The holidays are always stressful and even more when someone disagrees with how you’re educating your kids. Family members and friends always have questions. So, how do you deal with critical family members and friends during the Holidays?

You will always have people who don’t understand why you are homeschooling your kids. People who have questions and want to understand and those who think you ruining your kids. Dealing with these people during Holidays adds extra stress to you and your kids.

How to deal with critical family members

I have to deal with critical family members that live in another country, where homeschooling is illegal. So, trying to make them understand adds even more stress. I have done my best to make them understand and train my children on how to handle them. Just remember they mean well and also want the best for your kids. Even though a lot of what they say hurts and is sometimes not very nice.

We came up with some great responses you can give your friends and family. I always play it by ear. Sometimes I only give a small response and move on. Try moving the conversation about them, people love to talk about themselves. Sometimes I just tell them what they want to hear and move on. I do have some that really are interested and want to know more. Just try to remember it’s only for a short time.

Here how the girls respond to critical family members and friends

• What school do you go to?
  Sometimes we lie and say we go to a local school (No, I don’t encourage this)
  Other times we say we are homeschooled (depends on person and situation)
  What is that, I never heard of that, could you explain. Then be smarty
• What curriculum do you use?
  The girls talk about Outschool classes
  We talk about Khan Acadamy and how highschool can be done for free online.
• How many hours does it take to do school a day?
  Most days we start at 9 AM and done at 4 PM
  In reality, we only do school for about an hour or two but are constantly learning
  Well, let’s do the math of how much actual learning Normal kids actually do. Take 7 hours a day, minus homeroom, minus walking to class, minus re-explaining yesterday work, handing out papers, subtract lunch, field trips, take away PE, field trips, pep rallies, and teacher half days. divide by number school days = equals about an hour or two total a day. Most learning is done at home with parents trying to figure out homework.
• What subjects do you do every day?
  We do English, Science, Moth, History, etc
  They normally just name every subject they can think of
  Same subjects normal kids do but we have a lot more fun because I get to watch movies and pick what I want to learn
• Do you like homeschooling?
  Yes, who doesn’t love waking up late and doing school in your PJs

Here are a few more

• How do you get socialized?
  We do co-ops, clubs, sports, ballroom dancing, youth groups
  Socialization? We don’t believe in that
• How are you going to get into college?
  The same way everyone else does
  Homeschoolers just have to write an extra essay and are normally more prepared than ‘Normal kids.”
• When are you going to put your kids in school?
  Would you like to go to prison?
  When ‘Normal School’ is more like homeschooling
• Aren’t you worried your kids will be weird?
  Yes, I hope they are different than all those normal kids and can think for themselves
• How can you stand being with your kids all day?
  I actually like my kids and we have lots of fun, no matter what we do.

Train your kids on what to say

When my kids were small, we would talk about the correct answers. Most of the time I would step in and answer for my kids. It made me extremely mad that they assumed my kids were dumb. I learned later that people were just curious and it was better to give the kids a voice. People were so impressed that they could talk to adults and answer for themselves. My suggestions are, practice the questions and what you want your kids to say. Don’t take it personally (which is hard) and believe in yourself and your kids. They are amazing and one day the unbelievers will be impressed Also, who cares what others think, it is your life.