Homeschoolers.......do your kids notice comments from TV characters about HS?

[npmommie]

Tonight my kids were watching a Hannah Montana episode, honestly I don't know if it was a repeat or new.........its the one where its her first day of high school.........
anyway.......
she is talking to herself and she is imitating her dad saying to her ...." you could have been homeschooled"...then she says to herself ......."but no I had to go to school like a normal kid"

man I hate when characters make comments like that.......I know its TV, but imagine a homeschooled kid watching that, they love hannah montana, and here she is basically saying "normal" kids go to school, not homeschooled.

 

[Tink561]

My sons have always noticed them but most of the time we get the jokes and think they're funny. They do mock the stereotypical homeschoolers which is not always nice but it isn't that big of a deal to us.

 

[AuroraBeauty]

Thank you for posting this! It is important that this dialog take place and that we as homeschool parents let the network know that those type of snide comments on their show are not acceptable.

The belief is probably that homeschooled kids don't watch TV b/c they are being all religious. Well, although I'm somewhat new to the homeschool realm I have found that while religion plays a role in many families reason for homeschooling it is not the dominant reason nation-wide.

While my DD is too young to watch HM, I appreciate that you took the time to share this experience. I think it would be worth a moment of your time to write an email (or letter) not only to the producers but also to the Cyrus family and share with them how their words can be taken as hurtful. I think that if you craft a polite letter explaining that homeschool kids are 'normal' too and that they (the writers) may not have meant any offense it did come off as rude. Honestly, I don't think the Cyrus family would knowingly put down homeschool families -- basically their daughter is homeschooled b/c she doesn't go to 'normal' school.

None the less, I think it is important that these shows become sensitive to the fact that degrading any type of education is not helpful, especially given the low graduation rates in this country over all.

Enough of my soapbox! But, again, thank you for pointing this out.

 

[npmommie]

Thank you for posting this! It is important that this dialog take place and that we as homeschool parents let the network know that those type of snide comments on their show are not acceptable.

The belief is probably that homeschooled kids don't watch TV b/c they are being all religious. Well, although I'm somewhat new to the homeschool realm I have found that while religion plays a role in many families reason for homeschooling it is not the dominant reason nation-wide.

While my DD is too young to watch HM, I appreciate that you took the time to share this experience. I think it would be worth a moment of your time to write an email (or letter) not only to the producers but also to the Cyrus family and share with them how their words can be taken as hurtful. I think that if you craft a polite letter explaining that homeschool kids are 'normal' too and that they (the writers) may not have meant any offense it did come off as rude. Honestly, I don't think the Cyrus family would knowingly put down homeschool families -- basically their daughter is homeschooled b/c she doesn't go to 'normal' school.

None the less, I think it is important that these shows become sensitive to the fact that degrading any type of education is not helpful, especially given the low graduation rates in this country over all.

Enough of my soapbox! But, again, thank you for pointing this out.

I was actually thinking of writing a very nice polite letter, I really wasn't that upset when we were watching because my kids are too young yet to notice and "get" what was said, ( they are really on the young side for HM, especially my ds)..... although my dd is getting close to the age where she is going to start noticing......but still it is something that does happen a lot, I have noticed it on several occasions on different tv shows.
I think tomorrow I will sit down and do that.

 

[bumbershoot]

Well what's funny is that most kids in show business like that don't tend to be enrolled in high school, but are being tutored on the set. So really, they are being homeschooled, and I would bet that Miley Cyrus doesn't attend high school.

It's not just high school, by the way. PBS Sprout and Noggin are filled with references to school. Wonder Pets takes place in a preschool. Blue's Clues talks about school. Little Bill, big time. So many otherwise lovely little shows that we both enjoy, and they are filled with bright yellow school buses and comments about how they learned xyz at school. No they aren't making comments about normalcy, but that is all they are showing, which then can make it seem like the normal thing to do.

I had a friend whose daughter was SO SURE that she would learn to read at school, that she didn't even realize she WAS reading already (and her mom wouldn't listen to me about it).

 

[npmommie]

Well what's funny is that most kids in show business like that don't tend to be enrolled in high school, but are being tutored on the set. So really, they are being homeschooled, and I would bet that Miley Cyrus doesn't attend high school.

It's not just high school, by the way. PBS Sprout and Noggin are filled with references to school. Wonder Pets takes place in a preschool. Blue's Clues talks about school. Little Bill, big time. So many otherwise lovely little shows that we both enjoy, and they are filled with bright yellow school buses and comments about how they learned xyz at school. No they aren't making comments about normalcy, but that is all they are showing, which then can make it seem like the normal thing to do.

I had a friend whose daughter was SO SURE that she would learn to read at school, that she didn't even realize she WAS reading already (and her mom wouldn't listen to me about it).

Yep, you are right, my little one loves noggin, watches blues clues too.........my kids just tell people we " do school at home" " mom is our teacher".........so they don't seem to mind the references to school. they know "school" is here.
although we did go through a phase where one of the kids wanted to go to school just so they could ride the school bus. It stops right in front of our house practically so they see it! I was going to ask the bus driver if we could take a ride, but the novelty of the idea wore off and they didn't want to go anymore!

 

[NHdisneylover]

Wouldn't have phased my kids. They are pretty confident and would have likely laughed and said something about how "abnormal" they are (in a good way only). Most kids do go to "regular" schools, so I guess that would be the norm.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

I have nothing against homeschooling. If that's what best for your family, that's great. But "regular" school is the norm. A very small percentage of the population homeschool their kids. I don't think it's mean, mocking or ignorant. It's just a fact. Homeschooling is not the norm.

 

[npmommie]

I have nothing against homeschooling. If that's what best for your family, that's great. But "regular" school is the norm. A very small percentage of the population homeschool their kids. I don't think it's mean, mocking or ignorant. It's just a fact. Homeschooling is not the norm.

Yes regular school is the norm, I don't take issue with that, I take issue with referring to kids who go to regular school as "normal".......meaning the kids who go to school are normal therefore the kids who homeschool are not normal.
we do not fit the "stereotype" of homeschoolers that the media puts out there, neither do all our friends who homeschool.
we are doctors, nurses, teachers, sahms, photographers, we are not all "crazy religious types" like the media likes to portray. but that is a whole nother post
The post is referring to comments on tv that imply kids who homeschool are not normal, etc.........

 

[danx2plus3more]

going to school is normal.you shouldnt be so defensive when your decisions are not the norm..im sure the writers meant nothing by it..as im sure my post will be misunderstood..but i mean nothing by it.

 

[dis-happy]

My kids don't notice the comments, but I sure do....there are 2 different episodes of Law and Order that make really derogatory comments about homeschoolers. In the same way that most stereotyping bothers the group being stereotyped, it bothers me, especially when it's the most uninformed thing that can be said (for instance, homeschoolers and lack of socialization, which has been proven untrue many times over)!

 

[npmommie]

going to school is normal.you shouldnt be so defensive when your decisions are not the norm..im sure the writers meant nothing by it..as im sure my post will be misunderstood..but i mean nothing by it.

LOL I am not being defensive at all. I am simply stating my opinion that tv whether we like it or not, contributes to what kids think, and to basically call kids who are homeschooled abnormal is wrong.......the kids themselves.... not the act of homeschooling, these are two very different issues that some are confusing. I am saying calling the KIDS abnormal is not right.
of course homeschooling is not the norm..........but to be homeschooled does not make a child Abnormal.........which implies there is something wrong with them. am i making sense???
i guess i take issue with it because its a childrens show. adults and their shows thats another story.
anyway, not being defensive at all..........

 

[npmommie]

My kids don't notice the comments, but I sure do....there are 2 different episodes of Law and Order that make really derogatory comments about homeschoolers. In the same way that most stereotyping bothers the group being stereotyped, it bothers me, especially when it's the most uninformed thing that can be said (for instance, homeschoolers and lack of socialization, which has been proven untrue many times over)!

exactly and this goes back to what I said about how homeschoolers are portrayed by the media. ever watch a wife swap where one family is homeschoolers? i rest my case. LOL
homeschoolers are never portrayed the way I see homeschoolers every day. they are never just an average family who happens to school at home,
they are always raw meat eaters who never brush their teeth

 

[AuroraBeauty]

The fact that going to a chartered public or private school is seen as 'normal' versus attending a homeschool is something that needs to be changed. Kids are kids and where they go to school is not relevant.

Because fewer people do it doesn't make it 'abnormal'. By that reasoning, those in the entertainment industry who are portraying/commenting on homeschool as something that is out of the ordinary are being hypocritical. They are not the 'norm' - more people work at or below the poverty level than there are celebrities but yet celebrities are held to a completely different standard.

I think that we have to become intolerant to intolerance and until we all stand up and say there is no reason to belittle others to make our point it will continue. It has taken decades for African-Americans, Asian-Americans and many others to be portrayed appropriately.

True, homeschoolers are not a race of people (and race is a legally protected class) but there really is no reason to degrade a child. Homeschool or otherwise.

As for 'school' being the norm, that may be the case. But it doesn't mean that children who do not go to public or private school are not. Many world-class athletes, musicians, actors, scientists (and many others) were or are homeschooled.

I'm not sure why homeschooling is such a polaraizing issue. It is a family decision. Being defensive isn't about whether or not your decisions are 'the norm'. I get defensive when people question why I would want to go back to WDW when I was 'just there'. It's a personal decision.

It's not the 'norm' to be hit in the head with a stick but I guarantee I'd be VERY defensive! Pretty sure most people would.

I encourage everyone who homeschools to politely share their views with the media. I mean, really, Disney has Homeschool Days which are not only well thought out but also well attended. So why 'bash' homeschoolers?

 

[momx2]

exactly and this goes back to what I said about how homeschoolers are portrayed by the media. ever watch a wife swap where one family is homeschoolers? i rest my case. LOL
homeschoolers are never portrayed the way I see homeschoolers every day. they are never just an average family who happens to school at home,
they are always raw meat eaters who never brush their teeth

But Wife Swap does that with all types of families. Not just homeschoolers. The show takes the most extreme cases of all types of families. I guess I could get offended when they show the work at home dad who takes care of the house and the career driven mom family. The mom makes dad doing everything and she never spends time with her kids. (I don't even know if they did this show, but I'm sure they have) But I know that is not "my" family, just happens to be a family doing what mine does, but to the extreme.

 

[jamesmommy]

I guess I am weird, but I totally took that comment in a different light than you did. I saw the show, and when she said, ...." you could have been homeschooled".........."but no I had to go to school like a normal kid",
I took her to mean she was going to school like the normal kid (ie:Miley), instead of being homeschooled like the star (ie:Hannah). After all, the whole show is based on the premise she can be a "normal" kid when she isn't performing.



JMHO as a future homeschooler.

 

[momx2]

I guess I am weird, but I totally took that comment in a different light than you did. I saw the show, and when she said, ...." you could have been homeschooled".........."but no I had to go to school like a normal kid",
I took her to mean she was going to school like the normal kid (ie:Miley), instead of being homeschooled like the star (ie:Hannah). After all, the whole show is based on the premise she can be a "normal" kid when she isn't performing.
JMHO as a future homeschooler.

I took it the same way. I took it to mean she wanted to be like normal kids, not a superstar kid. I didn't take it to mean she thought homeschooling per se, was abnormal.

 

[minkydog]

I used to be all sensitive about this stuff. Then I decided to take the high road and get over it. We homeschooled for 12yrs. In all that time the only thing that every really got under my saddle was "The Water Boy", an Adam Sandler movie where he plays a barely functional young man who lives in the bayou with his crazed mother (Kathy Bates) who has homeschooled him and imbued him with her own sense of what's right in the world. It's offensive on so many levels I can't count.

That said, my own homeschooled 21yr old DS said to me on his way out the door yesterday, "I'm outta here like a normal kid in a spelling bee full of autistic homeschoolers."

Oh, don't be all offended. We have an autistic kid too.

 

[theparsons]

My kids just shrug this type of comment off, whether it's on TV or in real life, and if they make any comment at all, it's that they feel sorry for the poor kids who have to go to a public school every single day.

Making that comment BIG TIME right now, as we end our 22nd day at WDW and realize that we still have 9 more days here. Name me a public school kid that could even dream of that in January/February.

 

[Tink561]

My kids just shrug this type of comment off, whether it's on TV or in real life, and if they make any comment at all, it's that they feel sorry for the poor kids who have to go to a public school every single day.

Making that comment BIG TIME right now, as we end our 22nd day at WDW and realize that we still have 9 more days here. Name me a public school kid that could even dream of that in January/February.

Not many kids could dream of that homeschooled or not! LOL

How are you able to stay that long?