If my kids and I are out and about before 3pm on a school day, we usually have at least 1 person ask why they are "out" of school. We politely answer and carry on about our business. Sometimes there are follow-up questions. Sometimes there are positive remarks (sometimes the opposite). When I meet someone new, often times, I'm asked why I chose to homeschool. I politely tell them a few points of our decision depending on my time or situation at the moment. It is often followed by, "I admire someone that could do that" or the opposite, "I could never do that!" and almost always something about their own patience level and the need for breaks.
My kids have answered an array of questions that have mostly to do with how easy or difficult their work is or if they wear pajamas to school or even bother to get dressed. Most are shocked to realize that homeschooling isn't really all that easy and we do get dressed in the mornings;-) The advantage for the kids is that they don't have work to do in the evening (yet).
I've been met with well meaning people (maybe?), sometimes educators themselves, that like to indicate to me that they have met a 10 year old student that had enrolled in their school that couldn't read. To which, I politely nod and smile I suppose. I have told someone before that the reason they are not seeing the successful homeschoolers is because...well...it is successful! Those kids may never enter a public school classroom. What does this have to do with me by the way? I have had some well-meaning people tell me that they thought Kentucky should have stricter homeschooling laws and all kids should be tested. Because the tests are the greatest indicator of learning? They are a faulty (although the best we have perhaps) indicator of ones knowledge. This, again, has little to nothing to do with me personally. I actually had someone laugh at people getting homeschool diplomas. Don't let those 2 words fool you when strung together. Those kids earn their diplomas (and I'm not stating that they are getting GED's either).
Some people seem to ease up on the questions when they find out that I have a teaching degree. Actually, while my teaching degree may give me some theory, ideas, and terminology knowledge, I was never educated on how to run a 1 room schoolhouse, which is essentially what I'm doing. It is different. You can be a successful homeschooling teacher/parent without having ever been to college yourself. Guess what? You have to relearn most of the stuff even if you did go to college, because you forget!
The funny thing is and has been for 3 years. I really don't preoccupy my thoughts with the way other family's choose to educate their children: public, private, or homeschool. It isn't a big deal to me and I'm really not (contrary to what people may think about homeschoolers) going around secretly judging all that aren't doing exactly what I do. I don't think that my way is better or that public school is evil.
What I do believe is that homeschooling is a calling of God and not all are called to it just as all are not called to the mission field, ministry, to lead up the Women's group at church, or to keep the babies in nursery. We are all called to do different things. I've said that I would never homeschool and here I sit. Sometimes God has to smack you in the face to get you to listen. After starting this journey 3 years ago, giving myself time to acclimate to the changes in our home, we love it. It is freeing! We set our own schedule, we have more family time, my kids can play and explore to their heart's content, it fosters sibling relationships, I can choose their curriculum and its worldview, and they can work at their own pace and timing.
What I have found out is that if you look at the pictures above, letting my kids read on the trampoline on a bright sunny spring day is homeschooling at its finest. Micah so engrossed in a book that he can't let go of it and carries it to soccer practice, makes me feel like not allowing TV during the day is a great thing to motivate creativity and reading adventures. What the future brings around here, I cannot tell you. I learned to put my crystal ball away years ago in the ministry, but right now, these days, the ones I'm living are some of the best that I will have in my short life.
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