As I was chatting with another mom the other day at Taekwondo, I told her that we homeschool. Her response was, "YOU'RE BRAVE!" This was not an offensive comment at all, but it did made me think of all the different responses I get when people find out that we homeschool. It's pretty funny at times and kind of awkward at others...I've realized that when I feel the conversation moving in the direction that I know I will soon have to reveal that we homeschool, I get a little knot in my stomach as I anticipate their response.
After pondering this more, I decided that as with anything we do that seems out of the ordinary, we have to be prepared for what may follow--even rude or hurtful comments. I have learned to take people's reactions with a grain of salt and not to be offended easily.
I learned this lesson years ago when my oldest son was small. Not only from things that others said to me, but also from the many times that I've put my own foot in my mouth (only to mull over it time and time again until I finally decided that if something bothered me that much, I needed to go back to the person, apologize, and explain myself). Anyway, since we are frequently faced with a wide variety of reactions when we tell others we homeschool, remember to keep your calm if you receive a less-than-polite response. People don't always think before speaking--and I humbly include myself in this statement. Just remember to give grace generously and know that you're doing what you feel called to do, regardless of the opinion of others.
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