I'm noticing a big change in people's perceptions of homeschooling from when I first started a few years ago. People definitely seem to be becoming more open minded about this nontraditional form of education, based on my observations of my own casual conversation with friends, family, and strangers. I'm really happy about this, because as a homeschooling mom with an entourage of children always surrounding me, conversations always turn to homeschooling. And it is really exhausting to constantly be defending what is already a very exhausting job. So you can imagine what a refreshing feeling it is when strangers, friends and family find merit in homeschooling while grilling you about it.
Just yesterday at the grocery store, a very sweet lady observed verbally how well mannered my children were. Pleased with how courteously they spoke to her, she asked where they went to school, and was visibly impressed when I said they are homeschooled. "How will they learn to interact with others," she asked me. And later that same day, at the library, a mother of a very unruly 8 year old was pretending not to notice as her son began pulling books off the shelf one by one and screaming "BAM!" as they fell. She looked wistfully at my son, almost the same age, politely asking the librarian for help in locating a specific book, and she asked what school he goes to. I told her he is homeschooled, and her eyes popped open in curiosity. "Most of the homeschoolers I know are really weird," she said, clearly impressed with my son.
Even once skeptical family members are coming around. I recently spoke to a cousin of mine, who originally thought and said that the idea of homeschool was insane, but now was more open to the idea. "Why do you do it," she asked me, "were you're kids having problems in school?" I was so happy about this turnaround in attitude that I opened up and told her about how I believe in the more natural setting of the home, and in a closer parent-child relationship, and the individualized learning. She listened without any judgement, and said, "I could never do it." Another family member is opening up to the idea as well, and told me during a phone call recently, "how much longer are you going to keep doing this?"
Most of my friends have been pretty open minded about it from the start. But I've noticed even more openness lately. For example, a close friend recently asked me what the kids do on a typical day. As I went through the daily routine, describing how it is different every day depending on the classes they are taking or the trips scheduled, my friend listened very intently. Her face lit up with interest when I described how after a few busy days in a row we usually take a "lazy day" and do only about an hour of basic learning and then spend the day at home relaxing and reading and baking and playing board games and building lego. She understood that school children lack this type of family-centered day on a constant basis, and she said, "some of my best childhood memories come from school." I have a feeling if she had children she would homeschool them too!
A fellow high school teacher whom I used to work with was recently telling me how lucky I am to be out of school and homeschooling my children instead. She described how, even in the private school where she works, the level of education is rapidly declining. She lamented about how the classes are getting more rowdy and difficult to control, and she expressed how she was concerned that these students were not learning even the basics of manners and courtesy. I think she really exemplified this feeling I have that there is more open mindedness towards homeschooling. I told her that I agree with her perception of traditional school, and that I am very happy with homeschool. It was really uplifting for me to have a school teacher praise homeschooling, and when she said, "eventually you will have to put them back in school, right?" I knew we've come a long way.
