A thread on the homeschool forum caught my eye. It is entitled Anti-homeschooling Ex-Homeschoolers. I too have encountered this type of opposition, which is why I understand the reason why people seem to feel like I will judge when they stop homeschooling.
People seem to have an uncanny ability to only see things from their own viewpoint. This is normal human behavior. It is even perfectly acceptable. In the cases of ex-homeschoolers however, they often project their own homeschooling experiences onto others and assume they know what the other person is going through and experiencing.
If their kids were resistant to learning, then they think yours are too.
If they felt inadequate in teaching, they assume you are unable to teach.
If they felt pressure from friends and families to stop homeschooling and gave in, they feel you should do the same.
For some strange reason, the best validation you can give a person is to do the same thing they are doing. Therefore doing the opposite of what they are doing is seen as a sign of rejection. It is a very difficult thing to be an individual in this society.
You have to remember that just because an ex-homeschooler now has problems with homeschooling does not mean you will do the same. This is why it is so important to do your own research and learning about homeschooling and to follow your own plan. I would be very devastating and disheartening for a homeschooler to follow the lead of another only to have that person leading them drop out and encourage them to do the same.
Homeschooling is not easy. It is not meant to be. There are people who will homeschool all the way through. There are people who will homeschool for a few years. There are people who will give up. That is their experience, not yours. You need to follow your own path, not theirs.
*Have a question about homeschooling? Just ask.
* Have you seen the homeschooling curriculum glossary?