How to Handle Criticism of Homeschooling

I went to the homeschool store yesterday to purchase some curriculum for our new homeschool year. In our city, the homeschool store is one of the best places to meet and socialize with other homeschooling families.

We're starting our sixth year of homeschooling, so not much fazes me anymore, but one mother there was just starting her second year, and her children were still quite young.

She was frustrated because for her, another year of homeschooling meant another year of friends and family criticizing her choice to educate her children at home. She was the only person in her group of friends who homeschooled, and her family wasn't supportive either.

She felt very alone, but the truth is, almost every family who homeschools faces these same criticisms and challenges. In fact, after fives years of successful homeschooling, people still ask me when I'm going to send my children to a "real" school!

If you're feeling alone in your homeschool journey, it's very important to connect with other homeschooling families. You can ask if your local library or church offers programs for homeschoolers. Find out if there are any homeschool support programs in your area. Homeschooling is a wonderful lifestyle, but it can be difficult to go it alone. Make sure you get the support you need.

When you're with people who question your decision to homeschool, try not to bring the topic up. I used to talk about the things we were doing as part of my children's education, but people would either not listen to what I said, or else they would criticize our activities – which only discouraged me more.

The most important thing you can do when you're faced with criticism about homeschooling is teach your children at home the very best you can. When people see how well-adjusted and happy your children are, over time they will discover for themselves that homeschooling really was the right choice for your family.

And perhaps they will consider it as an option for their family too.

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Denise Willms is a homeschooling mom of two, and owner of WAHM-Articles.com. You can find more information on homeschooling at www.learnhowtohomeschool.com

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