I have found that when you mention that you home school, there are two typical responses. One of which is, “Oh wow! I don’t know how you do it! Staying home 24/7 AND teaching?” or “That’s great, BUT don’t you worry about socialization?”
Sigh.
How do you respond to these statements?
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Man oh man, if I could home school I would. It’s only me though so I have to work. I have quite a few friends who do homeschool and their kids are just as smart if not smarter than kids who go to “regular” school. I think they do a great job. I remember being out at lunch with them and a person asked oh you get to stay home all day and homeschool, do they actually learn anything? And she (my friend) told them she has a well -rounded curriculum and that they complete all of their studies and excel. The socialization thing is something people often like to bring up but really, most homeschooling parents I know have kids in sports and/or church and/or group activities with other homeschooled kids so they get that “socialization” (which is highly overrated considering that the majority of kids in school get bullied).
Kudos to you for homeschooling!! It’s a really hard but worthwhile job and don’t let anyone make you feel bad about it ever!!
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Jean {What Jean Likes}
There is definitely a time when homeschooling is difficult and just plain doesn’t work at times. Thank you for your kind words, and for stoppin by! I’m getting back in the roll of things here in my lil corner with the new year 😉 I took a bit of time off last minute, but it was well needed! Blessings!
I don’t homeschool, but have great respect for those who have made that decision. I tried and realized that it was not for me and my family. My difficulty is when homeschooling parents don’t respect my decision. I don’t send my children to school for socialization and don’t think that it should be expected for homeschoolers as well. We send our kids to learn, which I know is why some choose to homeschool. I have lucked out with good schools and excellent teachers. If we didn’t have that I would persevere and try again.
Yes, it is difficult when either side does not respect the other. Each family must decide what is best for their children, no one else has the right to say yay or nay for someone else. Blessings!
I am glad that homeschooling worked well for you and is working for your children. It can be done well and it can be a good thing. I have not made the decision not to home school as a knee jerk reaction to a bad experience. (I actually did like being home schooled. The version I got just did not prepare me for life.) But I know myself and I know I would not be a good home school mom. I am always full of good intentions and I have a really hard time following through. I do not want my child’s education left up to me. I am pretty sure I would let things slide too often and she would suffer for it. Also she is a very social person. she NEEDS to be with other people. She asks me every day “where are we going?” and is disappointed if we are not going anywhere. So we will do what is best for her, and that is not homeschooling in our case.
As for home school co ops, yeah, we did that. there was a group of us that met at my church once a week and had classes. It was fun but I needed to be forced to interact with other people more than that. I was happy to stick my nose in a book and forget the rest of the world. and most of the other kids knew each other from other places, some went to church together, some took dance or drama together, or were part of another co op that met on another day, so I was already the outsider, and I was not the type of personality to break my way into a group. So I grew up with no close friends and no understanding of how relationships happen in the real world. I am finally learning how to be a friend, and I am in my 30s.
Who knows I may have been an outcast in a public or private school setting as well, I am really not trying to rain on your parade, If homeschooling is working for you and your kids great, go for it! and it does sound like you have a more balanced approach than what I was raised with.
I am sorry that your experience with homeschooling was not all you would have hoped for. It can be done incorrectly as you stated, I too have seen that first hand.
I did not plan on homeschooling my children growing up. I looked forward to working outside the home and them being involved with school and all the social aspects. Having a stepson that grew up going to public school through 4th grade, seeing what difficulties he faced daily, to being removed and placed in private school. Having friends whose kids could not read in 2nd grade and didn’t understand basic addition, have solidified my resolve in homeschooling as long as God makes it possible. I may not be the best home school mom, but I know that I am there for my child at a moment’s notice to explain a problem that they might not understand. This is something that they will not receive in a classroom of 20-30 children. I know my children are safe at home with me, they are not being bullied, and they have friends that have similar family values and likes.
My children love to be around people as well, and go and do things. I believe that is not always the best course of action for our family, so I enjoy being able to stay home more than go out and about.
This truly was not my plan when I was growing up, but it is what God has worked in me and our family. It’s amazing what He can do given time! 🙂 Blessings!
Hi! I’m stopping by from the No More Perfect Moms group – and I’m a homeschool mom, too (actually, I’m a hardcore advocate of homeschooling, lol). :^) Looking forward to getting to know you as we help Jill promote her book.
Tina
Thanks for stoppin by! 🙂 I’ll be sure to swing by your corner too! 🙂 I am so excited to get forward with that too! 🙂 Blessings!
As a product of the home school movement, I say be careful. I was home schooled from the start, all the way through high school, at the time I thought it was great. But as an adult, I find that I am very awkward socially. I just don’t fit anywhere, and I am clueless to so many social norms. There are also some rather large holes in my education, in the areas where my mom was not very confident. I do not plan to home school my children. I feel that homeschooling is one of many good options, and each family should consider their child’s needs and disposition, as well as their own skills and qualifications. Some people can do a great job at homeschooling, and others not so much. for some kids, it is what they need, for others not so much. I am not opposed to home schooling, but I do not think it should be represented as the only way, or as being the best way and if you send your kids to school you do not love them as much as the parents who keep theirs home. (not saying you have represented it this way, but I see this attitude a lot in home school circles.)
I too am a product of the “home school movement”. I loved being home schooled from Kindergarten through 12th grade. I have not stated that homeschooling is the only way to go, my 16 yr old son is enrolled in a private school, and my younger son went to private school for 1st grade. I do not feel that I or my children are lacking any socialization skills, we are very active in other activities outside of a school classroom. I would encourage you to talk to other parents that have their children in public and private school, prior to deciding that just because you were not thrilled with the homeschooling option that it is not right for your children. Sometimes what others feel our home schooled children “lack” are really things that they don’t need to be exposed to. There are many options for homeschooling as well nowadays. There are co-ops where parents teach subjects that they are strong in, that way anything you are “lacking” in they get to learn from someone else’s strengths. This also provides for socialization for the children as well. Tutoring is something that is offered at our local library, which is yet another option. Public schools often will allow home schooled children to take part in classes that some parents feel are difficult to cover at home such as; art, science, PE, etc.