Annoying things non-home schoolers say

[8filltheheart]

2 things, both actually said by children (one a 7 yr old (really more funny than annoying b/c she just simply doesn't understand.....however annoying that her parents didn't attempt to explain.... and one 14 yo)

 

7 yr old neighbor: I made your kids a bunch of clocks so that they can learn to tell time. (she had made 7 clocks out of paper and brads)

 

14 yr old at a church teen meeting: The leader asked a question and asked if anyone knew the answer. Dd raised her hand and replied. The girl sitting next to her said, "You understood what he was talking about? I thought you said you were homeschooled."

[coopsgrl98]

We went to my daughter's kidney doctor today... He asked if we started back at school yet. Ummm... I've seen you every other week for 45 minutes since March... When I told you that we were homeschooling... THROUGH THE SUMMER... If you can't remember that small detail, I'm a little worried about your taking care of my daughter's HEALTH!!

 

Or when they ask why she's out during the day... My daughter replies "I've already got my school work done... no need to waste the day sitting around!"

[Spryte]

"I couldn't stand to be around my kids all day"

 

... Makes me want to say, "I couldn't stand to be around your kids all day either!"

[tuesdayschild]

Seems like it's a gobal thing ....this comment wasn't annoying so much as gob-smacking!!

 

"You must really love your children to homeschool. I could never do it." :001_huh:

 

DD was told recently, "Do you homeschool? .... That's really sad, homeschoolers don't learn anything." :glare:

 

:D

[MamaSheep]

"I don't do that because I support public schools." (I am amused by the mental image of government school being some kind of pagan god that wants to be fed children.)

 

You know, I would actually be quite happy to support public schools if only they would return the favor.

 

(Love the imagery!)

[TXMary2]

I'm searching for a printout and stumbled on this today.

 

http://forums.atozteacherstuff.com/showthread.php?t=149283

 

I think this is a ps teacher discussion on the reasons they've seen people home school.

 

 

Oh, brother!

[kristinannie]

I can't believe I forgot this one. This was what our new superintendent said about homeschooling, "Most people homeschool because they have a disagreement with a teacher and then just pull all their kids out of school." :patriot:

[Classically Minded]

"I couldn't stand to be around my kids all day"

 

... Makes me want to say, "I couldn't stand to be around your kids all day either!"

 

:lol:

[Parker Martin]

"I couldn't be around my kids all day." Only because you don't discipline them.

 

Amen. I get annoyed when people act like our kids act good by chance. A huge amount of work goes into that!

[mothergooseof4]

My sis is a ps teacher and was recently considering how to school her dd that is starting K this year. She considered hs, but chose a hs charter for this year. They are leaving hs on the table as an option next year when she will probably become a SAHM. She has seen me hs all of these years and never made any negative comments and even tells others how great of a job that I do. She is around my kids and knows that they do not lack social skills. Yet, her one concern about hsing her own dd was socialization. She asked me how she would know that her kids are properly socialized. I reminded her that she is in a classroom of 7th graders everyday and had just told me that she didn't want her dc to turn out like her students. I also told her that a few years down the road, she would laugh at that concern.

 

It is funny because after all of these years, I do laugh at the socialization question. But, it really is a REAL concern for so many...especially when they first consider hs. I think that the classroom setting is such a part of out upbringing that it is hard for us to consider how kids will thrive outside of that atmosphere. Just like it is hard for many to break free from doing school at home and really start homeschooling.

 

I have come across most of the socialization, are you qualifed, etc. statements many times. The most annoying of all came from my niece. My late dh's family has never supported our decision to hs. His sister's little girl is the same age as my oldest ds. He told me once when they were around 7 that she constantly told him that he should ask/tell me that he wanted to go to ps. She was constantly telling him that ps is so much better/more fun than hs. It got to where it was an agenda. You could tell she had been coached. Years later, she still does the same.

[scrapbabe]

"What? No school today?" (becasue apparently learning only happens under strict supervision.)

 

I have allowed my children to respond to the pushier strangers asking this question with "I am in school, and you're talking in class".

:lol:

[sweetbasil]

My brother, when I asked him if he thought he might homeschool one day (they have toddlers)

 

Bro: "No, I'm too liberal!"

 

Me: "What does that have to do with it?"

 

Bro: ...awkward silence...

 

:confused::confused::confused:

[DianeJM]

A ps teacher I know, who was "going back to work" and whose child was about to start half-day kindergarten, which presented her with child-care issues, once asked me, "Hey, would you be able to pick up my child from kindergarten after school every day?"

 

I thought to myself, "You have GOT to be kidding me," but I told her (very nicely but couldn't help smiling), "Well, that would be kind of like me asking you to leave your classroom every day and go pick up my kids from wherever they are..."

 

I could tell by the look on her face she was visualizing that scenario, and then she said, "Oh yeah, I guess you're right; never mind."

 

Yikes!

[scrapbabe]

My neighbor asked me "what about a diploma?" I responded that I didn't think a diploma was that important....that a diploma doesn't say you learned anything...it simply says you attended school x amount of days. Now days if you have good SAT or ACT scores, then that is what matters. You don't have to have a diploma to go to college/university.

Her response. "well that's awfully nice of them to just trust you."

 

Say what??? I think the SAT/ACT proves they learned something... not just taking my word for it.

[mothergooseof4]

A ps teacher I know, who was "going back to work" and whose child was about to start half-day kindergarten, which presented her with child-care issues, once asked me, "Hey, would you be able to pick up my child from kindergarten after school every day?"

 

I thought to myself, "You have GOT to be kidding me," but I told her (very nicely but couldn't help smiling), "Well, that would be kind of like me asking you to leave your classroom every day and go pick up my kids from wherever they are..."

 

I could tell by the look on her face she was visualizing that scenario, and then she said, "Oh yeah, I guess you're right; never mind."

 

Yikes!

 

 

Ha Ha!!! My neighbor has kids that my dc love playing with. She posted on FB that she needs help getting them to school this year since she and her dh leave before the kids need to be at school. My oldest ds acted like I was just the person for the job. I told him I would be happy to help out in a pinch, but that I didn't think he and his siblings would be too thrilled to be woken up so early every morning. They all usually sleep until nine. He quickly agreed!

[TracyR]

I've heard just about all of these ridiculous things. The new one for this year was :

 

Wouldn't it just be easier to send them to school and have someone else teach them?

 

Ugh, I just have no response other then anything worth doing in life isn't going to be easy and my children are so worth every bit of it.

[LMD]

Quote: do you use books? - Sure, I need *something* to throw at them when they are slow getting my bonbons! :lol:

 

You guys are cracking me up. :D

 

In my exp, my fav was on a family vacation at a touristy town in April, "Gee, no kids must come here." Um, honey, that's because they're in school. :D

 

 

Oh my! :lol: LOVE IT!

 

The most common ones I get are:

 

'I'm not organised/disciplined/patient etc. enough' - my Dh about falls on the ground laughing :glare:

 

'Do the schools/education department send you the books?'

 

'Are you a teacher?'

[TracyR]

Oh yeah, the "Christian kids need to be in the public schools to witness to them." My children ARE my most important mission field. And it's hardly appropriate to place that sort of expectation on small children.

 

"I would homeschool if I didn't have to teach my kids to read. That's just so hard." (from a former 2nd grade teacher, turned SAHM) And I hear similar versions of that one all the time from former teachers who are now home with their kids - they could never homeschool.

 

I've heard that one too. Thing is , our kids can't witness in a place where God is not allowed. So I find that statement to be so condescending its not funny.

[awoogala]

We've gotten... :

"well, I like my kids to be exposed to more things than they would at home"

Now, we live in a very small town, with a very small selection of people. We join HS groups where we are exposed to many more people, of many more religious persuasions, skin color, nationality, etc. In fact, the one year they were in school off and on, they only met maybe 3-5 nationalities, tops.

 

"Aren't your kids weird enough?" yup. that's why we homeschool, after my kid got mocked for eating salad and being polite, and loving science and math.

 

"Oh, but your kids are overeducated"... seriously? this one I just laughed at. I think she meant well, though...:)

[theYoungerMrsWarde]

I'm searching for a printout and stumbled on this today.

 

http://forums.atozteacherstuff.com/showthread.php?t=149283

 

I think this is a ps teacher discussion on the reasons they've seen people home school.

 

This is the quote from the top of the page:

 

Homeschooling Education- The drastic Change

I know that even before a decade "Homeschooling" wasn't that popular but in recent trend many families prefer to make their children learn from home. What do you thing as reasons behind these?

Question asked and answered...

 

 

[silliness7]

My sis is a ps teacher and was recently considering how to school her dd that is starting K this year. She considered hs, but chose a hs charter for this year. They are leaving hs on the table as an option next year when she will probably become a SAHM. She has seen me hs all of these years and never made any negative comments and even tells others how great of a job that I do. She is around my kids and knows that they do not lack social skills. Yet, her one concern about hsing her own dd was socialization. She asked me how she would know that her kids are properly socialized. I reminded her that she is in a classroom of 7th graders everyday and had just told me that she didn't want her dc to turn out like her students. I also told her that a few years down the road, she would laugh at that concern.

 

It is funny because after all of these years, I do laugh at the socialization question. But, it really is a REAL concern for so many...especially when they first consider hs. I think that the classroom setting is such a part of out upbringing that it is hard for us to consider how kids will thrive outside of that atmosphere. Just like it is hard for many to break free from doing school at home and really start homeschooling.

 

I have come across most of the socialization, are you qualifed, etc. statements many times. The most annoying of all came from my niece. My late dh's family has never supported our decision to hs. His sister's little girl is the same age as my oldest ds. He told me once when they were around 7 that she constantly told him that he should ask/tell me that he wanted to go to ps. She was constantly telling him that ps is so much better/more fun than hs. It got to where it was an agenda. You could tell she had been coached. Years later, she still does the same.

 

With the whole socialization thing, I think a lot of us are really afraid that our kids won't be *like* the other kids. They won't fit in and they won't have friends. Many of us carry huge scars from dealing with this in our own childhood and our brain may say one thing but our gut emotions say another. I honestly think some people think a well-behaved child that doesn't have any friends is a fate worse than an ill-behaved child who is popular. Many people just cannot let go of those social games and the dream that their children will come out on top.

 

Not saying this is your sister. But I do think it's more common than those of us who have thumbed our nose at the system can see.

[TheAutumnOak]

Yes!! :lol:

 

I get a lot of, "I don't know how you do it."

 

I hate that because to me it seems like inside they're thinking, "and I bet you can't really do it either."

 

So I know I'm not being complimented.

 

Alley

 

:iagree: Some people are thinking that...

[awoogala]

"But how will he ever learn how to do homework?"

 

 

 

 

My mom buys the school supplies for my brother's children and my niece's children. She always says, "I would buy your son school supplies, but I guess he doesn't need any." :lol:

.

 

This one galls me. I have never been given anything until last year, when my kids "tried" school. Then it was " here's some money for clothes and bookbags, etc"

This year, I spoke up... I said "Wow, now that we're HS again, I need more money for school supplies than ever- they still wear clothes at home, and I need to buy so many more books!"

Apparently, it never occurred to them! I ended up with a lot of money from the grandparents this year!!! :)

[TheAutumnOak]

3. But they won't be properly socialized!

 

Properly socialized like the rest of the people out here :confused1:

[MrsMe]

Just today, this lady was talking about her kid and a bully. She doesn't work, goes to movies during the day. Then she talked about all the funny things her kids do and I mentioned that if she homeschooled, all those funny things could happen more!

 

She said, "I don't want to stay home all day".

 

Huh? So they're locked in a classroom, but "YOU" don't want to stay home? And who says you should anyway? I guess bullies and movies outweigh spending time with your kids.

[awoogala]

http://www.secular-homeschooling.com/001/bitter_homeschooler.html

 

I always love re-reading this whenever I get one of these comments!!!

[swellmomma]

I get asked about how they will be able to do high school courses. hmm, not worried about that yet, let's make it through elementary and junior high.

 

I have been asked questions about the laws/regulations but those people usually just don't know how hsing works in this province.

 

Of course like others we get asked a lot about why the kids aren't in school, comments about socialization etc. BUT the one comment that took the cake and left me going :001_huh: was when we were dealing with one shrink. He made 2 really stupid comments. a) that I should put my kids, particularily my SN ones in school for socialization purposes. When I commented that I would not sacrifice his education that way, the guy says "well yeah academically he is doing better at home, but you should put him in to learn to make friends and follow the crowd". When that tactic didn't work the same guy said (during the same appt), I shouldd put my SN kids into public school so that they would be someone else's problem for those 7 hours and I could have a break. Again he agreed that academically it would be worse for them, but then it would be up to someone else to deal with them. (oh, how lucky to be one of the other 30 kids in that classroom). We fired him.

 

I had one of the ladies at the school I worked at say "Oh I couldn't do that, I couldn't teach my kids all day" Yet she works in a school teaching other people's children all day. :lol:

 

Of course the line that irks me the most and wants me to smack the person saying it (and we get it often), is when they make a comment of how public school will CURE the kids of their SN. Because we all know that no one has ever emerged from public with behaviour issues, learning disabilities, adhd etc.

 

The list goes on.

[Meriwether]

I'm searching for a printout and stumbled on this today.

 

http://forums.atozteacherstuff.com/showthread.php?t=149283

 

I think this is a ps teacher discussion on the reasons they've seen people home school.

 

 

The whole thread made me a little sad, but this line:

 

Some parents didn't believe in curriculum, and instead did a sort of project based learning system, except without the accountability. So, if the kid was interested in history, they would go to a museum and call that "school" for the day.

 

made me :001_huh:. How many schools take field trips to museums and call that "school" for the day?

[J'etudie]

A plumber doing some work in our kitchen asked ds if he called me "Mom" or "Teacher." When ds replied, "Mom," the plumber said he hoped ds wouldn't get confused in college and call the professor "Mom."

 

Yeah, my dc have a real problem calling strangers everywhere "Mom." :confused:

[swellmomma]

"I couldn't stand to be around my kids all day"

 

... Makes me want to say, "I couldn't stand to be around your kids all day either!"

 

:lol: That's usually what I am thinking when I hear that one.

 

Or when they say "I couldn't teach them x,y,z" I am usually thinking you are likely right. What they are really thinking imo "I am not interested in taking the time to learn how to teach x,y,z"

[Mommy2BeautifulGirls]

 

Of course the line that irks me the most and wants me to smack the person saying it (and we get it often), is when they make a comment of how public school will CURE the kids of their SN. Because we all know that no one has ever emerged from public with behaviour issues, learning disabilities, adhd etc.

 

The list goes on.

 

What is SN? :confused:

[swellmomma]

What is SN? :confused:

 

Special Needs

[NatashainDFW]

Don't they need to learn the same things as the public school kids? Asked by my grandmother when I told her we didn't use the school district's curriculum. I politely told her that they would just on a different time table. She really means well but yea.............:lol:

[Guest HollyGarza]

*at the store/park... where-ever....

 

"Wow your daughter is so well behaved! She speaks so well, how cute....

 

what grade is she in?"

 

I home school her actually :001_smile:

 

other person :confused:

 

but how will they learn to be socialized??

 

 

:glare:

[littleWMN]

1. I don't know how you do it.

 

2. I just have two kids and that's hard enough (I have four).

 

3. Why don't you just send them all to school? (one goes to public school, so I guess that's a fair question)

 

4. (Aimed at my kids) Is your mommy a good teacher? (or other variations, as in the one we got on Sunday... is your mommy smart enough to teach you?)

 

5. Don't they want to go to school?

 

6. Are you ever going to send them to school?

 

7. You will send them to school in middle school, right?

 

8. I could never homeschool. My kids don't listen to me.

 

9. I could never homeschool. My kids love being around other kids.

 

10. I could never homeschool. I have a hard enough time just helping him with homework.

 

11. I could never homeschool. Have you seen what they are learning these days? It's so much harder than when we were in school!

 

12. I could never homeschool. I want my kids to have the school experience.

 

13. How do you know what to teach them?

 

14. (from my sister-in-law) Does the school give you the books to use?

 

You get the picture. :tongue_smilie:

 

On the flip side, one (with special needs) is in school and it's equally as annoying to me when homeschoolers give me the third degree about that as well.

Edited August 17, 2011 by littleWMN

[Mommy2BeautifulGirls]

Special Needs

 

Oh, duh. I was thinking it was something more specific! Like a diagnosis of some kind, only I couldn't think of what! :blush:

[llindseymomoffour]

My mom said the other day when a shipment of books came in the mail, "So you can just order whatever books they need?" :001_huh:

 

She also comments everyday, "If I were you, I wouldn't mess with it anymore. Just put them on that bus and send them to school." :confused:

[tuesdayschild]

What is your reason for homeschooling? If it is because you are trying to shelter them from being se*ually abused just because you were, that would be the wrong reason to do it.....

Seriously?!

What an awful comment! :grouphug:

[Annabel Lee]

From a relative close enough that it hurt a little going into my ears: "Why do you make them do any schoolwork at all in the summer? What, are you trying to create little geniuses?"

 

At the dentist, the front-desk gal: "Oh, NO, NO, No, nononono. Absolutely not. You CANNOT bring your children in here to wait while you're being seen." (The friend who was going to watch them had to bail last minute due to puking kid of her own, and my relatives were all working or busy.) Afterwards, front-desk-gal said, bewildered: "Wow, you were right, they really were fine. I've never seen children behave that well before." I told you that in the first place, lady. :glare:

[johnandtinagilbert]

A plumber who was doing work on our remodel asked oldest ds if he called me "Mom" or "Teacher." When ds replied, "Mom," the plumber said he hoped ds wouldn't get confused in college and call the professor "Mom."

 

Yeah, my dc have a real problem calling strangers everywhere "Mom." :confused:

what a moron...sorry, but come one.

My mom said the other day when a shipment of books came in the mail, "So you can just order whatever books they need?" :001_huh:

 

She also comments everyday, "If I were you, I wouldn't mess with it anymore. Just put them on that bus and send them to school." :confused:

I'm happy you continue to mess with your children.

 

From a relative close enough that it hurt a little going into my ears: "Why do you make them do any schoolwork at all in the summer? What, are you trying to create little geniuses?"

 

At the dentist, the front-desk gal: "Oh, NO, NO, No, nononono. Absolutely not. You CANNOT bring your children in here to wait while you're being seen." (The friend who was going to watch them had to bail last minute due to puking kid of her own, and my relatives were all working or busy.) Afterwards, front-desk-gal said, bewildered: "Wow, you were right, they really were fine. I've never seen children behave that well before." I told you that in the first place, lady. :glare:

oh no! Not smart kids. Those pesky home schoolers!

 

Front desk....yeah, I'll bet I can describe her down to the T. It's amazing and sad when people are shocked to see well behaved children.

[Joyofsixreboot]

Most irritating question from a lady at church. "Do you do it because they're slow? ". Grrrr

[Mommy2BeautifulGirls]

My mom said the other day when a shipment of books came in the mail, "So you can just order whatever books they need?" :001_huh:

 

She also comments everyday, "If I were you, I wouldn't mess with it anymore. Just put them on that bus and send them to school." :confused:

 

My FIL is always asking if we have to buy certain materials. I think people just don't realize how many choices homeschoolers have these days. And I think they are surprised that we don't have to stick with what the state recommends.

[ErinD]

"I couldn't stand to be around my kids all day"

 

... Makes me want to say, "I couldn't stand to be around your kids all day either!"

 

 

Oh...I have wanted to say this so many times............:lol:

[Capt_Uhura]

Most irritating question from a lady at church. "Do you do it because they're slow? ". Grrrr

 

Uh no, I do it b/c they are fast! :auto:

[kmp]

Oh my! So many great comebacks! I need to make a list and memorize them so I'll be ready. :D

 

Yes, but I think we as homeschoolers need to remember to make our comebacks polite and not as rude as those who are saying these annoying comments to us, and especially not to let our children respond rudely. My first gut reaction is to go on the offensive and be as rude as them, but that wouldn't teach them or solve anything.

[kmp]

http://www.secular-homeschooling.com/001/bitter_homeschooler.html

 

I always love re-reading this whenever I get one of these comments!!!

 

This is good!

[Hedgehogs4]

I can relate to so many of these. Here are a few we have received:

 

"Do you stay in your pajamas all day every day?" Um, no, here I am in the grocery store fully dressed!

 

 

 

my response to that one is "sometimes" -- they're just jealous. :D

[Spryte]

Another one:

 

We had guests recently, and my son wanted to show off his cartwheels (what can I say? He's a ham.)

 

The guest said, "But he's homeschooled. How does he know how to do that? It's so normal!"

 

:glare:

[wtrmlnlabs]

 

They do have a weakness... handwriting. I am convinced it is two things, first I do NOT work enough in this area. Second, they can dictate, share thoughts, do not have to put their name (and teacher's name) on EVERY paper, and they do not have other classmates judging their penmanship. We are working on this.

 

 

My two cents on this, my DS8 has terrible handwriting and I, like you, do not work a lot on it. Why? Because DH who went to public school and had to write daily has WORSE handwriting! :D Sometimes it does not matter how much you do something, if it's not part of them it's not part of them!

 

This thread is so great! I am loving some of the comments. We don't hear a lot of it around here. In PA the cyber schools are so big that it's being very well accepted anymore, but my major one is the "I could never do that". Of course they are not objecting to it or to my doing it, but it makes me feel sad. Really? You can't spend the day with your child everyday? You can't teach them the real things they need to know? (you know the REAL socialization we HSers all know they need: respect for others, manners, loving everyone....) It's really hard to not be the bad guy and say "so why did you have kids anyway!?" which goes with this:

 

"You must really love your children to homeschool. I could never do it." :001_huh:

 

I mean, REALLY!? This flabbergasts me... I don't think I could hold my tongue if someone said this to me!!!!

 

I also get the "I would but I want them to be socialized" thing, and with all the bullying in the news, kids committing suicide because of bullying, being injured or killed because of bullying, I have a lot of places to kick down their logic on THAT one! BUT since they don't direct it to my boys (believe me, ANYONE seeing my kids for 5 seconds couldn't try to direct it at them) I usually let it go... I just pray their children are safe.

 

 

I do truly love the "won't they eventually get ahead of you" thing... yep, I went to public school, if they get ahead of me that sure does say something! :001_huh:

[TXMary2]

13. How do you know what to teach them?

 

l.

 

I had a friend, who happens to be a teacher, ask me this question. I tongue in cheek replied, "There is this amazing thing....maybe you have heard of it.....it's a "Teacher Edition" and it has scripts and all the answers.":tongue_smilie: