Christmas family HE remarks...

[BitofSparklingPerry]

Who has had daft/annoying HE related remarks from family this christmas?

My Dad, talking about how I hadn't taken the kids out of the house very much for christmas eve, day, boxing day and the 27th (I had flu, the baby still has an awful cough, dh took them for a long nature walk on christmas eve, yesteray my mum took them to soft play and ITS CHRISTMAS) said 'if they were at school they would have an hour at lunchtime and hakf an hour at breaks, plus they would walk to and from school. That's why they are over excited.'

Argh. No they wouldn't, it isn't even term time, they are excited because of bloody christmas and me and the baby are ill!


...and breathe...

Plenty of family partie and social events over the next few days, and dd1 has now been HE for a whole half term, so I am bracing myself for more...

[amistillsexy]

Nothing to do with HE.
They will be much calmer if they get out and play every day, your dad is right about that.
You said yourself they havn't been out much over the last week, and they DO play out loads when they go to school, don't you let them play out when you are at home with them?

[BitofSparklingPerry]

Of course thy play out normally! Thy play out loads more than at school!

Ok...school... (Dd2is too young, so this i what dd1 was doing when at school)

She would get a lift with the ILs or catch the bus with me to school. 5 minutes in the playground, two 15 minute playtimes and half an hour at lunch, then lift/bus home. Often too tired to do anything else, plus had homework to do.

Home ed....

Long nature walk (around two hours of climbing about in ski suits so any weather - no such thing a wet play) at least once a week

At least one garden related activity a day

Around three home ed groups a week, involving walking, buses, metros to destination and plenty of running about

Not being too tired, so does rainbows, dancing and football after 'school'

Plays out in the street all weekend with her friends

Goes swimming once a week

Goes to playgroup (including bouncy castle) with dd2

Outings to museums, libraries etc, again via public transport and walking


My point is (if you read my OP) that even schoolkids don't do the same stuff in the holidays as school time, two of us are ill, and it is christmas!

[maggi]

Im on your side 'Perry. I slipped in the shower and have damaged my leg so am hobbling about barely able to put rubbish in the bin, let alone do housework and as for going out....

My 12yr old and 10yr old are bouncing off the walls and each other. It's not helped by the mountain of sweets and the odd bit of jealousy over a new toy. Hubby is back at work. He works nights so sleeps during the day and I'm supposed to keep the boys quiet most of the time - ahem.

Haven't had relatives complain --YET.

[Djemila]

I understand completely, my family is always trying to tell what to do and how. When I decide to have a homebirth with DS2 they spent 9 months trying to change my mind and obviously at the end they were really satisfied on how easy and relaxed my birth experience was...
They just don't realise that we're all year on the move as a homeschooling family and that during the Xmas holidays I don't need to go and queue up hours to see a museum when I can go everyday during the year and visit it in peace!! This holiday we never venture further than our local park and spent our days baking (so far we made pizza, apple cake, cookies, vegan lasagna and jamaican patties) and reading loads of books.
A lot of people don't know nothing about HE a part from their medieval ideas and fear that when you're HEing you cut your children off the world (how faw that is from reality!!!)
I've been a bit "rebel" all my life and always knew what was best for me even if it goes out of the main stream and obviously with that I had to listen for years my family "advices" so that I develop a shield, just smile and pretend you're listening!!! I also made it clear with my father especially that if he didn't stop his constant remarks it wasn't anymore welcome, and although this may seem a bit harsh it worked wonders.
By the way, I used to go to school, but when X-mas came I was jumping with excitement all over the house!!!!

[jomidmum]

We've had a day with my parents.....they didn't mention it. Today we had a day with my brother and his family......they didn't mention it either! None of them agree with it, in fact my brother hasn't spoken to me since we started home ed at Easter time. I would have liked a nice chat with them about it, but I know they don't understand and aren't willing to try and understand.
Tomorrow we're off to the inlaws for 3 days, and my FIL very very vocally doesn't agree, so we've got that hurdle to challenge us next. We're going to make it clear that we don't want him being negative in-front of the children, although we're more than happy to chat privately.
We LOVE home ed and so wish our families would support us and be more open minded to it.

[exoticfruits]

They were very sensible not to mention it.They probably don't want to argue or don't think it is any of their business, or find people being evangelical about HE boring.
I can never see the need to argue or justify-people don't often change their minds. If you stick to a very mild 'it suits us' and change the subject (like a broken record) they can't get a word in and they can't be negative.
There are plenty of like minded people around to talk to, at other times. Much the best to get quietly on with it. People are never convinced by what you say but only what you do. If it is very successful they will be converted, but you have to see it as a long term project-it may take 10 years to get to that point.

[jomidmum]

Ah, but we don't argue about it.......the children would just like to chat with their grandparents about what they are doing and enjoying :) As home ed is such a huge part of our lives and they dearly love their grandparents, for the children to have some interest or even encouragement would mean a lot to them.
I think it's sad like this. We do quietly get on with it. The grandparents probably won't be around (due to being elderly and of really poor health) to see the success of it long term, so it would mean a lot for them to understand how much their grandchildren are thriving now. It just makes me really sad :(

[exoticfruits]

I can see that but realistically they are not going to change their minds whatever you say. I would take things that they can do with the DCs -like chess, card games etc.