Now that my middle-schooler is attending public school and I walk her to the bus stop, I am no longer on the fringe. I now get invited to go for coffee while the kids are in school. (Which I cannot accept because I still homeschool my younger two children). I am now included in activities I did not know existed previously.
While I have gained acceptance into the "mainstream", I have lost some among my homeschool moms.
There is very much a rivalry among moms who homeschool and moms who send their children to public school. It is much like the rivalry which takes place between stay at home moms and moms who choose to work outside the home. Each side thinks they are on the "right" side.
Many homeschool families plan to homeschool through high school. My decision to integrate at middle school is not uncommon, but it is still met with low enthusiasm. Those who intend to integrate into public school are interested in how my daughter is handling the transition. Others treat both my daughter and I as if we had a lost and need consoling. Questions about the experience are not to gain understanding, but to confirm their "right" choice.
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