Homeschool Done the Simple Way!

Homeschool Discrimination and Stigmas: Fantasy or Reality?

One -

FANTASY: a neighbor was caught telling lies to my friends, saying that I left my kids home alone for days on end. She later admitted that she was uncomfortable with the fact that I homeschooled and made the story up.

REALITY: We were living on campus housing while I finished my undergraduate degree. I had zero money to go out nor did I have the desire to. I was studying to get into grad school at the time and believe me, partying was not my top priority. My kids were 14 and 7 at the time, so if I wanted to let my oldest babysit so I could go out and dance on tables for dollars, personally that was my business, not hers. But what can you do-people are ignorant. Homeschool discrimination is real.

Two -

FANTASY: Graduate students who want to be scientists should NOT have extra time in their day to homeschool. If I had that much spare time, I should be working harder.

REALITY: I went to work at 4 AM just so I could have time at the end of my 10 HOURS a DAY in the lab to homeschool my kids. I left voluntarily and found another institution to complete my Masters. Homeschool discrimination is real.

I have a few more but why even bring it up? People will look at your funny, ask you stupid questions, and assume that your kids aren't "properly socialized" (Or as that crabby bitter redhead on The View likes to put it, are "Demented". Thanks for the Joy, Joy.)

You may be turned into social services for no good reason, it happens all the time, just go check out the HSDLA website. And that is why I support them with my money every year. Sure it could happen to me and I could need their services, but more appropriately - many people think homeschool should be outlawed (and in many countries it IS!). HSLDA is there to protect my freedom to parent as I see fit.

So when you start getting looks from "concerned" friends and family, you can fight them with statistics, you can laugh it off, you can ask them if they want some bean dip, or you can ignore them.

It is up to you.

I would ignore them unless they got insulting, then I'd sweetly ask what their children did in school today...or what their opinion is on constructivist math... I'd follow that up with a question on why the National Education Association promotes it and how do they feel when less than 60% of kids at the average public school meet "the all important standards"?

Or I might smile and say my 11 year old speaks Japanese...and by the way... we aren't Japanese.

And if none of that works, then go watch this video made by a homeschooler for her mom! It really shows how frustrateing it is for homeschoolers to be subjected to some of the most idiotic, as well as COMPLETELY inappropriate comments.