
Your family is forging ahead in the manner to which God has called you...no one can take that away and He is going before you!!
And home-school crazy aside...I think you guys are pretty cool!
I love random stranger comments. People really do have no filter whatsoever! I admire you for homeschooling your children.
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