Have you ever had that conversation?

If your reading this and your a homeschooler, I am certain that you have had "the conversation" with a concerned relative, friend, co-worker, acquaintance, or could this really happen, a STRANGER.

You know the conversation I'm talking about.  It might start something like this. 
"So what are you teaching Hannah?"  I answer the question in great detail because I am a proud Mama and homeschooler.  I explain how she is doing mostly second grade work and that she would only be doing first grade work if she were in school.  (I'm expecting a compliment now, but what I said was basically ignored.)  "How do you know she's learning what she is supposed too, if she  was in school you would know."  "She is learning what I want her to learn"  I respond.  That answer is only good enough for another homeschooler, so I add "I use the Scope and Sequence as a guide, I can also go to the CT Department of Education and compare what she's learning to what they learn in public school."  "Who regulates you, you must report to someone right?"  "Actually, since I live in CT, I am one of the lucky homeschoolers, I don't have to report to anyone!"  I reply smiling.  (Big mistake)  "I don't like that at all"  responds the relative.  "You should all be regulated.   You know how lazy most homeschoolers can be.  There should be a law."   (count to 5, take a deep breath, remember I respect this person, he is my elder)  "Actually I do not know any lazy homeschoolers.  If we were lazy, why would we keep our children home with us all day, juggle schooling, cleaning, cooking, running a household, errands, volunteering, and just living in general, when we could send them to school and have much more time to sit on the couch and eat bon-bons?"  "Oh, I know that your not lazy and you teach your children, but what about the people who don't care?  They let the kids just play all day.  Those people."  "Again, I don't know those people, do you?"  "I hear stuff about homeschoolers."  "Most homeschoolers stay home full time and sacrifice an income to teach their children.  They must care.  It's not easy living on a tight budget and going without the fancy technological gadgets and other material things that most people must have.  We do it though, because we want to give out children something better.  We want them to be able to THINK, to be able to find information, to find the answers, not just to memorize them.  We want them to have a love of learning and a curiosity about everything, most importantly, we want them to question everything not just to accept what others tell them and we want them to lead, not to follow.

"Well, you know, your cousin, who is a public school teacher, told me that every time a
homeschooler goes back to school, they are way behind the other children.  They just can't keep up.  What are they  supposed to do when they get to college if they can't keep up in elementary school?" 

(If my cousin, who is a public school teacher, said it, it must be true.?!?)  My response "First of all, most homeschoolers pull their kids out of school, not enroll them.  Maybe if there is an emergency or tragedy in their family they might put the kids back in school because they have no choice.  Sometimes a family realizes that homeschooling isn't for their family.   I'm sure that occasionally a homeschooler might be behind, especially if they were following a different curriculum  than the school.  Through research, and study after study, some even conducted by the U.S. Department of Education, it has been proven that most homeschoolers are actually way ahead of their public school counterparts.  (Anyone doubting this, please do the research, read the studies, they are everywhere, do not just take my word for it.)

Lastly, about the college question.  Our homeschool group had a meeting a while back with one of the local colleges.  The college told us that they LOVE Homeschoolers.  Homeschoolers excel at their school.  They accept homeschoolers as young as 13 oe 14.  They have had many homeschoolers complete their college credits during the high school years and get a jump start on their future.

Now, the relative you were talking to is stumped.  They either don't believe you or they start asking more questions.  Either way my fingers are tired and I am almost done typing. 

If you have survived this conversation without losing your temper or getting flustered, great job.  There will probably be many more in your future.  If your not a homeschooler and you read this, please learn something from it.  Who knows maybe it will prevent you from having this conversation with a homeschooler that you know.