Anyone have any insight on this???

[Jen+2monkeys]

So I thought this story was kinda funny. My mom and I brought my DC (3yo ds and 5yo dd) out to breakfast and then to the fabric store today. We were at breakfast (in a restaurant) and this is the conversation I had with my mom:

Mom: "Ds is such a clown. Imagine what he is going to be like in school...Oh wait, you're homeschooling."
Me: "Yup....That's one of the perks. We won't have to deal with the whole class clown thing."
Mom: "You know, you're going to have to get them out in public eventually."
Me: "Ummmm.....they're out in public now."
Mom: rolls her eyes.

So I don't get it. My kids were really well behaved in the restaurant and the store. They both ordered their own food and talked to the waitress. In the store DD was talking to another little girl who was 7. They were very social and polite and well behaved. DH and I bring them to zoos, aquariums, farms, childrens museums, the library, stores, etc. all the time. And my mother knows this.

So what do you think she meant that we have to bring them out in public??? I'm stumped.

[elizawill]

Originally Posted by Jen+2monkeys

So what do you think she meant that we have to bring them out in public??? I'm stumped.

honestly, it seems that she disapproves of your decision to homeschool. her comment about being "out in public" is most like about her concerns regarding "socialization". she probably thinks public school is the only option to provide that. it's a very common misconception. she'll get over it. hugs to you. no worries.

[Ruthla]

But it's not "real" public until they're out in public in a group of 20 or more kids the same age and only one grownup, who can't be the parent of any of the children. :

She just thinks of school as being "the norm" and can't get past her preconceived notions. My own mom once asked me "but how will she socialize?" after having ATTENDED the local homeschool picninc! She'd actually met the community, both the parents and the children, watched the children play together, etc, and STILL, in one brain-fog moment, asked me about socialization. It's a knee-jerk reaction, nothing more.

I suspect that your mom will calm down and become more accepting of HSing as time goes on- possibly even becoming an advocate (defending HSing to others) at some point.