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Molly Smith
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| Posted: Dec 28 2005 at 2:06pm | IP Logged
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I visited with an aunt and uncle, both MDs, right before Christmas. My uncle is a renowned heart surgeon, in fact. Up until last Thursday I thought they were two of the smartest people I knew.
Anyhoo, we were talking about homeschooling and they were obviously not on board. My aunt asked me, "How will they ever learn to relate to a large group of kids their own age?" After I picked my chin up off the floor I asked her when in her life is she in a room full of people her exact same age? She'd never thought of that  .
Here's the kicker: my uncle wanted to know how they would ever learn to raise a family. What?? That must earn some sort of prize as the most ridiculous thing anyone has ever said about homeschooling. I asked him how the schools can teach children how to raise family better than the actual experience of being part of a family. My aunt could tell things were getting heated so she changed the subject and my uncle left the room.
I'm happy to discuss our choice with family members, and am truly open to questions, but come on. You'd think being doctors themselves, and having two lawyers and a doctor as children, that they'd argue academics. Nope. Peers and family.
I dunno...I thought that was really strange.
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Molly Smith in VA
Mom to seven beautiful children, ages 1-14
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juliecinci
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| Posted: Dec 28 2005 at 2:26pm | IP Logged
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Rofl! That one takes the cake!
Let's list the funny things friends and family say about homeschooling. That could be a great thread...
Of course, we might want to take the survey at a school since school kids would surely know more than those of us at home. 
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Julie
Homeschooling five for fourteen years
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ShawnaB
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This one left me scratching my head:
A local kindergarten teacher asked me with sincere concern when she learned we were homeschooling our kindergartener, "How are his fine motor skills??? I have see this be a problem with homeschooled children...very poor fine motor coordination."
Maybe I'm dense, but I really failed to see the connection. Nevertheless, her concern was so genuine, all I could do was assure her that Ds seemed very competent when handling playdough and crayons!
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Shawna, wife of Jacob, mom to Abraham 8 Amelia 5 and Jillian & Jonathan age 3 years http://www.psalm121family.com
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Kathryn UK
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| Posted: Dec 28 2005 at 3:49pm | IP Logged
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My dd groans about the questions she gets asked by other children when she says she is homeschooled. The best one was "but where do you have lunch?" She was tempted to reply either that she goes to school just for lunch, or that she has lunch every day at McDonalds!
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Kathryn
Dh Michael,  Rachel(3/95) Hannah(8/98) Naomi(6/06)  (11/07)
The Bookworm
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Martha
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How about the neighbor who asked how I would ever be able to know how my children are developing if they are home taught?
huh?? Now that was a real head-scratcher, imo.
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Martha
mama to 7 boys & 4 girls
Yes, they're all ours!
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ladybugs
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One of the dads on Joseph's and Sophia's soccer team this past year sounded as if he wanted to start a debate on homeschooling when we first met. I had gone up to him and introduced myself. When he heard my name he said, "So...you're the one who homeschools..." Well, he was about 6'1" and I'm 5'4"...but I wasn't gonna take it...however, before I could respond to that query, he asked, "Wouldn't it just be easier to send your child to school?"
I responded with, "Just 'cause it's easier doesn't mean that what's best for my family."
He then started in about teaching sex education..."So, when you teach sex education is Joseph going to sit at the table with all the girls?" He then started laughing. Really, this was not an episode from The Twilight Zone. I then said, "You know, when questions about sex come up, they are handled with sensitivity and maturity."
At this point, his eyes kind of glazed over and I could tell that he either didn't get what I meant or that he knew he should stop...quite frankly, I don't think he got it.
Anyhow, the rest of the season went fine and I always made sure to say, "Hi!" to him whenever I saw him at the practices and games....
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Maria P
My etsy store - all proceeds go to help my fencing daughters!
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Sarah
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These listed above are funny. Mine aren't as good.
I once had a lady say (she was a teacher, and later a principal) that she thought hs-ing was great, BUT those kids that she knew who had been placed in school appeared oblivious to everyone else competing to get their work done first. Unfortunately they took their time and did it right, I guess.
I've had people say, "Oh, C'mon, give yourself a break!"
One neighbor kid snapped at one of my kids (he was 5 at the time!) when he didn't wait his turn for a drink out of the hose saying, "Wait your turn! WE learn that in SCHOOL, you know!"
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Six boys ages 16, 14, 11, 7, 5, 2 and one girl age 9
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MacBeth
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I always get this: "Oh, your kids are fine, but I know this other homescholing family, and their kids are really strange (or behind, or religious, or introverted...)." 
I wonder if they say the same thing about me to the others they know!
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MacBeth in NY
Don's wife since '88; "Mom" to the Fab 4
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Elizabeth
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The one that gets me laughing is when people ask how we motivate without competition.Clearly, these are people who have never been in my house. EVERYTHING is a competition around here. My boys once went into a public restroom and came out arguing about who peed the most !
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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Cindy
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I went to my neighbor's garage sale one day about 11:30 am.. she was ASTOUNDED that I could be outside without my kids during school hours and assumed I was on a 'lunch break'.
I didn't tell her my boys atm were eating brunch and reading the comics.
She went on to tell me what a super woman I was.. assuming I guess that I worked with them the same hours the ps had her kids. She is also into gazillions of activites, thus are her kids, so applying that to my family, she must have thought I was working hard.
She looked relived when I finally left and went back home.
I had WORK to do! lol
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Cindy in Texas
It Is About The Journey
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Martha
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Elizabeth wrote:
| The one that gets me laughing is when people ask how we motivate without competition.Clearly, these are people who have never been in my house. EVERYTHING is a competition around here. My boys once went into a public restroom and came out arguing about who peed the most ! |
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Oh thank goodness I'm not alone! I'll never forget my oldest 3 getting in afist fight with each other over who made the biggest poo in the toilet.  Gezz, where's the PC response for a parent to give for THAT in the parenting books?!
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Martha
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KC in TX
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| Posted: Dec 28 2005 at 10:22pm | IP Logged
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Martha wrote:
Elizabeth wrote:
| The one that gets me laughing is when people ask how we motivate without competition.Clearly, these are people who have never been in my house. EVERYTHING is a competition around here. My boys once went into a public restroom and came out arguing about who peed the most ! |
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Oh thank goodness I'm not alone! I'll never forget my oldest 3 getting in afist fight with each other over who made the biggest poo in the toilet. Gezz, where's the PC response for a parent to give for THAT in the parenting books?! |
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KC,
wife to Ben (10/94),
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Michaela ('01)
Emma ('03)
Jordan ('05)
And, my 2 angels, Rose ('08) and Mark ('09)
The Cabbage Patch
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: All time dumbest arguments...
