We have decided to homeschool DD4 and, as is natural, the topic of kindergarten comes up often at the park, museum etc. We are new to our city and would very much like to meet people, but inevitably when I am honest about starting to homeschool I often get asked why I made the decision. Our local elementary schools are considered the best in the area and so logic follows we must have moved to our neighborhood for the schools. Unfortunately that is not the case, DH works close to the house. I generally say something along the line of DD learns a bit differently. That answer seems to totally kill the conversation. I generally don't want to end the conversation, but I haven't found a softer way to be honest and not kill the conversation. In hindsight I am sure the comment is being construed in all sorts of ways, most of which are completely wrong - our schools won't work for you?? your DD has some serious learning disabilities etc. I keep hoping someone who is genuinely interested will read between the lines and ask more, but that hasn't really happened.
DH think I'm being silly in my desire to have a softer answer and he views honesty as the best policy as well as a gating mechanism to people I may want to be friends with in the long run. He believes if the parent I am talking to is cool with something like "DD has exhausted the kindergarten and first grade curriculum already so putting her in kindergarten isn't the right fit, so the only way we can see to keep up with her is to start homeschooling," then they may be someone we may want to be friends with in the long run. While I am in total agreement that being able to have conversation about what it is parenting DD is essential in the long run, I am not totally convinced his method is the best playground conversation. Although to be fair I haven't tried his method
I know many of you must have been in this situation, or at least something similar. How honest are you? What do you say to people with kids in B&M schools as well as other homeschooling families?
