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People are trying to convince me


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I have been planning on continuing to home school through high school but I have many "friends" who try to change my mind. I always listen with an open mind.

 

This weekend I was at a dinner party and a friend of a friend was trying to tell me how great high school was and all that my kids would miss out on.

 

She gave examples like sports (her son played football and her daughter basketball) and dances.

 

Well.... fast forward to dessert..... this same woman was telling us how she didn't want to go the the football banquet because her son played 8 minutes all season, and she feels the banquet honors the kids (the first string players) with drug problems and the lowest grades.

She then told us how her sophmore daughter was cut from the basketball team (which was a 2 period class) so she is now taking dance and home-ec because they were the only classes open at those times.

 

She then shared a Homecoming Dance story about how her son's homecoming date went to visit another table for 20 minutes and came back drunk. He then let her ex-boyfriend take her home instead of facing the parents himself.

 

I commented on the drinking and drug use in the high school and she told me that high school is the time to learn how to avoid drugs and the wrong crowds. She feels College is too late to learn these things and my kids will be lost. I tried to explain that just because drugs are not part of our lives, doesn't mean we don't talk about it and establish right from wrong. She thinks I'm crazy.

 

Well... she did a great job of convincing me... That homeschooling is the right thing to do for my children!!!

 

Sorry about the vent but my Real Life friends just don't get it.

Thanks for listening.

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I have thoroughly enjoyed homeschooling through high school! It is hard work, and there are many challenges, but these years are some of the most rich with my kids. Good for you, for sticking to your desires and not getting swayed. And anyone who says homeschooled high schoolers are "missing out on everything" has not adequately researched all of the resources out there for the high school years. As in younger years, we say no to waaaaay more than we are able to participate in.

 

Lisa

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I just had this happen too. My friend was going on about all that they would miss out on. Baseball being a strong case, at first...my middle one is all about b-ball. Then, she says that her son's private Christian school would let hs'ers play..hhmmm... Then, she proceeds to tell me about how her son just got in trouble again for reacting (appropriately, imo) to a bully who has bullied him forever. Whatever!!! I feel a lot of opposition lately as high school looms...strange!! :glare:

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A music teacher tried hard to get us to put our dd in high school. I felt a LOT of pressure from her and several others and spent many sleepless nights tossing and turning. Fast forward four years....dd's doing great and has just as many opportunities, more even, than many of her peers. So far, she has been admitted to every college to which she has applied. That same teacher now tells me that she wished SHE homeschooled HER son...who is the same age. Hang tough. It's NOT perfect (no school situation is), but it is a perfectly sane, intelligent, logical choice. No, my dd doesn't always mesh perfectly with her peers, but I'm seeing increasingly daily that it's a good difference, not a bad one.

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My mother, the public school teacher, about fell over in a dead faint when I told her I was homeschooling my son and we were starting in high school! She carried on about how depressed he'll become being isolated, how he will miss out on so much. Then, in the same breath, told me about how in the high school she teaches in, they've had kids pull knives on each other, they've had gang fights, they've even had kids having "tea" in the cafeteria!

 

Yes, Mother, that's exactly the type of socialization I'm wanting for my son. :glare:

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I am homeschooling my youngest dd for her last 2 yrs. of hs. She did not want all "that junk that goes on at ps" and just wanted to "learn and do my work". It was her choice. It has been hard but, I think she is much happier. Her older sister who muscled her way through (avoiding all the social pitfalls was tough, but she had little interest in the drug/alcohol social scene). She is at college now and feels that she did it the best way. It was her choice not to participate in all the "stuff". My younger dd has made the same choice. She feels that if and when the time comes to "try stuff out" it will be her decision. Neither of them put up with peer pressure. They are their own women!!! I respect them tremendously.

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My mother, the public school teacher, about fell over in a dead faint when I told her I was homeschooling my son and we were starting in high school! She carried on about how depressed he'll become being isolated, how he will miss out on so much. Then, in the same breath, told me about how in the high school she teaches in, they've had kids pull knives on each other, they've had gang fights, they've even had kids having "tea" in the cafeteria!

 

Hm, when you put it that way, I wonder which environment is more likely to lead to depression, home, or 7 hours a day around knives, gang fights, drugs...

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We BEGAN hs'ing our dd this yr - she is a sophomore.

I wish we had begun as she came out of 5th gr., but had no idea how "rough" middle school and high school would be. She was exposed to MANY things that were harmful, so I have regrets. When we realized there were problems we took her out of ps and put her in a private Christian school. Kids are kids and there was no difference between private school and public school in our area. She seemed relieved when we told her we were thinking of homeschooling her. We belong to a co-op that has monthly parties for the high school students - everything is chaperoned and good, clean fun. Her grades are good and she is happy. We feel like we have reclaimed our sweet daughter. I totally think you have made the right decision. Take it from a Mom who has regrets.

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Thank you to everyone for sharing your stories. It helps knowing I am not the only one with "friends" who keep telling me about the great experiences my kids will miss not attending public school then shares horror stories!! I still don't understand the need for them to tell me how great the school system is but when they are sharing their personal stories, they are all gripes and complaints. I think everyone is in love with the idea of the perfect high school experience, even though it is unattainable, and they don't look at the real experience their kids are having!

 

I applaud all of you who have pulled your kids out in high school. That is courageous and brave. I have been home schooling since the beginning so I have had 9 years to prepare myself, my kids, and my friends of this "crazy" idea of keeping my kids home for high school. Starting home schooling in high school is such a loving commitment to your teen. They sure know their mom has their back!

 

Thanks again for your words. I have always been 100% sure home schooling was the right choice for my children but my confidence has crept down into the 95% range when it comes to high school. This is "for real" now...no do-overs!! But hearing your stories has really helped me bump my confidence to the 99% range!!:grouphug:

 

Grace

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So her logic is that kids in hs are less likely to succumb to peer pressure, and avoiding mistakes is easier the younger you are.:tongue_smilie:

 

I wonder how her shoe tasted too?

 

Her heart may be in the right place, and from my experience here...Many friends and family want you to do it their way, because it validates their choices and soothes their worries.

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So her logic is that kids in hs are less likely to succumb to peer pressure, and avoiding mistakes is easier the younger you are.:tongue_smilie:

 

I wonder how her shoe tasted too?

 

Her heart may be in the right place, and from my experience here...Many friends and family want you to do it their way, because it validates their choices and soothes their worries.

 

:iagree:That was my thought exactly but of course I didn't verbalize well when on-the-spot!!!

 

I don't think she even realized that her horror stories she shared about sports and dances totally contradicted her statement about "if you homeschool highschool, your kids will miss out on sports and dances"

 

Her other concern was "how are you going to teach AP Calculus?" I tried to explain all the resources and out-sourcing available. But the bottom line is she must think I am not as smart as her highschooler! ;)

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