Homeschool Confrontation
I sometimes read homeschooling blog articles talking about how to deal with criticism when you are out with your kids during school hours. I always thought that my kids were still little and I didn’t have to worry about that yet… Wrong!
Yesterday I had the boys with me while I had a blood test appointment at the Health Department. One of the first things the intake clerk said to my boys was “shouldn’t you be in school?”
I was shocked. All of those articles tell you how to answer if the person talks to you but never warned me that I had to coach my kid on how they should answer if confronted directly. Thankfully Shammy was quick to reply with “I home school” and I then pointed at Zen and said “he is too little for school”.
At first I could see in her face that she was judging and didn’t like the answer, then she went on the stereotypical quiz the child mode that so many adults seem to do when they run into a homeschooled kid.
After Shammy successfully passed her test and then without prompting proceeded to read one of the Ebola information signs on the wall her tune changed to “how old is he again? OMG how did you teach him to read? My 5 year old barely knows his alphabet, any tips of what I can do?”
By then end of our brief interaction she agreed that Shammy would be bored beyond tears if he were in Pre-K per his age and confessed she was amazed at how well he could read and do math at 4.
While I feel that she now has a better opinion of homeschooling based on our brief encounter. I can’t help but feel annoyed that my kid had to be tested on the spot to satisfy the curiosity of a stranger. Based on what I read on other blogs I may have to get used to it but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.
Have you dealt with this? How did you handle it?
07/02/2017 @ 6:38 pm
How did you start teaching reading? I am unsure which method to use..or which books. I was going to get hooked on phonics. Do you have any suggestions?
07/02/2017 @ 6:47 pm
I found reading to them to be very important, also instilling a love for books. I reward my kids with books when many other parents reward with a toy so they have an extensive library to choose from.
Buying “Readers” of whatever topic they are into (superheroes, LEGO, Star Wars, etc) helps.
Shammy learned a lot of sight-words just from me reading the same books over and over, I thought that he had simply memorized the books but he recognized the same words in different contexts. As for actual materials, it depends on your child’s learning style. I have never used Hooked on Phonics or any formal curriculum for reading but have used supplemental resources.
If you are not opposed to screen time I have found “Teach Your Monster to Read” (free) and “Reading Eggs” or ABC Mouse (not free but worth it) to be excellent.
07/02/2017 @ 7:07 pm
We read to him every day and sometimes he will take his books and ‘read’ them to himself. I figured he just memorized the books because he says almost everything in order. I see that he has an interest in letters and sounds. He knows his letters and all the sounds. He can ‘read’ Mama and Dada. He will point to words and say the letters. When he was very little like just turned 2 he would point to words and ask me ‘mama, que dice..what say dat’. I am hoping that means he digs reading like I do.
We have ABC Mouse and he likes to hear the books being read to him as well. I just wondered if there is anything more formal I need to do. I will look into teach your monster to read.
07/02/2017 @ 9:05 pm
That is good! While there are “formal” things that you “can” do, there isn’t anything that you “need” to do that you don’t already seem to be doing. I don’t have experience with anything formal aside from letting them play the games I mentioned just for fun about 3 times a week.
07/02/2017 @ 9:23 pm
You are doing a great job and I read all your blogs for inspiration. I guess we are doing ok then! Yay! =) Thank you