No School Today?

[2tadpoles]

After homeschooling for all these years, it still annoys me.

My younger DS and I went shopping this afternoon. We went to Michael's, Target, and the Christmas Tree Shop. Two people asked him "no school today?" One lady asked if he was "playing hooky."

Used to be it was only ME who got annoyed. Now, DS gets irritated, too. He wants a t-shirt that says, "Homeschooled Kid....do NOT ask blah blah blah."

[lizzie]

I know... and I'm sick of trying to come up with friendly, clever, semi-educational responses. People have been getting a dead-pan "No. No school today" from me lately. Of course.. dd always chimes in with some comment.

I KNOW they're just trying to make conversation, be friendly, figure things out, but sometimes I just think, (think, not say, no matter how tempted) "No tact today?" I mean, do they ask individual adults "No work today?"

And we all have days where the last thing we're up to is putting on some smiley face and giving a thoughtful response...


lizzie

[LovemyBoo]

I'm surprised people are asking that *now*. Our public schools are out for the holidays. I'm sure we're not the only ones.

I think people are just trying to make conversation. We usually say either, "We homeschool." or "We're done for the day." and let them draw their own conclusions. Of course we've only been doing this a few months and I haven't gotten any real negativity, yet. So I haven't had a chance to get annoyed with it.

[UUMom]

My private- schooled kid has been out of school for a week. Moses B, Waldorf etc etc-- all the schools there have been out for a week, so I'm surprised you're getting this now.

I don't mind the question, although we rarely get it. I just say "Were hsers' and that is almost always met with a smile. Even the Shaw's checker once said to me, all excited, "Oh, my aunt homeschools my cousin". Even our old Kindergarten teacher 's sister is hsing her 3 kids. It's pretty common here, so I don't get anything but postivie comments, really. I can see it could get old for some kids.

Not that I mind questions. I don't. My kids complain I talk to everyone. Which is true. I had a conversation with complete stranger about over active let down reflex when I heard an infant choking/gulping while nursing. I think I helped her, actually.

So I'm not a good person to ask.

So all this to say, bummer, people are so annoying.

[frogguruami]

My response lately has been, "Huh?, Oh! I'm not sure what the public school schedule is!". And I keep going. That usually confuses people, LOL and they don't continue with their "line of questioning"!

[2tadpoles]

Originally Posted by amseiler

My response lately has been, "Huh?, Oh! I'm not sure what the public school schedule is!". And I keep going. That usually confuses people, LOL and they don't continue with their "line of questioning"!

I like that!

I also told my son that he doesn't have to offer an explanation. He could just say "no." He usually says "I'm homeschooled," which opens up a can of worms that we sometimes just don't feel like dealing with.

[Dakota's Mom]

Originally Posted by 2tadpoles

Now, DS gets irritated, too. He wants a t-shirt that says, "Homeschooled Kid....do NOT ask blah blah blah."

Cafe Press has some really cool t-shirts for homeschooling kids. One of them says, "Too Cool For School." I think one of the best responses I've ever heard is one I read on here somewhere, "My mama says I'm too purty for all that book learnin'."

Kathi

[phathui5]

I say:
"Oh, we're off school every day."

Ds has the presence of mind to tell people that he's homeschooled so they don't take his crazy mother seriously.

[christyc]

Personally, I like "Skewel? What is this skewel of which you speak?"

Of course, my children (particularly my oldest) would be horrified and embarassed by me, but it wouldn't be the first time... or the last.

[*jeanine*]

Originally Posted by Dakota's Mom

: "My mama says I'm too purty for all that book learnin'."

:

I like that! Especially since ds has long hair and EVERYONE thinks he's a girl. That'd really confuse them!

[Redifer]

Maybe it's just me, but my mom told me it's just downright rude to ask that question.. it's prying.

Although, this is the woman who WANTED to HS but Dad wouldnt let her. If our grades were good and our attendance was good, she made up for it with a "date" to take off school every month and catch a movie and lunch. Of course, we got all those "no school today?" comments.. grrr

If I feel the need to strike up conversation, I simply ask the child like I'd ask an adult: So, what are your plans for the day? Anything exciting? This usually prompts more interesting responses and a chance for said kiddo to tell me about their day, which I enjoy hearing. I was taught it's only polite to ask "What are your plans today?": it doesn't imply laziness, slacking, "skipping" school or anything: it's a question that can be genuinely answered.

[chaos_pie]

ha! I just saw this....maybe this is what you need?

http://www.cafepress.com/buy/homesch...t_/fpt_/c_360/

[2tadpoles]

Cute! I'll keep that one in mind. We might just make our own shirts.

[Dakota's Mom]

Originally Posted by chaos_pie

ha! I just saw this....maybe this is what you need?

http://www.cafepress.com/buy/homesch...t_/fpt_/c_360/

Hey I saw that last night and was about to post it. Another one I saw says, "I'm in school and you're talking in class."

I love cafepress.com. It has a shirt for almost everything.

Kathi