Comments on Home School Online: When Your Family And Friends Don’t Support Your Ho...

I just decided to homeschool my 5th & 3rd grad...

2010-12-05T17:28:24.413-05:00

I just decided to homeschool my 5th & 3rd grader. I took them out in the middle of the school year. I just didn't see any reason to hesitate or delay the experience. Once I was convinced that this was the correct route for my family I wanted to jump right in. When I brought up the subject to my mother, I wasn't even able to explain or discuss anything. The words that I was thinking of homeschooling came out of my mouth & the nicest thing my mother had to say was that if it were up to her, I'd be in jail right now. Two days of homeschooling had gone by & already she was telling my niece that my daughters were loser white trash. It's been very stressful to say the least. I often panic that I've made a terrible mistake. In the core of my heart I know my girls will have a happier childhood because of my decision. Jack

Yep, so true. We're going through the mill at...

2010-10-21T11:45:08.242-04:00

Yep, so true. We're going through the mill at the moment with most of our close family relatives. It can be hard going to remember that whilst they are so against us homeschooling, they really don't understand it...nor do their opinions come from personal interactions or interactions with us or our children. What they are saying is based on fear of the unknown and of us not following 'mainstream' and therefore what they perceive to be the norm.

Michelle
http://living-education-resources.blogspot.com

I remember also being so surprised when people wer...

2010-01-06T18:19:21.908-05:00

I remember also being so surprised when people were critical that we were homeschooling. My parents and in-laws were always supporting; we ran into the most disapproval at church. One lady (a public school teacher) didn't speak to me for YEARS when she heard I homeschooled. Now, about half the families at our church homeschool. So yes--giving it time is important!!

I have to say most of my friends were very support...

2010-01-05T16:02:08.057-05:00

I have to say most of my friends were very supportive in our decision to homeschool Squirt - a surprise to me considering most of my friends still teach in the system - or maybe I shouldn't be surprised...

Family, on the other hand, was another story. My father was good about it - I think he felt secure in the fact that I have a degree in education and even asked me about homeschooling a teenager when he took over the care of my niece and nephew when my brother returned to work after his wife's passing. He opted to keep her in public school simply because she had a wonderful support group via her friends.

My inlaws tho were and still are skeptical as are Hubby's siblings. Their concerns tho did not circle around the quality of education but rather the "socialization factor"...and not so much socialization as SOCIALIZING. "How will he make friends?" is always the question.

Honestly, given that we are always on the go with one thing or another and Squirt is the most popular kid on the block (and our house the most popular 8 yr old hang out! because I'm the Mom with homemade chocolate chip cookies always fresh from the oven! and other parents are never worried about their children when they are with Squirt because they "know he'll guide them in the right direction" as one mom put it) you would think they would come to realize that socializing and socialization are really not a factor.

Yea... I went from people thinking I was crazy (wh...

2010-01-05T09:38:34.486-05:00

Yea... I went from people thinking I was crazy (while only mildly hinting at it) to asking me to help homeschool theirs. They get upset when I tell them that it's their job.

Hi! Came over through the Carnival. We started h...

2010-01-05T08:20:26.585-05:00

Hi! Came over through the Carnival. We started homeschooling after my autistic son was locked in a closet several times by school staff. It's called a "safe room." :(

I think he is safer at home. I have to admit to not being as gracious about the negative reactions from family. My mother even said that putting my son in a closet was "warranted" if the staff felt it necessary.

Meh. Who needs family like that anyway???