A strange homeschool comment

[SweetMissMagnolia]

I usually just let the "weird/strange" comments go and not pay any real attention to them but the one I most hear is "oh I couldn't do that" or "I couldn't be around my child all day"......didn't really notice what that meant till recently and It got me to thinking why wouldn't you want to be around your kid all day? i mean I know we all need a break from it all every now and then but seriously.....

[Rosy]

Usually if someone says "I'm not smart/patient/organized/creative/whatever enough" I'll say something to the effect of "I don't know, if I can do it just about anyone can!" and then follow it up with a "but it's not for everyone."

[runmiarun]

I had a lady stop me at the grocery store a couple of weeks ago and ask me why my oldest (he's 4) wasn't in preschool and did the school system know he wasn't enrolled? I politely explained that he was only 4, he's getting preschool at home. She was mortified. She changed the subject to couponing since she noticed my grocery list sitting on top of one of the bags still in the grocery cart. She was kind enough to inform me that if I would just put my children in preschool and day care, I could go to all the local grocery stores, use my coupons more effectively, and save my family more money. In her exact words, I was "wasting my family's money by homeschooling since I couldn't take advantage of all the grocery store sales in our area every week". At that point, since I had finished unloading the grocery bags into the van, I sweetly offered her my grocery cart and pushed it over to her, with the bag boy in tow.

[EKS]

Usually I get "I'm not patient enough to homeschool." To which I reply, in all earnest, "I'm not either!"

 

I'd probably say something similar to what your husband said.

[stripe]

She was kind enough to inform me that if I would just put my children in preschool and day care, I could go to all the local grocery stores, use my coupons more effectively, and save my family more money.

Day care is free?

 

My former neighbor started asking me about putting my son in school when he was 2. Luckily she wasn't home much, but it was her favorite topic for conversation.

[mcconnellboys]

I think your dh's response was good. You might also say something like, "Oh, you'd be surprised what you can do when you really want to...."

[Forget-Me-Not]

I got a similar comment from the receptionist at my dental office this week. Specifically about teaching math and how hard it was for her to help her kids with their math homework when they got to some of the high elementary grades. I just said something about re-learning it along with them :D

 

I think in general, people just want to make conversation.

[idnib]

In her exact words, I was "wasting my family's money by homeschooling since I couldn't take advantage of all the grocery store sales in our area every week".

 

Now I really have heard it all.

 

(Or have I?) :glare:

[Dandelion]

I've never heard the "I'm not smart enough to homeschool" comment... But then again, we've only been homeschooling for 1.5 years (and we mostly hang around other homeschoolers) so I'll give it time...

 

The comments I mostly hear are "OH. {BIG MEANINGFUL PAUSE}. You homeschool." and "Wow, I could never do that". Neither of which really set me up for much of a response, so I just let it slide. ;)

[Leighton Academy]

My favorite response to:

"How can you homeschool?! I couldn't be around my kids all day!"

 

is "Well, I actually like my kids. I think they're pretty awesome!"

 

When we first started homeschooling in kinder and the comment about not being smart enough was said,

 

I replied, "Well, I'm an adult, functioning well in society. I know everything a kindergartner needs to know. I'm pretty sure I've got this." Said with a sweet smile of course! :001_smile:

[Alphabetika]

The only time I've ever been speechless about homeschooling was when a "friend" at our former church, whose dh is a p.s. administrator and whose three dd's were extremely successful in p.s., asked me whether I was making sure that my dd (then in 2nd grade) was keeping up with her public schooled peers. I said, frankly, "No." She said, in a horrified tone.....

 

"Are you planning on raising idiots?!"

[Kate CA]

The only time I've ever been speechless about homeschooling was when a "friend" at our former church, whose dh is a p.s. administrator and whose three dd's were extremely successful in p.s., asked me whether I was making sure that my dd (then in 2nd grade) was keeping up with her public schooled peers. I said, frankly, "No." She said, in a horrified tone.....

 

"Are you planning on raising idiots?!"

 

:eek: I cannot imagine *what* would come out of my mouth if someone said that to me. How did you respond!?

[Ravin]

The only time I've ever been speechless about homeschooling was when a "friend" at our former church, whose dh is a p.s. administrator and whose three dd's were extremely successful in p.s., asked me whether I was making sure that my dd (then in 2nd grade) was keeping up with her public schooled peers. I said, frankly, "No." She said, in a horrified tone.....

 

"Are you planning on raising idiots?!"

 

I'd probably say, "Of course not, which is why what the public schools are teaching doesn't concern me."

 

If they're going to be rude, I'm going to be snarky.

[Haiku]

I just can't imagine declaring to strangers that I think I'm not as smart as a kindergärtner

 

I'm pretty sure that's not at all what she meant. You wouldn't put a kindergartner in charge of homeschooling a kindergartner, would you? I doubt that this person was confining her thoughts to the K year, either. The idea that parents don't have the smarts to teach high-school-level subjects is extremely widespread.

 

I wouldn't read much into this. I'd imagine that the idea of homeschooling seemed overwhelming to this woman, and what she said was her (rather awkward) way of expressing it.

 

Tara