Kick Off Your Homeschool Year

It’s hard to believe that we still have to deal with homeschool naysayers, but they’re out there, aren’t they?

The truth is, there will always be critics no matter what you do, and if you’re a homeschooling family. Lucky you! You’ve probably had to handle homeschool naysayers at one point or another.

100 Ways to Silence the Homeschool Naysayers

Although the choice to homeschool has become more mainstream in recent years, you can bet there will always be someone who doesn’t get it. Homeschool naysayers come in all shapes and sizes. They could be your friends, family, or just a good ‘ole fashioned random stranger. Either way, it’s important to be prepared for those moments when the naysayers are out.

Respond with kindness.

Give others the benefit of doubt. Often times, people are just curious about the homeschooling and have a poor way of showing it.

Embrace being different.

More and more parents are turning to homeschool, but it’s still not the norm. Let go of insecurities and be confident in your family’s choice.

Share your success stories.

It’s always a shock to the homeschool naysayers when they learn we’ve been at it for over a decade and have one son in college. Be proud of your successes. Homeschooling is possible!

Turn the table.

Why don’t people ask public school parents the same weird questions they ask homeschooling parents? Try asking homeschool naysayers you encounter some of those silly questions. Do they worry about socialization?

In a perfect world, parents will be able to do what they feel is best for their kids without facing any judgment. Until then? Here’s a mega list for the next time you need to silence the homeschool naysayers.

(Let’s just say you’ll never be caught off guard by critics again!)

Homeschool Naysayers

1. I don’t want my kids falling through the cracks of the public school system.
2. My kids have different learning styles and we need the flexibility of homeschooling.
3. I’m thankful for the freedom to study any subject we want.
4. My kids are learning how to study and research.
5. I’m not judging you for sending your kids to public school, so please don’t judge me for my choice to keep my kids home.

6. Textbooks limit learning to the same old facts.
7. Standardized tests are not a true measure of ability.
8. I want my children to be treated like students and not just a test score.
9. I don’t have faith in a system where the teachers aren’t valued.
10. There’s no better place for a child to learn than home.

11. Classrooms are overcrowded.
12. We never have to worry about the car line or bus stop.
13. Homeschooling is what’s best for our family.
14. Now that my kids are older we take our work with us to the coffee shop.
15. Standardized testing causes so much stress and anxiety in our young kids.

16. We love being able to take family vacations without being tied to a school calendar.
17. I don’t want my kids worried about school shootings.
18. My kids are able to mature at their own pace.
19. Homeschooling fosters creativity.
20. I don’t have to worry about what my kids are learning.

Thank goodness I was never sent to school: it would have rubbed off some of the originality. ~ Beatrix Potter

21. Homeschooling makes it easy to follow passions and turn them into areas of study.
22. We don’t have to deal with bullies.
23. Or drugs!
24. My kids don’t have to worry about the stress of peer pressure or trying to “fit in”.
25. I’m able to offer one-on-one instruction.

26. We are able to cover the same material in a fraction of the time it takes to cover in the classroom.
27. My kids are far apart in age and would never see each other if it weren’t for homeschooling.
28. We get to make weekend breakfast every day.
29. We’re never running late in the morning.
30. My kids are growing up together instead of living on different schedules.

31. I’ll never get this time back and I’m thankful.
32. We get to expose our children to the world on our own terms.
33. Homeschooling has helped our family to work together as a team.
34. I want my kids to learn more about life than what public school will teach them.
35. Homeschoolers are being accepted by colleges and universities nationwide.

36. We get to do projects and experiments as a family.
37. I love that we can impart values and beliefs into our studies.
38. There is a growing demographic of homeschooling families.
39. Homeschool families reduce the burden on taxpayers by an estimated $27 billion annually.
40. It’s nice to be able to focus on life skills students aren’t learning in the classroom.

41. State standardized testing benefits the schools not the student.
42. Homeschooling makes it possible to build long-term friendships as opposed to controlled “socialization”.
43. My older children are learning how to teach through learning with younger siblings.
44. We’re not limited to textbooks.
45. Thankfully, “Common Core” is not a common phrase in our home.

There is no school equal to a decent home and no teacher equal to a virtuous parent. ~ Gandhi

46. We get to make more memories as a family.
47. My kids are able to dig deeper or go in a different direction if that’s where learning leads.
48. My teenager was able to find a great part-time job due to his schedule flexibility.
49. I want to keep my kids from the stress I dealt with at public school when I was growing up.
50. Homeschooling provides a platform for my kids to be problem solvers.

51. Homeschooling has provided a flexible schedule for my high schooler to complete volunteer hours needed for scholarship applications.
52. Busy learners can stand, jump, and move around as needed.
53. My kids aren’t immediately labeled when they’re struggling.
54. Homeschooling has prepared my college-aged kids for managing their own time and schedule.
55. We aren’t bound to the public school schedule, which is primarily built upon county transportation needs, not the needs of students.

56. We are able to offer a calm, peaceful learning environment.
57. People have been successfully educating their kids at home for decades.
58. Customizing our education has been so awesome.
59. We love learning through field trips.
60. There is more time for hands-on learning.

61. My kids get more time with grandparents and extended family.
62. We have the option to travel any time of year.
63. Our family cherishes the extra meal times we have together.
64. We’ve learned so much about teamwork through homeschooling.
65. If we need a day off, we take one!

6. We get to read whatever we want.
67. My kids aren’t witnessing any physical abuse or bullying at home.
68. We’ve been able to educate our kids about sex, relationships, and marriage in a safe and loving environment.
69. We don’t have to fight weekend crowds.
70. I get to teach my kids through everyday tasks like shopping, cooking, and cleaning.

I suppose it is because nearly all children go to school nowadays and have things arranged for them that they seem so forlornly unable to produce their own ideas. ~ Agatha Christie

71. I will never regret the extra time I got with my kids.
72. Coasting through the system with C’s and minimal understanding or retention is not OK with me.
73. We don’t have to teach to the test.
74. My kids aren’t forced to be anywhere they don’t feel safe.
75. We have built a strong family foundation homeschooling through hard times.

Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school ~ Albert Einstein

76. We get to play music really loud during class.
77. We can literally take our school anywhere!
78. My kids have learned how to interact with all age groups.
79. There’s never any busy work or wasted time.
80. We never have to stress with late-night homework.

81. Our pets love having their humans home during the day.
82. We are able to place a greater emphasis on music and art.
83. I’m doing my best to give my kids what they need.
84. My senior is able to spend time focusing on college and scholarship applications.
85. I’m able to customize our schedule to fit the needs of my kids.

86. We’re not dependent on state-funded resources.
87. My kids are able to move through each subject at their own pace.
88. We’re able to do science experiments every day.
89. My teenagers work more productively with a later sleep schedule than public school allows.
90. There’s nothing better than an empty movie theatre on a weekday afternoon.

91. It’s been a huge learning experience for our family.
92. My younger children have learned so much from learning alongside their older siblings.
93. I get to sit and have coffee with my kids instead of rushing out the door.
94. We can really dive into a subject or area of study through food, history, movies, etc.
95. I love that we can focus on character and values in our studies.

96. Homeschooling has taught my kids to be independent thinkers.
97. My kids grow up learning that it’s OK to be different and go “outside the box”.
98. We can take a creative approach to learn.
99. Our family has more time together.
100. Homeschooling is awesome!

How do silence the homeschool naysayers? What would you add to the list?

You’ll love these other tips and grab some of my other 100 round ups:

• Socialization – A Homeschool Hallucination?
• 3 Ways You’re Making Homeschool Harder Than It Has to Be
• How Do I Socialize My Homeschooled Kids? Are We Really Talking About this AGAIN?
• 100 Brilliant STEM Activities Using Everyday Items
• 100 BEST Books for Kids from all 50 States (Easy Geography)
• A to Z List: 100 Fun Summer Homeschool Unit Study Ideas
• 100 BEST Ideas to Organize Your Homeschool Area – Storage, Spaces, and Learning Places
• 100 Easy & Fun Ancient Civilization Hands-on Projects

This blog hop is organized by iHomeschool Network, a collaboration of outstanding homeschool bloggers who connect with each other and with family-friendly companies in mutual beneficial projects.

Click the image below to visit all the other blog articles from the homeschool moms of the iHomeschool Network.
Hugs and love ya,