When my parents started homeschooling in Oregon 22 years ago, the laws were a little different. We stayed indoors during most of the school day, and Mom thought twice about daytime outings during the school years. We didn’t live in fear of truancy officers, but we certainly walked circumspectly. A curious stranger could make for an awkward moment: “You do what? Homeschool? How can you do school if you’re at home? Is that legal?“
Fast forward a couple of decades. Things are different.
The girls and I walk boldly in WalMart during school hours on school days, and strangers smile at us. “You must be homeschoolers!”
Public school children stare at us through fenced-in playgrounds. “Are you homeschoolers?”
Everyone knows someone who homeschools. We’re hardly even weird. Now we have to do things like have a dozen kids and drive a 15 passenger van to get those looks.
Related posts:
Even 8 kids is enough to get the looks!
mary
It’s weird to think that I started homeschooling too 20 years ago! That sounds so long ago! But it doesn’t feel very long ago, now I’m getting ready to homeschool my first child and am a little scared and excited. I’m thankful my mom sacriced even though it was hard.
PS. I get looks with three that are close together, two boys and my last on a girl. Everyone comments, “oh, you got your girl!” With a smile, like, “Oh what a nice perfect little family”. And then they usually ask, “do you plan to have more?” As if they already know the answer will be no. They are shocked when we say we want more and that we love large families. And they usually feel the need to tell us why they aren’t called to large families and how some people are just not made for that!
It’s just funny how many times you have the same conversation with people.
I love your daughter’s animal blogs by the way. My husband read her entries and just cracked up! What a creative little girl you have
Hi. This is your daughter, Kaitlyn’s penpal Emily. I have a question. How do you put those quizes on the side bar? I made a quiz but, i dont know where to put the code! Thanks alot! Please post the answer in a comment on my blog! Thanks! -Emily
Isn’t that great!
The law here in CO is just over 20 years old, so we still have a few parents homeschooling now, who homeschooled before we had this protection. We’re truly blessed to be homeschooling now!
Surfed through from the Carnival of Homeschooling!