What are the silliest comments that you have received regarding homeschooling?

[TravelingChris]

Silliest thing.."What about P.E.?

 

Seriously, I have an Aunt who asked this for years. I guess her P.E. Experience was life changing or something:).

 

 

My kids P.E. as homeschoolers was so much better than I experienced as a public/private schooler.  Let me see, they did gymnastics, soccer, swimming, diving, sailing, biking, hiking, bowling, golfing, running, tennis, ice skating,rapelling, whitewater rafting, shooting, archery, snow shoeing, and I am probably forgetting some activities.

[JustEm]

Silliest thing.."What about P.E.?

 

Seriously, I have an Aunt who asked this for years. I guess her P.E. Experience was life changing or something:).

I got this from one of the parents of a kid in my ds's kung-fu class. Not only that but she know as he also does acrobatics. I just looked at her and said, "I guess he's in P.E. now and the other 3 days a week we're here." She was confused for a bit until she stepped out of her box and thought it was a genius way to do P.E. I just chuckled in my head.

[Moonhawk]

I've got tons of quotes from my parents, trying every argument in the book to change my mind, lol.  But my favorite: "But I just bought her a whole new wardrobe!  Now where she will wear it to?!"

 

ETA: favorite quote from a stranger, who approached us in the grocery store (I happened to be buying some wine for my husband, though I don't really drink):  "Oh wow, homeschool! ... So ... how much do you spend on alcohol?"

Edited October 13, 2016 by Moonhawk

[Tanaqui]

"Do your homeschooled kids wear uniforms?"

 

LOL. My girls came from uniform schools (and possibly will go back to uniform schools for high school - ask me one day about the NYC high school system) and for a good 18 months would periodically float the idea of my getting them uniforms for homeschool.

 

Which I only refrained from doing, I might add, because nobody could agree on what they should look like and I felt the idea of getting two kids uniforms that weren't even uniform was a bit silly.

[luuknam]

Which I only refrained from doing, I might add, because nobody could agree on what they should look like and I felt the idea of getting two kids uniforms that weren't even uniform was a bit silly.

 

I dunno. If it makes them happy, I probably would. Though only one set each - not going to buy enough uniforms for 5 days a week.

[Dmmetler]

Silliest question:

 

"Do your homeschooled kids wear uniforms?"

 

No idea where that came from or why. I'm not usually at a loss for words, but I was then because I was sure I had misheard the question. Then they asked what my kids wear for school. "We shop for clothes at Target, JC Penny and Ross, so pretty much the same kinds of things kids wear at schools where there are no uniforms."

 

Silliest comment:

 

"Her migraines must be because she's homeschooled."

 

Which is funny because the pediatrician said he thinks most of his stress related migraine patients are triggered by their negative ps situations and he suggests their parents consider a change in educational environment (including homeschooling) as part of their treatment in addition to meds and identifying triggers.

 

The pediatric neurologist specializing in headaches for PHX Children's Hospital who we saw for treatment said my daughter was the first homeschooled kid she'd ever had as a patient and thought the whole idea of homeschooling was really interesting and was very positive about it. Oh, and the fact that the vertebra in my daughter's neck were bent the wrong direction was a big contributing factor the the migraines.

My niece's pediatric neurologist told her parents to get her out of a school setting (she ended up doing FLVS) as a first step to getting her migraines under control :)

[HomeAgain]

I knew homeschooled kids who wore uniforms.  Their choice - mom said it made them feel like they were part of a proper school.  This was way back, though, when not many were homeschooling.  A lot of exposure people *did* have were the Duggars.  And they wore matching clothes.

 

 

[73349]

LOL, I only have one kid--How would anybody know it was a uniform??

[Tanaqui]

LOL, I only have one kid--How would anybody know it was a uniform??

 

Well, it'd be more formal than pajamas or even a t-shirt and jeans, and it wouldn't change day to day.

 

About migraines: I hadn't thought of it, but my kiddo's migraines did decrease dramatically since the middle of her 6th grade year - we started homeschooling at the beginning of that year. (That, or she stopped telling us about them, which is also a possibility.)

[shawthorne44]

LOL. My girls came from uniform schools (and possibly will go back to uniform schools for high school - ask me one day about the NYC high school system) and for a good 18 months would periodically float the idea of my getting them uniforms for homeschool.

 

Which I only refrained from doing, I might add, because nobody could agree on what they should look like and I felt the idea of getting two kids uniforms that weren't even uniform was a bit silly.

 

I see school uniforms in consignment stores.  Seem to be good quality.  

[shawthorne44]

I knew homeschooled kids who wore uniforms.  Their choice - mom said it made them feel like they were part of a proper school.  This was way back, though, when not many were homeschooling.  A lot of exposure people *did* have were the Duggars.  And they wore matching clothes.

 

I wonder if that might be handy for field trips?   

[Guest]

 

 

ETA: favorite quote from a stranger, who approached us in the grocery store (I happened to be buying some wine for my husband, though I don't really drink):  "Oh wow, homeschool! ... So ... how much do you spend on alcohol?"

 

HA! :rofl: 

 

I almost spit out my sandwich when I read your post I laughed so hard. Thank you for this. I needed it today. :) 

[idnib]

ETA: favorite quote from a stranger, who approached us in the grocery store (I happened to be buying some wine for my husband, though I don't really drink):  "Oh wow, homeschool! ... So ... how much do you spend on alcohol?"

 

 

"Not much, but you should see my chocolate and cupcake budgets!"

Edited October 13, 2016 by idnib

[Tanaqui]

I wonder if that might be handy for field trips? 

 

Oh, definitely, especially if you have a lot of kids (I mean, I assume the benefits increase as your family grows). But the downside (especially if you have a lot of kids) is looking like one of those people who makes all their kids dress in uniforms. This is a real downside!

 

[MyLittleBears]

ETA: favorite quote from a stranger, who approached us in the grocery store (I happened to be buying some wine for my husband, though I don't really drink):  "Oh wow, homeschool! ... So ... how much do you spend on alcohol?"

 

 

:lol:  :lol:  :lol:  Love this! 

[Lorien]

"Private school worked just fine for our kids!"

 

And to the kids .... "You wouldn't survive in a real school! My boy was writing five page reports in fifth grade!"

 

I do agree - to a certain extent - that our kids wouldn't survive in a "real" school! One would be bored to tears all the time, while the rest would be unable to work in an environment lacking in snacks, bathroom breaks, and toys to occupy the free hand! 😀

[Wheres Toto]

I took the kids to the Museum of Natural History in NYC today to wrap up our prehistory/evolution study.  They were both carrying clipboards and filling in some worksheets (from the AMNH website).  I had a woman, who said she was from India, stop and ask me about it. First she asked if they were in school and I said that we homeschooled.  So she asked me what grade they were in and if we were there studying evolution because that's what they would be studying in school, if we taught the same pace and information as the public schools.   She was very nice and seemed really interested, although I did kind of laugh at the idea they would be studying evolution in that kind of detail in public school.

[bethben]

ETA: favorite quote from a stranger, who approached us in the grocery store (I happened to be buying some wine for my husband, though I don't really drink): "Oh wow, homeschool! ... So ... how much do you spend on alcohol?"

I was buying one of those wines in a box with two kids in tow. When I affirmed I homeschooled, the clerk ask jokingly if one box was enough.

 

 

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[DesertBlossom]

Speaking of uniforms and clothing... my kids attend a one day a week enrichment program through the district where they get art, P.E., library, music, etc. At the open house I overheard the art teacher tell a kid that they might get messy in art and she advised her not to wear her nicest clothes, even though she might be inclined to since it's the only day they leave the house. *eyeroll* It was *almost* enough to turn me off from the program altogether.

[theelfqueen]

I had a fantastic discussion about homeschooling with an Irish innkeeper about a week ago. She was FASCINATED. 

 

Weirdest negative -- MIL concerned about my youngest son missing out on "changing classes" (which he did in Public 4th and 5th and still does at Co-op, I promise)

 

Weirdest positive -- My youngest's G/T specialist (whom I adore) from the public elementary school -- we were having an end-of year meeting at the end of 5th grade. She asked "Will he go to (local middle school)?" "No, we're planning to homeschool next year." She said "Oh THANK GOD." then blushed and said "That will just be SO GOOD For him and I know you can totally do this really well!!!"

 

Oh and I always joke when I buy my boys new pajamas that I'm getting them 'school uniforms'.

 

Edited October 30, 2016 by theelfqueen

[MyLife]

I had a police officer tell me that "the problem with homeschoolers is they don't learn to resolve conflicts." Really? My kids have conflicts with each other every day, which means they learn to resolve conflicts EVERY DAY.

[lexi]

My favorite comment was from our cable repair man. He saw my kids running around the basement as I rotated doing school with them in a nearby room. I walked out into the family room where he was working to check his progress (he'd been there two hours already) and he looked at me with his mouth hanging open and said, "It this some special exclusive preschool or school? How do kids get to go here?"

I explained that they were all my own kids and I homeschooled them. I still don't think he believes me. But he was super impressed and I think he was hoping his daughter could attend. It was cute and encouraging.