"Oh, you homeschool? I could NEVER do that!"

That is one of the hardest things for me to hear.

This is my response:  "Homeschooling is not easy, but it's not as hard as you think!  Separating yourself from the institutional education system is liberating!  Oh, the things you can do!  Oh, the places you'll go!  Oh, the things you'll learn! You can select your neighborhood based on housing and livability, rather than being limited by the school district.  You can go on vacation in the off season--or take a day off during the week.  You can go to the museum, zoo, etc. when there are no crowds.  You can eat a leisurely breakfast, while reading aloud to your kids.  You can spend your evenings relaxing, or doing fun, family-centered activities instead of homework dictated by someone else.  You can get the amount of sleep you need--and so can your kids."

You could never do that?"

What people also mean sometimes is: "I could never be with my kids all day!"  My response to that is (if they are still listening): "Right now, not only do you spend the hardest time of the day with your kids (4:00 pm til bedtime), but that time is controlled by the school through homework.  Your kids' teachers get to be with them while they are fresh and creative.  You get to be with your kids when they are drained, over-stimulated and have been cooped up all day.  The effects of being in school all week even creep into your weekend and cause stress there."

Now, don't get me wrong, homeschooling is not stress-free. Some days are great, some days are torture.  But, isn't life in institutional schooling like that, too?  The big difference is that self-imposed homeschool stress is more manageable.  Stress doesn't feel so bad when you know that it is under your control.

So, come on...give it a try and never say "never."