HS "Comebacks" for Kids

[Karis]

Adults don't really comment to me about homeschooling . If they ask and I'm in the mood I lay it out ... this is us and what we do.

 

but lately the comments/ questions to my kids bug me. They tend to happen when I'm not around. Sometimes in-laws sometimes strangers. The new dentist is a stranger who is apparently not pro homeschooling. I "interviewed" got references/ like the staff/ office is nice / upscale sanitary/ very appealing. We were flowing until my son was asked what school he attended. I stepped out of the area with my youngest child but felt a certain "coolness" when I returned. When we left son told me of their conversation. He was asked if he'd ever attended a "real" school (yes) and did he like it (sure) "Of course, you did."

 

Son did not respond to the comment but said to me "I don't think she likes homeschoolers."

 

My children are very respectful but the comments are rude.

 

"Don't you want to go to school?" "Don't you want to have some friends?" to my 2nd grader

 

"You are normal, you don't need to be homeschooled." to my 6th grader

 

 

Anyone have some goood comebacks/ responses for children?

 

I wish he'd have said how much better it is to be homeschooled and how we travel and have fun and how accelerated he is or anything to shut her up.

[secular_mom]

Adults don't really comment to me about homeschooling . If they ask and I'm in the mood I lay it out ... this is us and what we do.

 

but lately the comments/ questions to my kids bug me. They tend to happen when I'm not around. Sometimes in-laws sometimes strangers. The new dentist is a stranger who is apparently not pro homeschooling. I "interviewed" got references/ like the staff/ office is nice / upscale sanitary/ very appealing. We were flowing until my son was asked what school he attended. I stepped out of the area with my youngest child but felt a certain "coolness" when I returned. When we left son told me of their conversation. He was asked if he'd ever attended a "real" school (yes) and did he like it (sure) "Of course, you did."

 

Son did not respond to the comment but said to me "I don't think she likes homeschoolers."

 

My children are very respectful but the comments are rude.

 

"Don't you want to go to school?" "Don't you want to have some friends?" to my 2nd grader

 

"You are normal, you don't need to be homeschooled." to my 6th grader

 

 

Anyone have some goood comebacks/ responses for children?

 

I wish he'd have said how much better it is to be homeschooled and how we travel and have fun and how accelerated he is or anything to shut her up.

"I think you are being rude now, you should talk to my mom about it if you don't like the fact that we homeschool." Or just leave it at the 'you are being rude' bit.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Wow, what business do they think it of theirs? I can see a relative having a vested interest of sorts in my child's education, even though I still think it's our responsibility, but the dentist? I wouldn't teach my kids to have comebacks to an adult - it seems disrespectful to me. But - I would certainly go and talk to those adults once I found out what they had said and would tell them just how inappropriate I thought their comments were. Esp. the comment to the 6th grader.

[Daisy]

I've taught my kids that if the conversation starts to make them feel uncomfortable, they should reply with, "If you have more questions, please ask my mom or dad."

 

Most of the time they can handle the questions. I'm reminded last time we went to the post office, the postmaster asked my son what 5x5 was. My son looked up at me like, "Oh brother" and then answered the guy. Another time, my daughter just started answering questions about homeschooling. Yes, she likes it. Yes, she has been to public school before. No, she doesn't miss it. Blah, blah, blah.

 

They know though that if the adult becomes rude with their questioning or asks questions that are too personal they are to say the above statement and say it over and over again with respect until the adult leaves them alone.

[goldberry]

I was hoping to see some funny comebacks!

[kchara]

I hate rude people, but I especially hate rude adults who try to bully children with their words. :glare: I'm sorry you and your children had to deal with that.

[Pretty in Pink]

I recently heard my 12yo reply to a snotty comment about HSing, "It sounds like you don't know very many homeschoolers. Maybe you need more socialization." :D

 

My little kids just look at me like the commenter has three eyeballs and wait for me to stick up for them. They think it's funny.

[LibraryLover]

In 9 years of hsing, I have never had anyone be rude to my children in this way. It's hard to believe people can be that ignorant.

[merry gardens]

I was hoping to see some funny comebacks!

Here's my pathetic attempt at homeschool humor for that dentist::D

 

"My mom won't send me to school because she's concerned about all the candy and soda machines they have."

 

or

 

"It's important to brush after every meal, and it's really hard to do that with 1,000 other children all in the bathroom after lunch."

 

or

 

"I want to keep my teeth away from school bullies."

[G5052]

"My Mom says that she's only paying you for ZZZ, and that she hopes that you won't be charging her for the educational advice."

[Dolphin]

Sorry you had to go through that. My ds is just so happy that he gets to be homeschooled we haven't had an issue. People ask him what grade he is in, he replies that he is in about 3rd grade with a huge smile. Then they ask what school he goes to and he tells them with a big beaming grin that he gets to go to school at home. This is our first year, so his enthusiasm is so obvious no one has really started to pick at that. It helps that whenever we are out and walking around he is usually carrying around a book way to advanced for the average child his age, and sticks his nose in it whenever possible (no, he is not a super genius, just ahead in reading and behind in math kid:lol:)

 

A few times when people asked me why he wasn't in school I have pulled of the "we quit that, I didn't like it" move. Only when they had that snotty tone though.

 

You could teach your children to say "Pass the bean dip" It will confuse the heck out of the adult.

[arghmatey]

"My parents are emphatic I not respond to rudeness with rudeness, so I think we should discuss something else."

 

ETA: Fine, they shouldn't say this. How about, "Oh, that is such an interesting point of view." Also, "Do you mind if we just focus on my teeth please." Neither of those are rude. The dentist is being unprofessional. Oh, I know! For the dentist. "Yes, I also liked public school just fine. I really love sugary candy. Turns out neither is really good for me."

 

Heehee. I'm having a hard time thinking of polite responses right now.

Edited April 30, 2011 by arghmatey

[Photo Ninja]

I told my dc that if someone starts asking them questions about hsing or anything else, and they feel uncomfortable, don't know how to answer, or they don't want to answer, they should say, "You should talk to my mother about that, not to me." and to repeat that as many times as it takes for the person to stop. It stopped a few people.

 

There was one checker at the grocery store who I tried to avoid because of her rude comments about hsing and how my dc should be in school, telling my dc that they are missing out by not going to school, won't be able to learn anything at home, etc. She also tended to quiz my dc.

 

So once she asked my young ds an academic question, which he answered with a sigh (it annoyed him, too). Then I saw a twinkle in his eye, and he asked her what famous event happened in 1066, who were the key players, and what was its significance to world history. She stared at him because she had no idea how to answer, my ds was young elementary age at the time, and was looking at her, smiling, expecting an answer. She stammered, then muttered that she didn't know. My ds grinned and said something about maybe she should be in school instead of working at the store so she could learn things. You have to know my ds. Yes, it was a bit rude, but he said it with a big smile and an attitude that made it sound like a wonderful, innocent suggestion. (I was quietly proud.) But it worked. She stopped making comments and quizzing my dc after that.

[FO4UR]

In reality, I'm going to be teaching my dc to say, "If you want to talk about HSing, please talk to my mom" over and over again. That's wise, I think.

 

I also like..."At home, we can choose which books we read." and "At home, I can ride my bike at recess." and "We get to go to the zoo, museum, park, library all the time"

 

 

 

 

In my head....

 

"My mom likes to HS b/c she can still make me do math and spelling when I'm contagious." (sniff, cough, sneeze)

 

"Have you ever been to a homeschool?" (as reply to "Have you ever been to public school?")

 

 

 

 

 

 

Or....I could just take my 4yo along....he has a knack for piping in with the Greek alphabet at just the right moment.:tongue_smilie: Someone said "alfalfa" tonight and he just went off singing with gusto "alpha beta gammma..." He is terribly cute!!!

[Margo out of lurking]

If my kids were hearing questions like this, I'd seriously consider changing dentists. If the comments came from relatives, dh or I would speak privately to the person (depending on whose relative it is), and if the comments continued, we'd cool off the relationship.

 

My kids have never had any negative comments that I can recall. Ds met a elderly neighbor yesterday who asked if ds was on spring break. When ds replied that he's homeschooled, the man's response was, "Cool! So are my grandchildren!"

 

We've always made every effort to make sure our kids feel that hsing is a normal, accepted lifestyle. When we began 9+ years ago, we didn't know anyone who hsed, so dh and I are probably a little more sensitive to that.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I overheard my dd being grilled by the dd of the school board president. The girl was hassling dd about "all that she missed, all those field trips she never got to take." Dd's answer, "I went to London, Amersterdam and Ireland for my end-of-the-year trip. Where did you go?" And she turned and walked away...

 

That sounds like something my kids would say. The area we're in now tends to be more well traveled. But we were once at a township fair visiting the exhibit of the scout troop my dh had been a scout with. One of the scoutmasters asked Cauliflower (then about 7yo) if he liked Pinewood Derby racing. He sighed and said that he hadn't been able to race his Tiger year because we had to go to Rome that weekend.

 

He sort of forgot to mention that Rome was a budget flight away from our home in Berlin, that there were work reasons for part of the trip and that we'd stayed with friends as well. It was hard to tell if it came off as deprived or pompous.

 

After we left Europe, we all had to tone down our enthusiasm for the great field trips we'd been able to take.

[....]

I've gotten a lot of rude comments from cashiers (specifically - is there some special training they go thru to offend people), relatives, the school secretary (when I pulled my kids out of school) and the pediatrician (yep, the pediatrician). I don't know what people's problem is...

 

I don't have any advice.

 

:grouphug:

[arghmatey]

I've gotten a lot of rude comments from cashiers (specifically - is there some special training they go thru to offend people), relatives, the school secretary (when I pulled my kids out of school) and the pediatrician (yep, the pediatrician). I don't know what people's problem is...

 

I don't have any advice.

 

:grouphug:

 

For the cashier: "I'm pretty sure unsolicited commenting on the lives of your customers isn't part of your job description. I'll have to check with your manager on the way out." or "Oh, well isn't that an interesting way to look at things. Paper bags, please."

 

For the pediatrician: we have too many pediatricians in our area not to have one who supports us as parents; we'd switch in a heartbeat.

[Remudamom]

I'd send a letter to the dentist telling her she had lost us as patients because she was so very rude. Then add the suggestion someone else gave that SHE needed more socialization in order to learn some manners.

[Tarreymere]

DD says that most of the rude comments she gets come from her friends who attend public school. I think they just want to share the misery. DD likes to say "My dad is training me to become an assassin, and I don't think they teach that in public school".

 

Our reply to those pesky store clerks "They're too contagious to be allowed in school". If we want to be more polite, it is "wow, you need to get out more!".

 

:lol:

[Audrey]

I've taught my kids that if the conversation starts to make them feel uncomfortable, they should reply with, "If you have more questions, please ask my mom or dad."

 

 

 

Same here. My ds often has other ideas, though. My favourite one, where I had to feign a cough to keep from laughing out loud, was when another parent at the playground told him that if he went to school he would have more fun, more friends and more time to play.

 

Ds asked her, "You drank the kool-aid at school, didn't you?"

[SonshineLearner]

 

Ds asked her, "You drank the kool-aid at school, didn't you?"

 

That is beyond hilarious!!!! I've gotta remember that one, if we ever have anyone say anything about hs our son :D

[lllll]

...

[QueenCat]

I overheard my dd being grilled by the dd of the school board president. The girl was hassling dd about "all that she missed, all those field trips she never got to take." Dd's answer, "I went to London, Amersterdam and Ireland for my end-of-the-year trip. Where did you go?" And she turned and walked away...

 

:lol: I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall so I could have seen this other child's reaction!

[Belacqua]

I've gotten a lot of rude comments from cashiers (specifically - is there some special training they go thru to offend people), relatives, the school secretary (when I pulled my kids out of school) and the pediatrician (yep, the pediatrician). I don't know what people's problem is...

 

 

 

:grouphug:

 

We dumped a pediatrician we otherwise liked because it became evident she was not in favor of homeschooling. She wrote on her prescription pad that the kid needed, at age 3, to be playing with other kids 5-6 days a week (can you prescribe socialization?). Then she wrote, rather ostentatiously, in his medical chart that she needed to stay especially alert to his intellectual progress.

 

Just how shabby of me was it to take a tiny, tiny bit of mean satisfaction years later when both our kids competed at Mathcounts and her pro-school stance was not, shall we say, borne out?

[JessReplanted]

Same here. My ds often has other ideas, though. My favourite one, where I had to feign a cough to keep from laughing out loud, was when another parent at the playground told him that if he went to school he would have more fun, more friends and more time to play.

 

Ds asked her, "You drank the kool-aid at school, didn't you?"

 

 

:lol: so funny!

[Desert Strawberry]

it had not even occurred to me that someone might say things like this to my child. This is a deal breaker for me. NO ONE is allowed to undermine our family's choices to my children. I don't care how great of a dentist she is. I'd find another one.

 

FTR, we are on our 3rd dentist for much lesser offenses. We drive 30 miles one way to the new dentist and 35 miles to the ped. It's so worth it to know that my children are being cared for with respect.

[lovelaughs_times_three]

LOVE THIS QUOTE FROM PRETTY IN PINK!!!

 

I recently heard my 12yo reply to a snotty comment about HSing, "It sounds like you don't know very many homeschoolers. Maybe you need more socialization." :D Quote]

 

LOVE THAT ONE!!

 

The kids are coming up with the best responses of all!!! How funny is that!!! :lol:

Such a testimony to the confidence and creativity homeschooling is giving to our awesome, amazing kids!!! :hurray:

Edited May 1, 2011 by lovelaughs_times_three

[lovelaughs_times_three]

Same here. My ds often has other ideas, though. My favourite one, where I had to feign a cough to keep from laughing out loud, was when another parent at the playground told him that if he went to school he would have more fun, more friends and more time to play.

 

Ds asked her, "You drank the kool-aid at school, didn't you?"

 

Another SUPER FUNNY one by one of our kids!!! So funny!! I LOVE it!!!! I need to take lessons in comebacks from these kids! They have the best comebacks!:lol:

[kalanamak]

I've gotten a lot of rude comments from cashiers (specifically - is there some special training they go thru to offend people), relatives, the school secretary (when I pulled my kids out of school) and the pediatrician (yep, the pediatrician). I don't know what people's problem is...

 

 

 

Humans have a natural suspicion of the unfamiliar.

 

And then, what do you see in the news? Woman wipes out son, hubby, 2 dogs, a cat, and then shoots self: homeschooler. That happened about a month ago out here. Six year old, never enrolled in school, found dead and dad flees police with his emaciated wife. Shoots her as the police close in and then self when he's cornered. Happened two weeks ago out here.

[Karis]

That is so sad.

 

But truly...

 

do public school teachers get defensive/ feel slighted when another educator is discovered to have had an inappropriate relationship with a student? moonlights as a stripper/ comes in with a black eye cause she's being abused by her live in boyfriend?

 

Do people say ... oh, you attend public/ private school? with a crazy look. No, they are not all lumped together.

 

Either we are not like the other homeschoolers... and people are pleasantly surprised

 

 

 

or we're looked at oddly because all the homeschooolers many "know" (actually hear of) are the stereotypes.

 

I must admit, we see children who fit the more common stereotypes and I have had to tell my child THAT is the image others see when they hear/ think "homeschooler."

 

 

I'm calling to discuss it.

 

I may have find someone else. I hope not. But, they do need to know commenting negatively on family decisions to the family members or otherwise is out of order.

[Jumping In Puddles]

I was hoping to see some funny comebacks!

:bigear:

Edited May 2, 2011 by Jumping In Puddles

[Baseball mom]

There was one checker at the grocery store who I tried to avoid because of her rude comments about hsing and how my dc should be in school, telling my dc that they are missing out by not going to school, won't be able to learn anything at home, etc. She also tended to quiz my dc.

 

So once she asked my young ds an academic question, which he answered with a sigh (it annoyed him, too). Then I saw a twinkle in his eye, and he asked her what famous event happened in 1066, who were the key players, and what was its significance to world history. She stared at him because she had no idea how to answer, my ds was young elementary age at the time, and was looking at her, smiling, expecting an answer. She stammered, then muttered that she didn't know. My ds grinned and said something about maybe she should be in school instead of working at the store so she could learn things. You have to know my ds. Yes, it was a bit rude, but he said it with a big smile and an attitude that made it sound like a wonderful, innocent suggestion. (I was quietly proud.) But it worked. She stopped making comments and quizzing my dc after that.

 

Love it :lol: