Ever feel like you're a homeschool "missionary"?

[Dmmetler]

I went to a birthday party for a little girl from our church with DD yesterday. Most of the kids there were children DD was in kindergarten with when she was in parochial school.

 

3 parents-out of about 12 who were there, approached me with questions about homeschooling, and I mean questions that lead me to think that they're seriously considering this as an option for their child-questions about books or websites I'd recommend, local groups, how I juggled working from home and homeschooling, and so on.

 

These are ALL parents who, a year ago, I would have said were completely happy with their choice of school (and it's a nice little school that seems to do a pretty good job with kids who are on grade level or slightly above).

 

I've had similar conversations in the last few weeks with parents with their children in public or charter schools while waiting for DD at cheer practice or at dance classes.

 

It's very strange. A year ago, many of these people were looking at me like I'd sprouted two heads when I said we were going to homeschool for 1st grade.

 

It's strange-and I'm not sure that I'm READY to be pushed into this role. This is our first year, DD isn't exactly the typical 6 yr old, and I've only recently committed to homeschooling even one more year!!

[jazzyfizzle]

They must be impressed by what they see. :001_smile:

 

(No typical kids here either!) :D

[Sun]

I've had this same experience a few times. It's really odd, isn't it? If they were just asking a few more general questions, it wouldn't be so odd. It's the continued asking of very specific questions as it would pertain to their own children that seems very strange. I wonder if our opting out of the regular system makes them more aware of that as an option.

 

I haven't been homeschooling long enough to find out if any of them will really try it themselves, though!

[UmMusa]

Yes! I've started this year, and suddenly I'm aware of lots more homeschooling moms in addition to having other moms come ask me about it. I tell them it's our first year doing it, but I get so excited about it that they tell me now they feel more confident. One lady said she tried it last year and used Calvert. It didn't work well for her family, but after talking to me (she said) she's thinking of giving it another go!

 

Of course I always refer back to TWTM and to their method. It's what convinced me I could do it, so naturally, I recommend it to others.

 

You're right, I do kind of feel like a "missionary".

[phathui5]

All the time.

[Hockey Mom]

I've found that the worse the economy gets, the more people can no longer afford sending their children to private schools, the more the question about homeschooling comes up.

 

I've known two families in our area that will be homeschooling for school next year. Both families just can't afford the tuition for private school, and they aren't happy with public school as an option.

[Mejane]

Yes. I don't proselytize ;), but I'm often approached.

[FaithManor]

I'm often approached because one of the three private schools in our county is closing its doors and one outside our county that was very popular and worthy of commuting too, has also fallen on academic hard times and is closing...part of their problem was going into debt for every single bell and whistle they could think of so with a half million dollars of debt and a student body that fell from 350 to 33 in one year, they couldn't make their payments and went bankrupt. I am finding though, that certain elements of people don't want just some ideas where to get started or a list of resources. Instead, they'd like to consume copius amounts of my time and then call constantly as soon as they start. This makes me insane and interrupts our homeschool day so much that I now have a hand out...about five pages clipped together...of websites, titles of books, etc. and hand that out. At the bottom it says that I am no longer taking personal phone calls about how to set up or begin homeschooling for free. I will however, for a $25.00 per hour fee, meet with you and give you one-to-one help. It's amazing how this has revolutionized my life! Oh, I also list that I am a classical homeschooler, our reasons for being classical, and what that entails for us...this, by in large, scares the willies out of them. I do offer a non-sectarian "Getting started" seminar once per year at our church. It's free and is just two Wednesday evenings for an hour and a half.

 

I'm also getting to where I really try to avoid homeschooling conversations when I'm out and about. It is always inevitable that the day I'm really crunched for space is when someone gloms onto me and won't let go without me having to practically be rude. So, I change the subject or excuse myself as soon as the topic comes up.

 

Faith

[missesd]

Yes... I think some are mainly curious. And others are genuinely interested. It's hard to tell one form another though, so sometimes I wonder if I am not rambling too much... LOL

[kalphs]

It happens to Dh and I frequently.

[catz]

I've had the same experience a number of times. I have a neighbor who insinuated I was out of my mind when I started homeschooling, now who is homeschooling her own 2 children. She and her husband were/are public school teachers. And I'm very much of the school that homeschooling is not for every family.

[Forget-Me-Not]

Yes. I've actually 'converted' one friend too :)