Do you get many people to tell you how great it is that you are homeschooling?

[TravelingChris]

I have gotten this a lot in my 15 or 16 years of homeschooling. Another person today said this. She is the nurse in my daughter's allergists office. DD was having allergy testing to find out which other stinging insects she is allergic to (apparently all). The nurse was lamenting that she didn't homeschooling her son since when he went to kindergarten many years ago (he now has a child in high school so probably around my age), he was already reading The Washington Post but the teacher said who cares, he doesn't color correctly. She kept on talking about how great it is that so many are homeschooling since school keeps trying to put square children in round holes. And the really cool thing is that over the years, I have talked with many older people who agree that homeschooling is great.

 

I just wanted to start a discussion about whether others have had more positive responses than negative like I have. The really sad thing though is how many people regret not homeschooling their own or having been homeschooled.

[Jugglin'5]

I get this ALL the time. At least as often as I get doubtful or (rarely) negative comments. Times have certainly changed!

[Emmy]

I and my husband both, frequently get very positive comments about the fact that we homeschool. People will often say they think it's great, or how wonderful it is for the kids, or that they wish they could but can't, etc. I definitely have that happen as often as I have people give me the you're-crazy eye. ;)

[FaithManor]

Yes, I get positive comments much more often than negative.

 

So far, I've helped a nurse in the ER, a clerk at the video store, two ladies in a Target store, and three women from an encounter at Barnes and Nobles, get started homeschooling their kids. However, I never meant to sign on as a homeschool consultant!

 

I think that, in general, people are becoming more enlightened about homeschooling.

 

Faith

[RoughCollie]

My Dad was very supportive of our homeschooling. In fact, he was thrilled about it.

 

In MA, I didn't know anyone except for homeschoolers who were supportive of homeschooling. There were fewer than a dozen homeschooling families in our town of 6,000 families. Our librarian was supportive. The clerks at the stores around town were worried about socialization, and the neighbors thought I was nuts not to pack my kids off to school every day so I could go to the mall and have lunch with my friends.

 

Here in the wilds of PA, even the UPS driver's wife homeschools. There seems to be a lot more positive feeling about it here. I don't know why that is. The people are friendlier and the schools are pretty awful compared to those in our town in MA, so maybe those are factors.

Edited April 6, 2010 by RoughCollie

[Pretty in Pink]

Yes, we get many more positive than negative comments.

[Tap]

I get postive accolades all the time. In fact some of the people who support it the most are public school teachers.

 

I have several patients who ask me often how it is going and offering ideas or suggestions about communtiy events they have heard of. Always in a very supportive, honest way.

 

I have only had a couple negative comments over the years and after I talk with them, I can often help them understand that what they are feeling/imagining are various sterotypes and not part of the true picture of homeschooling.

[KarenC]

It seems when the girls were younger, we got more negative responses. My oldest is 13 now and we have been doing this for 8 years. We haven't heard a negative response in at least a couple of years, and we have had several positive responses.

 

I don't know if this is because times have really changed that much, or that since the girls are older and doing well, that people assume that homeschooling is a good thing.

 

Karen

[WiseOwlKnits]

We hear positive things all. the. time. I can only count a couple of negative things people have said. But I live in a VERY hs-friendly area. :)

[kewb]

I get positive and negative. Strangers are mostly positive. Family-a whole different story.

[sparrow]

I honestly don't think I've ever received a truly negative comment. I typically get the, "Good for you!" comments.

 

If I do say so myself, my children are well behaved and sweet. They are excellent ambassadors for homeschooling :D.

[Sputterduck]

Yes. All the time.

[muffinmom]

I have gotten many positive comments. The negative comments I have received have come almost exclusively from public school teachers--they always seem to feel threatened that I have the audacity to think I could educate my child properly. Once, though, I did have an elementary principal say,"Good for you!"

 

The other response I get a lot is "I could never do that." Seems like some moms feel like they have to defend why they don't. I always just say that homeschooling is not for everybody.

[TravelingChris]

I have even gotten positive comments from school people. My neighbor is a guidance counselor for careers in a local high school and is supportive. I have known a number of supportive teachers in all the areas I have lived in.

[sheryl]

I have gotten this a lot in my 15 or 16 years of homeschooling. Another person today said this. She is the nurse in my daughter's allergists office. DD was having allergy testing to find out which other stinging insects she is allergic to (apparently all). The nurse was lamenting that she didn't homeschooling her son since when he went to kindergarten many years ago (he now has a child in high school so probably around my age), he was already reading The Washington Post but the teacher said who cares, he doesn't color correctly. She kept on talking about how great it is that so many are homeschooling since school keeps trying to put square children in round holes. And the really cool thing is that over the years, I have talked with many older people who agree that homeschooling is great.

 

I just wanted to start a discussion about whether others have had more positive responses than negative like I have. The really sad thing though is how many people regret not homeschooling their own or having been homeschooled.

 

 

 

Yes, quite often. And, they will address how well-behaved she is (of course this can change at home some ;)), articulate, pleasant and bright.

[Nakia]

When we first started homeschooling, we got a lot of negative comments, mostly from family members. Now, five years later, we get almost 100% positive comments from family and strangers.

[Peela]

Yes, many positive comments.

I dont think I have hever had a direct negative comment- our neighbour, a school teacher, did make the comment that teenagers need to be in highschool to socialise- but I just brushed that off. I have had people ask me questions very scepticaly- I know they are not convinced- but never a direct negative comment.

I am sure I will get one now that I have said that...but the positive comments woudl still far outweigh the negative.

[catalinakel]

I get more positive than negative. And the negative always have to do with socialization...which just makes me sad, because they obviously have no idea what they are talking about. The positive ones make me so happy...that people would see that investing in our children so intensly is valuable and wise.

[Pink Fairy]

I've had only positive reactions. My dh occassionally gets the stink eye from ps colleagues when they find out, but no one is brave enough to say anything rude, and most people are complimentary.

 

Just yesterday I was speaking with an advice nurse, and when she mentioned something about school and how contagious pink eye is, I told her that with homeschooling it wasn't a big deal to stay home. She said, "Oh you homeschool? You must have a wonderful family!"

[LibraryLover]

Not really. It's just so common here. We get some comments at times, but not many, although they are always positive. I can't think of a negative comment. Some folks ask about 'socilaization' but that is not an issue, and they don't ask looking for a fight. It seems that everyone knows someone who is hsing, and I am the first to say that getting together to play with others is not our problem. Finding days without something cool going on in the hsing group is. ;) That's reality here in MA where we live.

 

I would really have to gag if someone started in on how 'well behaved' my kids are. That's not why we homescool. Robots R Not Us.

Edited April 7, 2010 by LibraryLover

[Snickerdoodle]

So nice to get good comments!

 

 

Someone asked me the other day if I was sure my kids knew how to cut with scissors.

 

I just answered, "Oh, yes." and left it at that. What else can you say? :tongue_smilie:

[Mary in GA]

We have received far more positive than negative comments over the years. Many were regarding how my son and daughter behaved toward each other in public as kids. I guess for some getting along with and being considerate of your siblings is unusual! Both sets of grandparents have always been very supportive. I have a few long term acquaintances who expressed doubts (soccer moms I've known through the years), but I think once I reached that milestone of getting on dc successfully into college they were effectively silenced. But they'll never be pro home school. That's OK.

 

Mary

[Cindyg]

Yes. I've been waiting for six years for somebody to challenge me on why I homeschool, but all I get are positive comments. I also get a lot of "Really?! So do we!" comments. I must live in a wonderful place. :)

[kalanamak]

Yes, and I have a regular group of mothers of grown kids who seem to be fascinated by it. I bump into them at work every week or so, and regularly get "what are you teaching this week" questions. It isn't conversation, they are truly interested. I think they are all hoping for grandkids someday, and need their 7 year-old fix.:)

 

I get lots of queries on afterschool options. Some older women tell me stories of "the year I got a divorce and spent the whole 12 months living in a car with my son traveling around and homeschooling" with wistful expressions. Others tell me how lucky I am, still others just praise away. It is very rare I get any kind of negativity, and usually, I find, from an athletic male who thinks my kid will miss out on so much. These I gently remind that while they were popular and had a blast in high school, not all children get that role....

 

But, when you work with 2000 people, you meet all kinds.

[Laura Corin]

Yes, in Scotland I mostly get positive responses.

 

Laura

[Time4tea]

I get this quite often as well. Followed by, "but I could never do that". My dd is also told how lucky she is to be home schooled.

[rafgaf4]

I get a lot of positive responses from people. Believe it or not, I have had many positive comments come from people who are involved in the publc school system in one way or another. They mostly say things like "that is the way to go now", " I knew your kids were too well mannered or behaved to be in public school". I find those comments very interesting everytime I hear them. Of course, I hear some negative, but very rarely. Most of the time, the negative comments are from people who have no idea what homeschooling is all about.

 

 

[JulieJ]

We were given postive homeschooling comments at the dentist's office from the office girls then they were gushing about how we could make our appointment for anytime of day lol.

 

Our older neighbor now knows we homeschool, since he seen ds outside one morning this spring and ds told him he was homeschooled when the neighbor asks why he wasn't in school. The neighbor acted like he was in shock. The first question he asked my son after that was " What about your brother? He goes to school doesn't he?" I am not sure if it was really about being homeschooling or the fact that he didn't know! lol

[emubird]

We've always gotten positive comments from just about everyone. The only exceptions are public school teachers. They mostly worry about "socialization". Although my older daughter's 1st grade teacher (before we pulled her out) thought it was really the best thing we could do. He confided that he wished he'd done the same with his kid who was having a lot of problems right then. He thought it might have saved her a lot of grief.

 

The only really negative comment we've gotten (actually it was more of a thesis) was from one odd guy who does substitute teaching. He was appalled we didn't have our kids in school. He suggested that, at the least, I should "allow" my kids to do the last semester of high school so they didn't miss the prom. The sad thing is, this guy is socially inept. Um, actually, he stares at young girls and sets off warning bells in my head. He's about the only person to have ever done that for me.

 

Just about all the non-teachers we run into are so happy to see us homeschooling. The only exceptions seem to be people who are jealous that they didn't do the same. They missed their chance and it makes them grumpy.

[FO4UR]

I get lots of positive comments. And, :iagree: with the poster who said it helps to have children that are good ambassadors! There is a ps teacher who my dc are quite fond of, and she is always saying positive things.

 

I know there are negative remarks hidden inside some heads, and probably circulating behind my back...

[iquilt]

I once had an elderly gentleman at our library tell my kids how great it is that I homeschool them :) He told me he could tell that we homeschool because of the enormous pile of books at our table, even though we were there after ps hours.

[KJsMom]

We get positive comments all the time. I have had my share of negative remarks though. Once an elderly woman's car broke down in my front yard so I invited her into the house while we waited for the tow truck. She was the grumpy type in general so when she told me I was cheating my kids by homeschooling, I just politely listed the facts and offered her a drink. After more than 2 hours in the company of my family she changed her mind and said maybe I was doing the right thing after all.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

I do.

 

 

This is such an encouraging thread. It's great to hear that people in different areas are hearing nice things about hsing.

Edited April 7, 2010 by The Dragon Academy

[Dmmetler]

I've gotten a really positive response overall, too-along with a lot of "I wish I could do that" or "I could NEVER do that! I wouldn't know where to start!".

 

It's kind of sad to hear the mom of a 7 yr old say that she doesn't feel that she could homeschool because she already gets confused by her DD's 1st grade homework.

[jenniferlee]

Yes, actually for all the stories there are about negative comments that people have gotten, I've only gotten postive comments.

And quite a few regretful "wish I could have done that with my kids", or wish they had been homeschooled themselves.

Jen