cottonmama Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Rules: I'll start by making a familiar anti-homeschooling argument. The next person answers that argument and poses a new objection to homeschooling, and so on. Repeats are fine, and uncommon arguments you've actually heard are fine. I'll start with the first one I ever heard IRL: "But they won't get to go to prom!!!!!!! :-( :-( :-(" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 "How will he learn to stand in line??" :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Prom isn't worth sitting through 4 years of high school. How will they learn to deal with bullies? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Prom isn't worth sitting through 4 years of high school. How will they learn to deal with bullies? Agreed on the Prom. And "bullying is good for them, dontcha know?" Says my former hairstylist. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SproutMamaK Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Since two questions got missed: (I think) re: bullying -"Don't worry, since it's so good for them, I make sure to steal their allowance money back every week and flush their head down the toilet."Re: standing in line-"Yes, standing there doing nothing is a highly undervalued skill, we'll need to make sure we work on that."New question: " So you think you've got enough expertise to teach kids on EVERY subject all the way up to college?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acurtis75 Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 New question: " So you think you've got enough expertise to teach kids on EVERY subject all the way up to college?" No but I'm pretty sure I can handle elementary school :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GSOchristie Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 My newest from MIL, " but he needs to be around other kids, he's never going to learn his place in the pecking order.". What does that even mean?!? And he is around other kids, his two siblings all. day. long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aelwydd Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 "But how do your kids make friends?" I buy him many stuffed animals. Also, vacation Bible school in our home school compound. "How will you know he's ready for college if he never experiences a high school graduation?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Smith Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 I think all the questions have been answered, so I'll give you a totally new one. This one came from a friend of my husbands several years ago. Aren't you afraid of them going postal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ripley Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 I buy him many stuffed animals. Also, vacation Bible school in our home school compound. "How will you know he's ready for college if he never experiences a high school graduation?" You gotta throw them into water if they're gonna learn to swim! "What about sports?" <-- I'm in Texas, y'all LOL, this comes up more than socialization does! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El... Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 I think all the questions have been answered, so I'll give you a totally new one. This one came from a friend of my husbands several years ago. Aren't you afraid of them going postal? Yes. Yes, I am. :tongue_smilie: "She uses too many big words!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughing lioness Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 I buy him many stuffed animals. Also, vacation Bible school in our home school compound. "How will you know he's ready for college if he never experiences a high school graduation?" I'll know he's ready for college when he gets accepted. mil actually told me that they needed to go to school to get bullied so they'd know what to do. "Your kids will miss out on the joy of showing their classmates their "A" on their papers and having them cheer for them" (*snort* like that would ever happen. I remember getting the only "A" in h.s. history at my private h.s and getting told by a classmate to stop making everybody look bad). (said by aforementioned mil, who also retired from her teaching career early becuase she was being bullied and threatened by her high schoolers. She was actually afraid she'd lose her pension) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 You gotta throw them into water if they're gonna learn to swim! "What about sports?" <-- I'm in Texas, y'all LOL, this comes up more than socialization does! They actually have more time for sports if they're being homeschooled. How will they ever learn to take tests? (Thanks to my doctor) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OK Family Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Umm... By taking a test at home. I don't have a next question but wanted to add my mom sent me comics from her ny paper this summer, Top 10 reasons not to homeschool. The title is misleading... Here's my favorite.. Studies show that spending too much time with your children ... Can cause conversations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2scouts Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Here is one my mom asked when I told her we were going to homeschool: "But what about LUNCH? Won't they miss having lunch at school?" :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lea_lpz Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 I certainly didn't. I took bagged lunch almost all the way through. On the rare case mom didn't get to the store over the weekend and I had to have lunch at the cafeteria I was repulsed. Do you seriously remember school lunches? I think my kids grilled ham & cheese sandwiches with homemade tomato soup was a step up today from cafeteria food any day. Hmmm.....lets see though, oh, my mother in law.... I know a woman who homeschooled and really sheltered her girls and married one off at 18. What if you end up like that? Because after graduating from UC Berkeley with a degree in political science and minor in gender studies and being in a masters program for my MFT license I might just go all Duggar and join a Bill Gothard group, doncha know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waa510 Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 I could play this game for hours! People have asked me some pretty bizarre things re:homeschooling. Just for starters: So, um, does the school system just, like, send you all the books you need and stuff?? This one always makes me smirk. I just picture a dirty white FCPS van rolling up to my house and heaving a huge box on my porch UPS-style. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
readinmom Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Besides all of these, the simple "I don't believe in homeschool." Just that statement, nothing else. No reasons, no nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustEm Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 I could play this game for hours! People have asked me some pretty bizarre things re:homeschooling. Just for starters: So, um, does the school system just, like, send you all the books you need and stuff?? This one always makes me smirk. I just picture a dirty white FCPS van rolling up to my house and heaving a huge box on my porch UPS-style. I wish! then I could afford a really good microscope! Why would you want to spend all that time with your kids? (this one made me really sad for the woman's children.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Why would you want to spend all that time with your kids? (this one made me really sad for the woman's children.) Who else is going to unload the dishwasher, vacuum, and watch the baby while I take a shower!?! Where are their desks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Besides all of these, the simple "I don't believe in homeschool." Just that statement, nothing else. No reasons, no nothing. Yes, I go out for lunch with the leprechauns and tooth fairy all the time. We ride a unicorn to get there. Because, you know. . . if you don't believe in homeschool then I must not exist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldberry Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 "Your kids will miss out on the joy of showing their classmates their "A" on their papers and having them cheer for them" Didn't you hear? They closed that school when all the unicorns died.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Yes, I go out for lunch with the leprechauns and tooth fairy all the time. We ride a unicorn to get there. Because, you know. . . if you don't believe in homeschool then I must not exist. I like being imaginary. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeachyDoodle Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 "How will he learn to stand in line??" :glare: :smilielol5: "Don't worry; I take him with me when I visit the DMV." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Why would you want to spend all that time with your kids? (this one made me really sad for the woman's children.) "At least my kid will come and visit me when I'm old. Yours won't want to spend all that time with you." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 :smilielol5: "Don't worry; I take him with me when I visit the DMV." That's pretty advanced line standing. Maybe give him the "grocery store on Christmas Eve" pre-test. If you push him too fast he might not learn to appreciate standing around doing nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaya Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Who else is going to unload the dishwasher, vacuum, and watch the baby while I take a shower!?! Where are their desks? they work on the sofa mostly. or on their beds. or at the kitchen table. or at the museum, the park, the woods, or the beach. they work in the library at the pizza shop, at friends houses, in the garage and in the backyard. pretty much, the world is their desk. but arent you breaking the law or something, keeping them out of school? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeachyDoodle Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 That's pretty advanced line standing. Maybe give him the "grocery store on Christmas Eve" pre-test. If you push him too fast he might not learn to appreciate standing around doing nothing. Tell me about it. I spent 6 hours at the DMV once with dd when she was 3. What can I say? She's brilliant. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Tell me about it. I spent 6 hours at the DMV once with dd when she was 3. What can I say? She's brilliant. ;) OK, now you're just showing off. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeachyDoodle Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 OK, now you're just showing off. :D Hey, go big or go home, right? But don't be jealous. EVERY child can become an expert line-stander if s/he just applies him/herself. :p Thinking back, though.. WHY on earth did I not leave and try again another day?!?! I guess after a certain point, you just keep thinking, "Surely it can't be too much longer..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 but arent you breaking the law or something, keeping them out of school? No, homeschooling is legal in the United States of America. "Aren't you afraid he will be a sissy?" said my friends brother when I was discussing the bullying my ds was experiencing and why we decided to try homeschooling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 "Aren't you afraid he will be a sissy?" said my friends brother when I was discussing the bullying my ds was experiencing and why we decided to try homeschooling. "Um, no. He already comes from a long line of people who don't take crap from anyone, training is not required, it's genetic." My favorite, from someone who teaches college classes online: "How will he get into college?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alef Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 "Um, no. He already comes from a long line of people who don't take crap from anyone, training is not required, it's genetic." My favorite, from someone who teaches college classes online: "How will he get into college?" I expect him to walk in through the door, but he could try climbing through a window. "How will they learn to sit still?" (Because of course we all know how healthy a sedentary lifestyle is...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuirkyKapers Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 In regards to line standing: I take them to amusement parks. Oops *gasp!* I forgot, we don't believe in socialization :rolleyes: The question I get asked more than anything: How long are you going to homeschool them for? Do you think you will do it thru high school? It seems that in my area, homeschooling is fine up until high school Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truscifi Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 I expect him to walk in through the door, but he could try climbing through a window. "How will they learn to sit still?" (Because of course we all know how healthy a sedentary lifestyle is...) Don't worry, I make him practice sitting perfectly still staring at a spot on the wall for at least an hour every day. (Actually he sits still quite successfully while we read aloud.) "But how will you know if he's really learning if there isn't a teacher grading him?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanvan Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Don't worry, I make him practice sitting perfectly still staring at a spot on the wall for at least an hour every day. (Actually he sits still quite successfully while we read aloud.) "But how will you know if he's really learning if there isn't a teacher grading him?" "There is a teacher evaluating his work.....me." Or, if I'm feeling snarky. "You mean you can't tell if a kid is learning. I'm so sorry." Or, if this were my parent asking, I might say "Ah...now I see how I got away with so much." Here's one from my MIL: But will they let you teach high school? I mean can you really teach high school? Dh's response "Well, she does have a high school diploma, so I guess 'they' think she's mastered the material. Also, there's that teaching certificate she got after college....'they' probably are satisfied with that. Or did you mean will the kids let her?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waa510 Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 "There is a teacher evaluating his work.....me." Or, if I'm feeling snarky. "You mean you can't tell if a kid is learning. I'm so sorry." Or, if this were my parent asking, I might say "Ah...now I see how I got away with so much." Here's one from my MIL: But will they let you teach high school? I mean can you really teach high school? Dh's response "Well, she does have a high school diploma, so I guess 'they' think she's mastered the material. Also, there's that teaching certificate she got after college....'they' probably are satisfied with that. Or did you mean will the kids let her?" Lol...I've never understood this mysterious concept of 'they'. As though there is a group of people who are the end-all for whether you can truly do this. People are always surprised by how little government involvement there is in my schooling! It's amazing. My response would be: Well, my husband and I both have advanced degrees! And outsourcing is always an option. My question/statement: It's too bad you can't just find out what books the school is using for each grade and just use those. Wouldn't that be great to know so you can do the exact same thing?? This one is heard A LOT! It always leaves me like O_o I don't even know how to really respond to this because it's clear that they just.don't.get.it. I usually say that our goal isn't to mimic the schools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 The question I get asked more than anything: How long are you going to homeschool them for? Do you think you will do it thru high school? It seems that in my area, homeschooling is fine up until high school This is what I get asked the most also. We used to say something about taking it one year at a time. Now I answer honestly that I’ll homeschool them for as long as they are happy being homeschooled and as long as we feel like it’s still the best education for them. Out of curiosity one night at dinner I told my oldest that I get asked that question a lot and how I answer it and asked him what he’d say. He said that at this point he couldn’t see not wanting to be homeschooled. Which was gratifying. My 4 year old then chimed in that she had an answer too. Her answer:“Twenty miles!" So now every time I get asked the question “How long will you homeschool?â€, in the back of my mind I think “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe about twenty miles." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 My question/statement: It's too bad you can't just find out what books the school is using for each grade and just use those. Wouldn't that be great to know so you can do the exact same thing?? Ah, this is similar to the "But how will you know how they compare to their peers?" question. My answer satisfies both: "Why do I care how they compare? Everyone has gaps in their education." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 My favorite comment was from a lady I met at a kid's birthday party. When she found out we homeschooled, she looked at my kids playing with the others and said, "But. . . they're so social!" (subtext question - how could that be?) I'm afraid that the evil WTM angel on my shoulder answered with a deadpan face "Oh, I let them out of the basement on occasion." She looked at me shocked and then decided that maybe I was joking. I really do try to patiently answer most homeschool questions but she really rubbed me the wrong way because she had been bragging about getting her kids into all the right preschools, which got them into the right grade school. . . I had one of our local politicians (city council) tell me that I was required by law to sign my kids up for one of those homeschool co-ops being run by the public school. I told her that I was too busy actually teaching my kids to go to one of those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeachyDoodle Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Just for starters: So, um, does the school system just, like, send you all the books you need and stuff?? This one always makes me smirk. I just picture a dirty white FCPS van rolling up to my house and heaving a huge box on my porch UPS-style. I got this one from my FIL, a 30-year PS TEACHER! Um, yeah. Right. Because *I* have nothing better to do than perfectly duplicate the (non)education my dd could get at public school. We haven't gotten too much pushback (even though dh comes from a long, loooong line of die-hard public educators), but we're not exactly hardened vets, either. We have heard the high school one A LOT. It seems most people can't fathom either a)teaching advanced subjects (or finding some other way for your child to learn them) or b)spending that much time one-on-one with *gasp!* a teenager! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldberry Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 DD has always been very emotional (see signature!) and is now at a stage where she has emotional crying meltdowns, uh, let's see, that coincide with a certain time of the month? A friend who has never made a negative comment and is actually very close to me suggested, "you know, if she was in public school, she would have to learn to control herself and not have those meltdowns." ??? So, public school kids don't have meltdowns when they get home either? You know, if I really thought that was true, I might actually put her in public school... :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athomeontheprairie Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 So, do you homeschool your two year old (and baby) also? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Tick Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 So, do you homeschool your two year old (and baby) also?It is hard to keep her out of the room, so sometimes she hears stuff. "But most people move into that district so they can send their kids to school!?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfunnybunch Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 "But most people move into that district so they can send their kids to school!?" I hear this a lot. I just agree that the school down the street is a very good school. It is. Good teachers, high rate of parental involvement, nice building. Only one person has followed with "So why don't you send them there then?" to which I replied, "What we're doing is working for us." I got a couple doozies from a pediatrician we were checking out since her practice is within walking distance of our house. To my son: "Do you ever see other children?" Then she kept trying to get him to read the sticker she gave him that said "Good job!" on it. He was 8. He looked at her like she'd sprouted an extra head. And to me, upon finding out we have a dog and cats and birds: "You know you have to keep the house clean, right?" :huh: Uh...it was so tempting to give her a smart-aleck answer, but after the sticker thing, I realized she would not realize I was being sarcastic. Obviously we didn't switch practices, and when I told our regular ped's nurse about it, she looked a lot like that emoticon. She couldn't believe it. Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSong Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 And to me, upon finding out we have a dog and cats and birds: "You know you have to keep the house clean, right?" :huh: Uh...it was so tempting to give her a smart-aleck answer Cat "I had NO idea! But hey, now I get to be on TV. They're taping next week. Watch for me on Hoarders!" I had a woman who worked out our--former *cough*--optometrist ask me how in the world I would manage to teach our oldest eighth grade subjects. Hmmm...four years later she was getting a lot of scholarship offers... That lady was a real peach in other ways, too. Once when I had gained some weight she just looked at me and said...Oh. MY. Since then I've had people on TWO different occasions wonder how I could do it at all, because even THIRD grade was hard these days. One was the mom of a third grader and one was a grandma. I kept my lips zipped but I was thinking, WOW, if you can't handle third grade work you might need some serious help... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewelma Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Not a question, but a former friend of mine informed me "the only reason you are homeschooling is so that you won't have to go back to work." Ruth in NZ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewelma Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Oh, I have also gotten from my BIL "I see you have not ruined them yet." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSong Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Here's another doozy. One woman said it is actually a GOOD thing for kids to have a bad teacher here or there, because they will learn life lessons. I agree we all need to learn life lessons, but what parent wants a child to have a bad teacher??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
73349 Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Not a question, but a former friend of mine informed me "the only reason you are homeschooling is so that you won't have to go back to work." Ruth in NZ Well, since my work was teaching children, all I'm really giving up is the commute and having to call parents once in a while. :) "How do you teach all those subjects?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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