Hope For Homeschoolers

It is easy for public schooling mamas to feel awkward around home schooling mamas.  Many times, I have been engaged in conversations with one of more home schooling parents, and have noticed the other parents looking a little bit uncomfortable.  After all, we are having picnics, park days, world fairs, reading great literature, and going on wonderful field trips.  This is our lives, and it’s hard not to discuss it in front of others.  Usually, when the public schooling parent chimes in, the conversation degenerates to how tired and busy she is because of all of the demands that the school places on her and her family.  Of course, our obvious response is, “Why don’t you home school?”

Public school teachers feel the need to defend their professions, but in my opinion, the teachers are just the employees.  They didn’t create the system, the government or the school policies.  However, there are a lot of teachers out there right now that don’t love their jobs and don’t love children.  Consequently, the ones that do take their jobs seriously, are given a bad name by the others.  Also, they don’t realize just how many times we, as home schoolers are offended by public school teachers.  If they did know, then they would not feel so defensive when it happens to them.  My oldest daughter once overheard two teachers talking badly about her.  One teacher was vehemently opposed to home schooling, and the other teacher apparently tried not to give an opinion one way or the other.  I’m assuming that the vicious one thought that my child was too uneducated to understand her lazy Texas accent, and couldn’t possibly know that she was talking about her.

At our last picnic, one of the mothers said that she has to stop herself from literally gloating or laughing at some of her worn out, public schooling friends.  Why would anyone want to put themselves through all of that stress on purpose, and why would they want that for their children?  It’s understandable that some mothers, especially those that work outside the home, may not see home schooling as an option, but for the majority of families, it is a choice.   What is most funny is when public schooling mothers complain over and over again about their child’s school, teachers,tests, etc. and then look innocently at you and say, “Oh, I could never homeschool.  My daughter LOVES school.”  Tell me another joke.  Some children do love school, and there is nothing wrong with that, but if you have a complaint and aren’t willing to fix the problem, then you are just talking to hear yourself talk.

I will leave you with a thought.  If you are homeschooling, try to be gentle around your public schooling friends.  They don’t understand what you are doing, and why you love it so much, because they have never tried it.  When public schoolers offend you, try to blow it off.  After all, if you are easily offended, it will just prove their point that we are a bunch of hippie, religious weirdos that like to challenge everything.  Therefore, try to set an example for others so that if they find themselves having to make the decision to home school or not, they will think of the nice families that they know, that might be able to help them with their efforts.

Have a Great Day!

Laurel Santiago

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