You WHAT? Yeah, I do!

When I first started the journey of home-schooling I dreaded the question, "You homeschool?", it was treated like the plague (homeschooling that is). Yes, I homeschool. What's it to you? I've gotten to where I respond in the friendliest matter I can, what happens next all depends on what the person says. "Different strokes for different folks." "What works for us, may not work for you." "Homeschooling works for us." "I've seen the village and I don't want it raising my kids." All of these are responses I've given someone at some time or another. They are my "go-to", as in DROP the subject. It is not up for negotiation. My children, my choice. I choose to homeschool.  But I have heard it all; "Are you sure you can do it?", "What happens when you send them to a "real" school?", "What happens if you fail your kids?", and one of my all time favorites, "What about making friends?" the whole socialization thing! UGH!

"Are you sure you can do it?"
Why yes, I am very sure I can teach my children. Why, I teach them everyday anyway. I've taught them many things. How do you think they learned their ABC's and 123's? How do you think they learned to say "please", "thank-you", and other respectful terms? To tie their shoes? Ride a bike? Open and close a door? Know their name? Address? Telephone number? It sure wasn't YOU (ignorant person acting like I can't teach my kids) Of course I can. I also taught them to pee and poop in the potty, not to dig their nose for gold, not to spit, to chew with their mouth closed, hold the door open for folks, not to speak to strangers, and to run naked in the yard. Hey! Everyone needs to have a good time, why not run naked (okay, okay, in our undies) in the sprinkler in the summertime? IT IS FUN! You see, I am quite capable of teaching my children the things they need to know and some I'm sure they don't. Things they wouldn't learn in a traditional school setting. ( I am not bashing a brick and mortar school, so do not take it that way.) This works for us and that's all that matters.

"What happens when you send them to a "real" school?" 
Um, last time I checked we are home-schoolers. School is EVERYWHERE. And it's just as "real" as going to an actual school. We do a lot of the same things. Just a tad different. We can do it in our PAJAMAS!

If the time comes and we choose to send our children to a brick and mortar school, they will adjust. It's not like they have been kept in a dungeon away from sunlight. They have friends, they can hold their own conversations. They will survive. If it comes to that. At this point, we are happy on our journey and intend on making no changes to what we are doing.

"What happens if you fail your kids?"
Okay, okay. You got me. I'm intentionally failing them. NOT! Every single parent (that's worth a shit) worries at some point on whether they are doing the right thing. Why am I a target to be asked this question over and over just because I keep my children home with me and I teach them? I will never understand it. I usually tend to respond to this question with the exact same question, "What happens if YOU fail your kids?" See. Not too happy are you that I questioned your abilities. So we will leave that one alone.

"What about making friends?"
The socialization thing is a whole blog in itself, which I will not get into today.