The criticisms. The analytical questions. If you have chosen to homeschool then it is inevitable that you will be faced with opposition.
Whether it’s your own parents who call midday to see if you are really “doing school” or the friend who always feels the need to quiz your kids, there will always be those who flat out disagree with your decision to homeschool. The naysayers do exist.
We just can’t let them get to us. When we start worrying about what other people are thinking of us then scenarios can often play out in our mind trying to defend ourselves even before anyone utters a slightly opposing word.
Don’t Assume You Know What Others are Thinking
When you think about those in your life who have hinted negatively about your decision to homeschool, don’t make up conversations in your head about how you’ll defend yourself next time. This is dangerous. You try to defend, in your mind, what you think they are going to say next time you see them. You prepare a well thought out, powerful defensive agreement in favor of homeschooling. Then, when you see them next, those anticipated words never leave their mouth. Your time is valuable. It is precious. Use any free moment you have to think about things that are pure and lovely and true. Formulating future conversations that will probably never happen are none of the above and simply waste your time.
Don’t Be Concerned With What They Actually Are Thinking
Yes, you will run into the old lady in the grocery store who thinks you are depriving your child of a good, quality, government education. Honestly though, who cares what she thinks? It’s just a random old lady. Seriously. Why do we worry about what absolute strangers think of us? We might not always admit that we care but when we are trying so hard to juggle the daily pressures of the homeschooling life, when we step out into public the last thing we are in the mood for is criticism. The funny thing is, twenty people could compliment us on how well behaved our children are but if one person makes a semi-negative remark that same day, that is the comment we dwell on. Once we get to the point that we honestly don’t care what others think then we will be much more pleasant to be around and more of a blessing to those that we run into!
Be Confident In Who You Are As A Homeschooler
It may seem weird that salmon swim upstream. Although once they reach their destination, their spawning ground, onlookers are amazed that they were able to get there. Why can’t they just be like all the other fish? Why can’t they be normal? We might wonder, at times, why we have to be so unusual going against the flow of current societal norms. Just remember what we are aiming towards. Think about what we hope for our children’s future by investing in them now. Be confident in the decision you made and stick with it even when the going gets tough.
Think of How You Can Help Others
Rather than focusing on your own insecurities, look for ways you can encourage other homeschooling families that are struggling. Maybe they can’t afford curriculum for next year; loan them your old lesson plans. They might just need to be reminded that they are on the right track. Invite them over for dinner and spend some quality time sharing your joys and difficulties of homeschooling, together. Even if we feel alone in our endeavors as homeschoolers, we are not. Sometimes looking to the needs of others can help us forget about our own insecurities and help us remember who we are!
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Thank you for the clear and positive advice!