Well...
My only issue with this advice is that in areas where homeschooling is relatively uncommon or where people make (incorrect) assumptions about you based on a stereotype of HSers, it can be helpful to avoid fitting into those stereotypes. Personally, I'm NOT HSing because I want to; I'm HSing because I have to. I've found that it can be helpful to get that across to people in a way that doesn't slam the schools.
I usually say something like, "Public school just wasn't meeting his needs, and homeschooling does." It's honest, to the point, and nonjudgmental. If the person asking pursues further, I explain that DS6 is "pretty bright" and that the school just wasn't equipped to challenge him, so he was miserable and his behavior was suffering. HSing has solved those problems.
Honestly, I've found that I'm far more worried about seeming like a crazy person now that my kids' social life is dependent upon the contacts I make and what they think of me than I ever was when he was in the schools. Talking only about the pros of HSing without making it clear that we tried the schools and they didn't work for us makes me feel (rightly or wrongly) like I'm coming dangerously close to sounding like a HSing evangelist, I'm afraid.
I know my insecurities and former (mistaken!) impressions of HSers are coming out there, but it is what I've experienced as a reluctant HSer.
I think there's a way to stay positive without saying only the positive, if that makes any sense, and threading that needle has worked best for me. I've gotten the most natural responses from people using this approach, and we get playdates out of the interactions pretty regularly. So I figure it's working for me.
<shrug> YMMV, naturally!
