Homeschool stereotype list (for fun)?

Question

Let's make a list.

What is the concept people have of homeschooling.

What have you heard people say about you if you are a homeschooler.

Answer 1

Of course the number one - "HS'ers aren't properly socialized".  (not even going to go there!)

Number two - people HS because they are highly religious (usually they say Christians)

Number three - HS'ers wear denim jumpers, have long hair (females), don't wear make up (that only describes one or denominations of protestant churches)

Number four - HS'ers stay at home all the time and never get to see any other people than mom and dad and siblings (gee, we're GONE more than we're home!)

Number five - you must be stupid or have a medical problem, or else you wouldn't be HS'ed (people mistake home*bound* education from a public school w/ HS'ing)

Number six - HS'ed kids are weird (yeah, they aren't so worried about what other kids think of them, they are respectful and polite, and they actually talk to adults in real conversation)

Number seven - "How can you stand to be around your kids 24/7?"  (I happen to enjoy being around my kids!)

I may add to this later :-)

Answer 2

Never, ever leave the home...

I really want to spend some time answering this one... but I have to go... going on a hike / amateur archeology expedition.

Please leave it open and I'll come back later tonight and give ya some of my answers...

Now, I must release my son from the closet under the stairs...

Back later!

*** UPDATE: I'm back, boy returned to closet under the stairs...  We found some mysterious artifacts by the way!  Hand-forged rusty iron thingamabobs.

I just don't know that I can top GGOs answer...

But I will say that I find the dichotomy of stereotypes interesting...

You've got...

Religious zealot - or - anti-religious zealot

Super smart - or - completely uneducated

Starting Harvard at 12 - or - can never get into college

Over protected - or - neglected

Lame update, I know, feeling uninspired at the moment.

***UPDATE: GGO, how did you know my kid is named "Rain Puddle?"  You aren't one of the aliens are you?

***UPDATE: Forgot that all homeschoolers are either...

Filthy rich - or - dirt poor

Answer 3

A parade of homeschool stereotypes? Fun!

1. We are extreme right wing, neo-con Christians who train the kiddies to hand out Chic tracks and follow Fred Phelps around like hippies on tour with The Dead. We don't read books other than the Bible, though we do attend alot of book burnings.

2. We are hippies with free range children, (Rain Puddle, Patchouli and Star Flower) that have no rules, and like, we don't want "the man" to keep us down so we stay away from school and, like all those heavy rules. Who needs to read books, when you could be reading auras? *glassy eyed smile*

3. We are super-geniuses that spend our days indoors teaching our first graders to split atoms and clone the cat. Junior WILL apply to Harvard at age twelve.

4. We are weird survivalists that stock pile weapons, live in lean to's and are preparing for the aliens to invade. Our children have never seen a television and forage nuts and berries to survive. The kids read only the important books, like The Anarchist Cookbook and Lao Tzo's Art of War. The kids don’t go to school, because that is where the government implants the tracking devices. When the aliens invade, they will thank us.

5. Our wittle precious is too delicate for the big bad world, so we cover him in bubble wrap, feed him only finely blended foods (He might choke!) and homeschool to protect him. We tear out the exciting bits of books (wouldn't want him to get any ideas.) and never ever allow him out of doors. We dress him, decide how he will wear his hair and one day, we'll order him a nice mail order bride.

6. Denim jumpers with clogs = high fashion