Going out of the house with my kids in school hours.

[Joannette]

Hi! When I have to do something out of the house with my kids in school hours, most of the people look at us like I'm an alien or something strange. When we start to "homeschool" we went to the store near by and two old men were behind us, they were talking to each other of why my kids were not in school. That makes me so angry because It's not of their business and they didn't even know me. That was 2 years ago and sometimes when I feel a little touchy I think twice to go out and prefer doing it after 2pm. I want to know if someone pass through this or something similar.

[Joni Zander]

"The question that throws me is "what grade is he/she in?" Um, I don't remember, is it time to file paperwork again? I'll have to look that up. Saying "we homeschool" doesn't seem to answer the question, nor does mentioning my kids' ages."

And then I get the opposite. When I ask other parents how old their kid is, they tell me their grade level. So I smile and ask again, "so how OLD are they?" It's almost like they don't remember how old their kid is and EVERYTHING revolves around school for them.

Of course, when someone asks what grade my kids are in, I say something along the lines of, "well, she's 12, but I don't know what grade she'd be in." The last time I jokingly said, "oh grades are for meat and eggs" I was unknowingly talking to two teachers! They didn't think it was funny!

[Joni Zander]

"People must see us in our pajamas or sweats at lunchtime or later and think I do NOTHING all day...;)"

Is that right after, or just before they say, "you have your hands full"? LOL

[Joni Zander]

People tend to respond to your confidence. If you answer, "we homeschool" (or unschool if you are feeling up to an explanation) with strong posture and smile on your face while looking them in the eye, most people will leave it. But if you sheepishly tell them you homeschool, they will question your decision.

[Regina]

I go through this too! I usually don't go out "during the day" when other kids are at school. We usually wait till about 3 to do anything out of the house unless it's close to the house. And if anyone does saw anything I try to smile and say "we homeschool". I have actually gotten a congrats from one lady who then went on about how we "have to" stick to a government approved program" and was so proud of herself. We left asap smiling and nodding. I love unschooling, but have been ridiculed for it too many times.

[Melissa]

"Just smile and wave boys, smile and wave...."

[Heidi Snavley]

Not that we always have time to explain our choices, but I have had a lot of wonderful conversations with people when I take the time to explain unschooling and I have had very little opposition. Most people think it is a pretty cool way to live and makes sense. It seems to really intrigue people.

"I was unknowingly talking to two teachers!"

I find that teachers are the MOST receptive. They see what the system is doing to kids. They see those empty gazes and complete lack of passion and interest, the drudgery that has arisen from public school. We have had GREAT conversations with teachers, especially when we were traveling around the US and running into retired teachers. Most of them thought we were giving our kids a wonderful gift in unschooling them.

[Debbie Penley]

My hubby loves this line :)

[Sandra Dodd]

-=- From time to time I've written notes for him - a sort of "permission slip" - so he could be out of my sight at a park or hang out in the parking lot while I went into a store, without getting picked up for truancy.-=-

OH! When my kids were younger and wanted to go to the mall or a movie and I wouldn't be there, I would write something like a hall pass. On a 3x5 card I would write that they were homeschooled and were [wherever] with my permission, and put my name and phone number. I don't think they were asked or used those, but it did make me feel a whole lot better.

In New Mexico it's illegal for teens to buy spray paint, so lots of places have it locked up. Keith and I were in an older hardware store a few weeks back and they had a long row of spraypaint cans right out in the open. The fact that it surprised me is indicative of how long it's been illegal, I guess.

A couple of times I've let my kids out at an R rated movie, and made sure they had money, and driven off (and had to go back). Once a theater let Marty and his friend in because I talked to the manager and bought the tickets my own self (after the kids chased me though the parking lot to say it was R rated). I had to see something I didn't want to see with Holly, in a similar situation.

It just doesn't work to give a kid a 3x5 card that says "It's okay with me if my kids buy spray paint and go to R-rated movies." Unschoolers are still subject to laws and all... :-)

[Mary K.]

In our area, there is a very large homeschooling community. Lots of families are out during the day (of course, the best time to be out). We don't get questioned very often, but when we do my daughter's (14) first response is always "We are unschoolers." This always brings more questions and she explains it very well. They sometimes ask what grade she is in, or when we will start "school". Once in a while, school at home families will ask about unschooling. They dont really understand it. It is fun to see all the different reactions though.

[Joannette]

=)"I find that teachers are the MOST receptive"=)

When I explained to my kids teachers (almost retired teachers) that I was going to HS them, the three of them said, "That's the best thing you can do for your kids" & "Here at school they're waste too much time". One of them told me that she once thought about HS her kids but she needed the money.

[Melissa]

We get that all the time here. And if I say I homeschool..half the time they wonder why we aren't at home with me teaching him then. I wish people wouldn't be so judgemental.

[Katherine]

---One of them told me that she once thought about HS her kids but she needed the money.---

Oh that's sad.