{"id":29064,"date":"2025-11-26T11:50:55","date_gmt":"2025-11-26T16:50:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/simplehomeschl.wpengine.com\/?p=29064"},"modified":"2026-01-28T16:16:20","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T21:16:20","slug":"fight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplehomeschool.net\/fight\/","title":{"rendered":"Shutting down the homeschool fight (before it even starts)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Shutting<\/a><\/p>\n

Shutting down the homeschool fight (before it even starts) ~
\nWritten by Kara S. Anderson<\/strong><\/a> of Where the Beauty Is<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

W<\/span>e were invited to our new neighbors\u2019 house for a backyard movie night \u2013 and I knew it was going to come up.<\/p>\n

Because we\u2019re homeschoolers.<\/p>\n

And he\u2019s a public school teacher.<\/p>\n

There was going to be that question \u2013 that \u201cwhy?\u201d that strikes fear in our hearts<\/strong>, because if you\u2019re like me, you\u2019ve been down that road, and you\u2019ve gotten smacked head-on by an 18-wheeler of judgment and misunderstanding.<\/p>\n

My semi-truck moment came several years ago with a man my husband knows crashed my mom\u2019s birthday celebration. (Truly.)<\/p>\n

\u201cSo why do you homeschool?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

We were new to homeschooling, and so stupidly, I tried honesty.<\/strong><\/p>\n

(My son was an early reader, but had little patience for the letter-of-the-day worksheets so loved by his pre-school. Rather than send him to a place where he was just bound to get in trouble …)<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, my son was an early reader \u2026\u201d I started.<\/p>\n

And before I could explain further, the man pounced: \u201cSo was David Koresh.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Seriously? For clarification’s sake, I want to point out that he was wrong. (I think he had confused his cult leaders.)<\/p>\n

\"movie2\"<\/p>\n

I learned an important lesson that night, though \u2013 that sometimes, a heartfelt rainbows-and-cupcakes monologue isn\u2019t the best approach when somebody wants to pick a homeschool fight.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Here are a couple of things that work better:<\/p>\n

Shutting down the homeschool fight (before it even starts)<\/h2>\n

1. “Oh, I don\u2019t like to debate my family\u2019s choices.”<\/h3>\n

This one works on everything from cloth diapering to why your child can\u2019t watch PG-13 movies with Grandma. I find it most effective when stated in a very relaxed way, because I\u2019m not looking for a fight — I\u2019m looking to be all done with that particular topic.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I don\u2019t like to debate my family\u2019s choices,\u201d I\u2019ll say with a wave of my hand, as if I\u2019m incapable of getting worked up.<\/p>\n

Nope, I\u2019m quietly strong and graceful. I am Princess Diana and the Dalai Lama.<\/p>\n

And I am changing the subject to the weather now.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"movie4\"<\/p>\n

2. I focus my attention on educating my children, not strangers.<\/h3>\n

I like this one at the grocery store, but I rarely say it aloud. I do repeat it to myself, while smiling politely at whoever is standing in front of me questioning our life and everything that defines us.<\/p>\n

Because sometimes it is worth it to make a point, or to defend your choices, and sometimes, you just really need milk and bananas.<\/strong><\/p>\n

3. “We enjoy it.”<\/h3>\n

I know. This seems too simple. You need to hit folks with more reasoning, right?<\/p>\n

No. Because reasoning only works on the reasonable, and then only sometimes.<\/strong><\/p>\n

When I tell someone that we LIKE homeschooling, it immediately shuts down most potential negative responses.<\/p>\n

Because expressing your own joy:<\/strong><\/p>\n