The list being, of course, the BUT-WHAT-ABOUT-THE’s. When people find out you homeschool, if they know you well enough (or even if they don’t know you at all and they’re just THAT KIND OF PERSON) they’ll feel justified in engaging in some serious protesting and worrying and cajoling. These protestations often begin with the phrase “But what about the–”
There are quite a few BUT-WHAT-ABOUT-THE’s floating around out there. The top three I’ve come across are: 1. But what about socialization? 2. But what about the PROM? and 3. But what about the SCHOOL PLAY? The socialization horse is so dead it’s becoming a national tragedy how people won’t stop beating on it.
The prom question — yeah, that’s the big one for the high school set. It doesn’t matter how old your kid is. Your kid could be in kindergarten and just starting out with some very basic phonics and people will have already imagined the poor kid’s entire academic childhood: 12 lonely years that culminate ultimately with the Lack Of A Prom. These concerned people have then immediately determined that your kid will be SCARRED FOR LIFE IF YOU HOMESCHOOL AND SHE DOESN’T EVER GO TO A PROM.
Now, I don’t know about you, but I’ve been to a couple of proms. And they both just sucked. I don’t want to get into the details, but having survived a prom or two and lived to tell the tale, and finding it exceedly difficult to find anyone who actually looks back on their proms fondly, I just don’t see what the big deal is about the prom. Besides, homeschoolers are having proms nowadays anyway. There’s a group near here who started having proms a few years back. And apparently, the hotel that hosts the homeschool prom loves the homeschoolers because they’re all so mature and well-adjusted and polite and not interested in destroying the hotel’s property or sneaking a keg into the ballroom. So now when those horrified individuals who, upon hearing I homeschool my daughters, immediately rend their garments and gouge their eyes out with raking fingernails and moan desperately BUT WHAT ABOUT THE PROOOOOOMMMMMM?????????? I’m able to say matter-of-factly “Oh yes, we’ve got that too.”
I won’t pretend that it’s not fun to watch them struggle.
If the prom thing is covered, then the next thing to come up will undoubtedly be: But what about the school PLAY????” This one is geared more towards the elementary grades. Apparently, I shouldn’t homeschool because I’m depriving my second grader of the essential opportunity to dress up like — oh, I don’t know — a carrot or a little carton of milk, or some other food item? Or perhaps – even worse – a Pilgrim or an Indian for that ever-popular farce we call the First Thanksgiving?
For a few years, the nay-sayers had me at the PLAY. The ubiquitous, meaningless PLAY: a piece propagandized drivel that I’d probably have to sew a costume for (badly) if I put the kids in school. So, having successfully shut-down both the socialization and prom protestations, these people would still manage to triumph over me at that moment where I’d freeze over the issue of the school PLAY, and they’d exit the conversation victoriously – another blow against homeschooling successfully delivered.
But, not anymore.
Not too long ago, I signed the kids up for a Creative Theater class run by a local homeschool dad around here. For ten weeks, the kids got together with other kids, learned about stage direction, acting skills, and then proceeded to write their own production, rehearse it, come up with costumes for it, and then perform it for our little community of homeschoolers. The idea was to take the imaginary play that all kids like to do when they’re just jumping around in the living room, channel it, and turn it into the Real Thing. The kids got to pick what character they’d most like to play, and then as a group, they had to create a storyline that incorporated everyone’s character.
I’m happy to report that not one child opted to be a carrot. Or a Pilgrim. Mine, of course, opted to be a unicorn and a pegasus, and for 2 joyous months, it was their JOB to act like those kinds of creatures.
Here’s my little unicorn, backstage during the performance, dealing with some last minute costuming issues.
So, at last, I’m crossing another big one off the list.
But what about the PLAY, you ask?
Yeah. We got that.
Adorable picture – and what a great play! Everyone got to pick what they’d be, and then they all wrote a story to accomodate their characters??? What a wonderful idea! Homeschooling clearly ROCKS.
A play you would actually want to sit through!
I don’t know one person who had fun going to prom. Not only that, going to school does not guarantee that your child will end up at prom. Whether it is lack of date or desire, many schooled children opt out of prom with no condemning/disapproving comments aimed in their direction. Recently, I had someone ask me what I would do about a class ring. Seriously.
A class ring? LOL! I swear to God… the things people will come up with!
Yes, the play the kids put on was actually really funny and enjoyable to watch. And I was impressed with how the kids had learned about being an actor on stage – like having to really project one’s voice, for instance. That’s something that my 8yo really had to learn. My 6yo – not a problem. She projects ALL DAY LONG. But my 8yo really needed to work at that. And she did GREAT!
Obviously the play’s the thing.
Ha.
I heard all those ‘what about’ things myself when the kids were younger, but my kids will be 22 and 16 this next month. People no longer care.
And I always wonder if after being hit with one of those questions, the questioner expects the questionee to do the facepalm and say, “OH. MY. GOD. You’re RIGHT! I never even CONSIDERED that!! We shall start public school forthwith!!”
Oh, and I meant to comment on the picture, too. It’s lovely.
Good for you! What a beautiful little girl. If I were to be a unicorn, that’s exactly what I’d want to look like. I would definitely have to get a silver horn and a pink feather boa for my flowing mane. I love juvenile creativity. It’s such a beautiful thing!
LOVE that photo….what a sweetie.
I just hope her life isn’t scarred by not having any socialization. Oh. Wait…um, I mean, I hope she’s not scarred by not having to stand in line most her life…ya..that’s it. What will people come up with next? I’m not sure, but I can’t imagine it’ll ever really matter.
Oh yeah, you’ve definitely got that – and then some.
Love the “pinkness” of that unicorn. She is lovely!
That sounds like a great play! We’ve got everything. I can tell you have girls, though, because with my boy it’s always “What about High School Sports?”.
I still get those questons. However, I refuse to answer because it’s usually three people at once shooting questions at me rapid-fire. I don’t think they’re interested in a genuine dialogue.