Written by Jamie Martin, editor of Simple Homeschool and founder of Steady Mom
I‘ll always remember that day at the library.
“Are you going off to kindergarten soon?” a well-meaning lady asked my four-year-old. He stared at her blankly, having never heard the word “kindergarten” before in his life.
“Uh, we’re thinking about homeschooling,” I said in a slightly nervous voice, my eyes on the floor.
It was the first time I’d been asked in public about it–but it most certainly was not the last.
If you’ve been at this for a while, I’m sure you have a similar story in your homeschooling history. Whether it’s a stranger, family member, or a prospective homeschooler, questions about your educational choice can catch you off guard or even leave you feeling defensive.
It’s helpful to develop some “standard answers” for these occasions.
Q & A
These days when I have the opportunity to talk about homeschooling, I always try to inject an upbeat, positive tone to the conversation.
Many of those who are not familiar with it may have never considered the many benefits that homeschoolers enjoy. I mention the fun we have, the freedom we enjoy by setting our own schedule, and the friends we get together with to learn and play.
How about you–what advice can you give to those just starting out who wonder how to answer these questions? How do you talk to your family about homeschooling? What about strangers or other prospective homeschoolers who are curious?
When I first started homeschooling (11 years ago) I first needed to convince my parents that this was a good thing. Once they visited (we live 2000 miles apart), and saw the music class, the coop, the church, the ice-skating on top of the readin’ ritin’ and ‘rithmatic, they were won over. As for the public is concerned; when the topic of homeschooling comes up, I always mention it was not my first choice. However, all my other options didn’t work out, so, I turned to homeschooling. This turned out to be a good thing, because, (I tell the questioner), my son ended up in a semi-professional boys’ choir and has traveled the word. Homeschooling allowed us to work his classes in and around his travels. That usually stops the conversation right there with a nod and a smile. If I see that it is going to continue I drop this: “I am so glad I earned my masters of science in education – it is the only way I can keep up with the kids’ learning!” That stops them cold. (I have a similar-type answer that applies to my daughter.) Being positive and (especially) confident are key to having the advantage in the conversation.
I agree with the commenters about keeping it positive. We recently moved from NY state to central VA and it’s amazing to me how different the responses are. In NY people acted as if we were in a cult and asked us about socialization. In VA people almost always say “oh! I have a (neighbor, friend, sister) who homeschools. I think it’s great. I’ve been thinking about that.” Why it’s so different I’ve yet to figure out, but it’s shocking. 🙂
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Be confident and excited! You are investing in your children!
This is our 1st year and I am just now starting to feel more confident in telling people that we Homeschool and why this was the best choice for our family. I thought “Oh I need to give them the BEST ANSWER” but now I know I just need to tell them that we are the BEST teachers for OUR children.