Thanksgiving\u2019s around the corner, and if you\u2019re a new homeschooler, that holiday conversations will revolve around one hot topic: Explaining Your Crazy Life to the Friends and Relatives.\u00a0 I\u2019ve been at this homeschooling business for a decade now, so my Thanksgiving route is composed of people who know all my answers, and have seen the positive impact of homeschooling on our kids.\u00a0 But only last winter, I had a run-in on the homeschooling topic at an office party.\u00a0 The conversation could have turned into a disaster.<\/p>\n
But it didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
Why not? Because there are some ways to explain your decision to homeschool that turn the conversation away from offense-defense arguments, and towards mutual understanding:<\/p>\n
1. Remember you aren\u2019t the only one in the room.<\/strong>\u00a0 Across the table is grandma, who sacrificed to send her child to the best school (or any school at all), and wonders how you could skip out on such an opportunity. Over in the corner is the fellow mom who isn\u2019t entirely happy with her kid\u2019s school, but doesn\u2019t have a better choice.\u00a0 And what about your cousin, who\u2019s spent years honing her skills as a professional educator, and knows how hard it is to teach well?\u00a0 Sure, there are a couple old cranks itching to pick a fight.\u00a0 But remember there are good-hearted, well-meaning folks listening to your conversation, and they\u2019re all dealing with their own struggles.\u00a0 Be gentle.<\/p><\/blockquote>\nmore<\/a>\u2013via Simcha Fisher, I think<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"applies to more issues than homeschooling! Thanksgiving\u2019s around the corner, and if you\u2019re a new homeschooler, that holiday conversations will revolve around one hot topic: Explaining Your Crazy Life to the Friends and Relatives.\u00a0 I\u2019ve been at this homeschooling business for a decade now, so my Thanksgiving route is composed of people who know all […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1071,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6501","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n
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