We are down to the last days of practice for my middle daughter's play. This means long practices that run well after the time they are supposed to. It is to be expected. Everything needs to be perfect, and that takes time.
So, as I am standing out in the cold, I started talking to a lady who was also waiting for her children.
We made small talk, just idle chit-chat really. Then...it came around to the fact that I homeschool my kids.
The lady began to inform me of all the reasons why she was against homeschooling. About how the children wouldn't learn anything, how the Moms used their time to shop, about how the children who are homeschooled were missing out on so much, and were probably not very socialized. Her list went on and on. She told me that she had never seen a homeschool family who took their childrens' education seriously. Granted, she did not know very many of them.
I was so glad that I had decided to do a blog series about homeschooling, because all of my (very polite) come-backs were already on the tip of my tongue :) This was definitely not the first time that I have had to defend our decision to homeschool. Nor, as sure as I am that the sun (God willing) will rise in the morning, will it be the last.
I explained to her the reasons why we choose to homeschool our girls, how many different things they are involved in, and how they were NOT lacking in the social department. I told her that my girls have been tested (although I am not required in my state to do so) and they are far above their grade level. I mentioned all of the many benefits of homeschooling, and why we loved doing it.
I told her how it allowed us to travel freely, and to do school on OUR time schedule.
By the end of our conversation, she actually seemed to re-think her position on homeschooling, and even admitted that she could see some benefits of it. She admitted that it would be nice not to have to worry so much about peer pressure and how it would be great for the kids not to have hours of homework to do every night.
I felt like I was an ambassador for homeschoolers everywhere. That maybe, just maybe, by giving her a small glimpse into what it is really like to homeschool, I may have helped her to see all homeschoolers in a whole new light.
Mission accomplished.
OMGoodness-you go girl with 'bitin' the tongue. I can just imagine. Patience is a virtue :) And that's from a NON-homeschooler (at this point anyway).
ReplyDeleteI'm not opposed to public schooling-it's a blessing, especially to those who don't have the means/knowledge/where-how to even know where to begin, let alone when it was first introduced into our country-wow-awesome blessing! But, that said, it's important to be aware of cultural perceptions that we begin to deem as 'truths,'(not necessarily God truth.) Public schooling being one of them.
Just because something has been done for 'so long' doesn't make it an 'exact.' I believe the pendulum swings too far on both sides of this topic-people either feel strongly for it, or against it-even in the church. Interesting.
But the way in which you handled that situation was awesome and encouraging-once again, 'to be slow to speak.' I could have used that spiritual discipline over the weekend-ouch! ;D
Thanks, Rebecca :) I am not "anti-public school". I am just "pro-homeschool". It is the right decision for our family. I don't pretend that it is for everyone, though I think that if you really want to do it, there is always a way!
ReplyDeleteI think that some people just don't realize what it is like to homeschool. Or, maybe like this lady, they have only been exposed to a few homeschoolers who left a bad impression on them, and made it harder for those of us who are really and truly educating our children.
Sounds like you changed her mind and that's a good thing. I could not believe all that she said to you knowing that you homeschool your girls. I have always admired people who homeschooled their children. I would not have the patience or the smarts to do that.
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