Homeschooling?

Question

My daughters are home-schooled and socially they have alot of friends and are doing quite well. What do you say to people who say "she should really go to high school, she is going to miss so much" this one person bugs me about it all the time. so sick of listening to it! Need a good comeback for her for next time!

Answer 1

Ask her which parts of high school they'll miss out on. When she answers (prom, graduation, homecoming, whatever), just say, "Oh, I thought you were talking about the drugs, gangs, and sex parts."

Answer 2

If this is someone that is a friend...I would ask her what it is that your daughter will be missing? We know that it is not an education. When she says the dances, prom etc etc
Ask her to honestly tell you what her own experiences were. Did she have sex, drink do drugs etc? If she can honestly say no to those sorts of questions--then ask her if she thinks that high school is the same now as is was then. Anyway my point is to turn the question back on her and let her really think about it. My guess is that she is feeling like a lousy parent and can't stand the fact that you are so committed to your children

Answer 3

I was homeschooled through high school and I don't feel I missed anything except sex, drugs, alcohol, and all the other crap kids are influenced by today. Keep homeschooling--there's nothing better!

As for a good comeback, just say "She might be missing out the high school experience, but she is gaining more than she is missing."

Answer 4

I want to encourage you to continue to homeschool your daughters as long as you all know it is the right thing for your family. Your daughters are missing out on A LOT... thankfully! I won't go into details. Another responder already did.

I know how you feel about wanting a good comeback. I personally respond to such comments with "my children want to be homeschooled". Or I simply let them know that I am glad that they are missing out on many of those things. There's more good stuff they would miss out on if they were in school.
Good luck keeping your cool with nosy people!

Answer 5

I definitely agree with F.i.e.r.c.e. I was homeschooled every grade but one, and I know that I definitely didn't miss out on anything. In fact, I probably would have missed out on more if I hadn't been homeschooled. Yeah, I've heard a ton of people say that before...I would just ignore them. Most people who say that don't even have a correct concept of what exactly homeschooling is, so they have no room to talk. It has been proven that some of the best college students on campuses today were homeschooled.

Answer 6

Let this person know that yes, they are missing out on things: sex, drugs, peer pressure and schoolyard politics. If they bring up the prom, dances, graduation and other activities - remind them that many homeschoolers can participate in these activities with other homeschoolers. Many homeschooling associations offer these activites through their statewide yearly meetings or minimally - many local support groups offer dances and drop-offs for teens.

Yes, your children are sheltered from the types of things that make most teenagers unbearable. Your children enjoy your company and that of their family. They have friends with whom you not only approve of but with whose families you enjoy similar values. Homeschooling has been an enjoyable experience for you and your family, even against her beliefs. Then agree to disagree and not discuss it again.

Good Luck...

Answer 7

"Yes, you're right, there's a lot of stuff she'll miss out on. But she'll miss out on a lot of stuff if she goes to school, too."

People get this idea that there is little to be gained by homeschooling and that there is SOOOOOOOOOO much that will be missed out on. But it goes both ways: there are things about homeschooling that all schooled kids miss out on.

Furthermore, we are all missing out on something no matter what choice we make. I'm missing out on being a pilot and a biochemist or a doctor or a vet or... I'm missing out on all kinds of things because I'm home with my kids and not working getting that second income. But there's so much I'm NOT missing out on by being home with them and it's worth it, things I would miss out on if I went to work each day and sent the kids off to school.

If it's one person in particular, just say, "I've looked into this a lot and thought about it a lot and I've made my decision. I really don't like hearing you say the same thing about it all the time. I don't have a problem with you disagreeing with me, I just don't want to be pestered."

Answer 8

I've been home schooled all my life, and I really don't feel like I've missed out on anything. homeschooling gives you so much more freedom to do things, like Field trips, you get to decide whats best ,and you get to decide your schedule. Especially when your in high school,you gain so much more,because by having the freedom to choose the way you school you get to add things you usually wouldn't get at public or private schools. and that's so not true that your sheltering your child from the world, they can obviously see it around them, and you can easily teach them even more about it cause they have the resources and the ability to check it out.

Answer 9

Just say, " We agree to disagree on this matter." No comeback really need. Just plain honesty. You will not always agree with everyone, even friends and family.

Answer 10

Just tell her so what that you want to monitor every single aspect of your daughter's life and that yes, you do not trust your daugher to be in the world and start making her own decisions just yet.

Tell her yes when she gets to college she may perhaps go wild with her first experiences being with her own self.

Tell her perhaps when your daugher is 35 you'll begin to let her go and trust that she is capable of living life out from under your thumb.