Questions & Doubters

Yesterday, I was once again asked The Question. I have a son who recently turned five, and people are very interested in where he’ll be going to school and when he starts. Everyone seems to have lots of opinions.

I always answer resolutely, “He’s already in school. We’re homeschooling.”

Reactions vary after that. Some people are enthusiastic; others don’t care. Some get downright irritated (and I’ll admit—sometimes their reactions irritate me! But I am starting to develop a thick skin about the whole thing). However, almost everyone says one or more of the following comments:

“I don’t know how people can homeschool! How can you stand being with your kids all day?”

“Aren’t you worried he isn’t going to learn anything?”

“He’ll never have any friends that way.”

“Is that even legal?”

“Do you homeschool all of your kids? How can you do that?”

             “What made you decide to do a thing like that?”

It is important to remember that people who ask these questions usually do so out of a genuine concern for the children. There is significant misinformation out there about homeschooling, and every homeschooler is confronted by some misinformed person at some point or another. Some of us are more fortunate than others, and do not experience much confrontation. Others encounter it from all sides—family, friends, acquaintances, and passersby.

The way these questions are answered depends on the individual family. However, it is generally wise to have your answers prepared before the questions arise. I have been caught off-guard a few times and one or two ill-meaning adversaries have taken advantage of my surprise. Now that I have experienced significant opposition, I am prepared for the comments that people make.

One of my favorite ways of answering homeschool doubters is to have my five-year-old begin explaining what he has learned recently. They can usually tell by his vocabulary that he's a smart kid. However, I haven’t always been able to push the answer off to him.

One of my favorite techniques is to argue with myself. I wrote my reasons down and argued with myself. It can be very beneficial to see your ideas on paper. It gives you the chance to identify and clarify any points that seem weak. Challenge your own statements. Arguing with yourself may sound stupid, but may make you sound a lot smarter when you are approached by naysayers.

   

How do you handle questions and doubters?