Do you try to present a good image of a homeschooling family when in public?

[Peela]

No, because I have nothing to be ashamed of that I would need to try and behave any different from "normal". Our normal, everyday behaviour in public is a credit to homeschooling, no trying necessary, so I don't need to present any image. Now, if someone walked in on a bad day at home (me yelling at my son for something, for example) I might shut up and try and present a more civil image. But in public, it's usually cool just normally.

[stripe]

Quite often we're disasters. ....I've become pretty oblivious to stares and I doubt anyone judges my parenting anymore (and if they do, they're welcome to step up and give it a shot!)

 

I laughed and laughed at this. That's one of the most hilarious things I've ever read about being a parent, and I'd have to say, it sounds to me like being around your family would be a breath of fresh air. :)

[mamaof2andtwins]

Especially if we are out when school is in session. I always tell my kids that we are a testamony to many things when we are out: Our God, Our Family, and our Homeschool. Right or wrong, people make judgements about all of those things when we are out. So if I take along a ragamuffin, rascallion, posse of children, unkempt, disheveled, loud, and disruptive, then people are going to judge that which we represent to them by that behavior. So, my kids wear clean clothing, have their faces washed, teeth brushed and hair combed when we leave the house. WE often remind them the behaivior expected of them in a store. Thankfully, they are usually absolutely delightful when we are out. I can't remember a time when we had trouble in a store. Now, the van ride home is another story. ;)

 

This is exactly what I have always told my children. Right or wrong we represent homeschoolers to the general public. We also represent our family and God. Thank you for writing my thoughts. :)

 

Jennie

[rafiki]

.

[AnnetteB]

I have four daughters so I know what you are talking about with the comments about girls, but then there is my "poor son" in the middle. Oh wow, do we hear it for him! Like we *planned* the sex of our children or something. He is a good soul though and puts up with a lot of comments! :D

It still amazes me how strangers will feel free to comment on us. Sometimes it is funny and sometimes it is not. Once at the mall our two eldest children, dd & ds, had charge of the toddler and we were a few steps behind them and overheard someone comment on what a "cute little family" they were :tongue_smilie: Another time, when dh ran errands with eldest dd and toddler he was twice glared at by older women. The second incident caused him to pause and look at the dc trying to figure out what was wrong? It dawned on him that they were being mistaken for a couple with child....He was thought to be some sort of "cradle-robber!" He came home and told me that he needed a shirt that said, "I'm the Dad" and they needed, "I'm his Kid" shirts. At the orthodontist's office I had a woman come over to sit by me because she mistook me for a kindred soul...she was there with her teenage daughter and grandchild and she thought that my dd was our baby's mother and I the grandmother.:001_huh:

[swellmomma]

Last week I had a doctors appointment and needed bloodwork. When we were waiting at the lab, the kids were sitting in chairs reading their books they brought. The clerk kept looking at them and said, I've never seen three children content to sit and read. The comments go on and on.

 

 

Wow I wish mine acted like that when I went for my bloodwork. Instead all I heard as the nurse jabbed the needle in my vein was screaming from the front waiting room. The big kids decided it would be funny to push ds5 out of the waiting room, out into the parking lot and hold the door closed so he couldn't come back in. I was MORTIFIED!

[ereks mom]

I expect my kids to act appropriately when we're out, but it doesn't have anything to do w/ the fact we homeschool. When they were very little, I did not go shopping alone because of the potential for a meltdown in the store - so dh would come with me and if either child acted up, he'd take that child outside until they were ready to behave. Dh and I have always thought that it was not appropriate to have a screaming, ill-behaved child in the store and have tried to never make other customers or employees have to listen to one of ours screaming. (And so now that they're older, we really don't have an issue.)

 

:iagree:

 

 

I could have written this.

 

... I am very aware of making a good impression with the general public when we are out and about. I want my kids well-behaved and well-groomed. I just hate seeing wild, unruly, poorly-groomed homeschoolers because I think it makes us all look bad. I feel the same way about the rare homeschooler I run across who don't seem to care if their kids are doing well, or even average, academically. I've met a couple of families who's children are well-behind grade level even though they have no known learning delays.

 

:iagree:

[LaxMom]

No, because I have nothing to be ashamed of that I would need to try and behave any different from "normal". Our normal, everyday behaviour in public is a credit to homeschooling, no trying necessary, so I don't need to present any image. Now, if someone walked in on a bad day at home (me yelling at my son for something, for example) I might shut up and try and present a more civil image. But in public, it's usually cool just normally.

Exactly. I expect normal, civil behavior. On the other hand, though, I am acutely aware that, because we choose a lifestyle outside the "norm", any bad behavior will be attributed to that, fair or not.

 

Of course, my own behavior in public is often not a stellar representation of homeschoolers. I've been asked more than once if it was a holiday (because the kids are in a store in the middle of the day/week) and I just stand there, unable to answer the question as I wrack my brain trying to figure out what day it is, then the approximate date, then whether there are any holidays around... My husband usually catches on after the pause becomes uncomfortable and supplies that we homeschool. Sigh.

[Mommy22alyns]

Well, I only have two kids, but I always strive to have them neat, clean, well-behaved, and polite in public - even before we started homeschooling. I don't volunteer that we homeschool, and the girls are still pretty young, so a lot of people might assume that they're not school age yet. Even so, I am conscious that now we represent a group that doesn't always get a great reception by the general public. :)

[CalicoKat]

Most emphatically not. I'm not a very effective parent when I'm worried how other people view us. I expect a certain standard of behavior, but it has nothing to do with advocating or defending a certain family or lifestyle choice.

:iagree: