The homeschool population in America is as diverse as Americans themselves. Parents choose to homeschool for many different reasons, but one thing is certain; if you have chosen to educate your children at home, you are frequently asked why you do it.
Despite the rising number of homeschoolers in the United States, your family still stands out from the crowd. Here are some tips to help you explain your decision to others.
Form a mission statement
Companies and organizations use mission statements to paraphrase their purpose and goals to others. When organizations take on new projects, write grants, or plan public relation campaigns, they use their mission statement as a jumping off point. This makes sense, both for planning and maintaining a positive image. This same technique can work for homeschooling parents.
Creating a simple mission statement will not only help you achieve your educational goals, but you can also use it as a starting point when discussing homeschooling with curious strangers. A mission statement can be as simple as, “Our goal is to create an academically challenging program for our kids while giving them time to study what interests them." The mission statement is a short, concise, and very useful tool when you are standing in line at the supermarket.
Focus on the positive
No parent wants to feel like the choices they've made for their own children are wrong. Instead of talking about all the reasons you've chosen to keep your kids out of school, focus on what makes homeschooling a good choice for your family.
Talk about your teen's dual credit studies, or your toddler's obsession with watercolors. Even if you strongly believe that bullying, drugs, and peer-pressure are good reasons not to send your kids to public school, keep it to yourself. Focusing on these negative aspects of public school will only make others feel bad.
Don’t compare
The majority of children in the United States attend public school. In many cases, you are homeschooling because you believe it offers your children a superior education to the public school system. Instead of talking about case-studies and statistics that prove homeschooling is a better choice, talk about your day and what you love about your personal situation.
Set an example
Parents will often say things like, “I could never homeschool,” or worse, “I could never be with my kids all day.” That’s okay. Homeschooling is not for everyone. Organizing dual credit studies, planning assessments, and writing lesson plans are a lot of work. So why do you do it? Because it is a gift that has been given to you and your family. Because you know these days won't last forever. Enjoy these moments that you have with your kids and the beauty of homeschooling will speak for itself.
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