I'm sorry but this was starting to bug me

[MsDisney23]

I did not know I made a mistake my sending my child to a private/ and public school. Thanks for letting me know that a homeschool child get's a better education. I have known people who have homeschooled and ended up sending them back!

 

[ScarlettO]

I might percieve some folks whose kids attend certain private Schools as "rich", but I never feel that way about Homeschooled people. Quite the opposite. The folks I know who are unhappy with public schools send their kids to private school. Those who can't afford this option, homeschool.

 

[ScarlettO]

Originally posted by sha_lyn
I think when my cousin added up what it cost her to work a yr it was 35k.

Now that is curious! I can see having to buy clothes, pay for gas to drive to work and daycare being the only additional "costs" of having a job. How this can amount to $35,000???

 

[AirForceRocks]

I wondered the same thing, Scarlett...plus, if that $35,000 included all of the working expenses, then what in the world was saved out of the other $15,000 when she quit?

As for the perception of homeschoolers being rich, I've never had that perception, and quite frankly, I've never seen that expressed on any of the homeschool threads that I've read.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

The homeschoolers I know fall within the two traditional kinds --- a couple of families who are really displeased with the Public Schools but can't afford Private School for all of their kids and then one family who is fundamentally religious.

The "rich" people in this community all send their kids to Private Schools. I don't know of any of them that Homeschool.

 

[Minnesota!]

Originally posted by Bojangles
Most of the homeschooling parents I know are borderline poverty level.

Exactly. I have NEVER had that impression that they were rich. Rich ones usually go to the prestigious schools.....

 

[CamColt]

I agree with the majority here. Ive never thought of homeschoolers as rich, actually quite the opposite. Ive only known 1 family that did it and I wouldnt consider them rich at all. Maybe a little "snobby" since the kids would very rarely come out and play with the rest of the neighborhood and the parents never associated with the rest of us, but not rich.

 

[peachgirl]

Originally posted by ScarlettO
Now that is curious! I can see having to buy clothes, pay for gas to drive to work and daycare being the only additional "costs" of having a job. How this can amount to $35,000???

I agree. Heck, if that's the way it works, why don't we all just quit our jobs and stay home? I'd sure like to know the details of how one can have more money by NOT earning $50,000 a year.


If I were the OP, I wouldn't worry about people thinking I was rich. They're much more likely to think you're poor.

 

[sha_lyn]

Originally posted by ScarlettO
Now that is curious! I can see having to buy clothes, pay for gas to drive to work and daycare being the only additional "costs" of having a job. How this can amount to $35,000???

19K for private in home daycare... 2 kids one in diapers.
Professional clothing, extra car insurance (drove about 60 miles one way) extra wear and tear on the car(ie oil change every month instead of every 3 months, new tires more often etc). Gas. Eating out for lunch 5 times a week. The Family eating our or drive through 5 times a week.

The most of 15 K they saved or cut back on was from the vacations she and her DH took almost every time they had a 3 day weekend. She was burned out and never saw him so they would leave the kids at one of the grandparents homes and head to Bioloxi to gamble several times a year. Oh and lest not forget the psychologist for their son. Long story but the psychologist diagnose him as severely depressed when they moved and he was taken out of the in home daycare he had been in since he was a few weeks old. The psychologist said the DS was going through the same type of depression a child would if their mother died. It appeared he was more bonded to the sitter than to him mom. He was with the sitter 12-14 hrs a day for 3 years. It was the sons depression that led to her adding up the cost and leaving her job to stay home.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

so weekend Gambling trips are now a cost of working?
I never knew that!


I hope the child is happier now.

 

[castlegazer]

Never has that thought ever crossed my mind. But then again, I have never participated in a thread about homeschooling so I may not be the person you're talking to or about.

When I think of priviledged families I think of private school. I grew up wealthy and I went to private schools so hence the perception of wealth = private schooling, not homeschooling.

 

[sha_lyn]

Originally posted by Toby'sFriend
so weekend Gambling trips are now a cost of working?
I never knew that!


I hope the child is happier now.

Try reading both of my post. I said the the gambling was part of the 15K they were able to cut back on. It wasn't a part of the 35K it was costing her to work.

Yes she stopped working, with her DH protesting all the way. He clamied she owudl sit around the house and get fat (such a charmer he is ) Their DS improved quickly and it's been I guess 5 yrs now. She's president of the PTA and they seem much happier.

 

[dcgrumpy]

Originally posted by ScarlettO
Now that is curious! I can see having to buy clothes, pay for gas to drive to work and daycare being the only additional "costs" of having a job. How this can amount to $35,000???

I think it's possible. Daycare is going to cost me over $22K next year. Add in lunch, gas etc... that's another $5K a year, after taxes I end up with about $9K net a year and. I'm just waiting for the next buyout package.

 

[snoopy]

I have never known anyone in real life who has homeschooled (or even considered it, for that matter), so I can't even begin to guess where socio-economics factor in regard to it.

I've never known anyone in "real life" who homeschools their children either. I don't think its commonly done in this part of the country.

I am sure there are demographics out there though, if someone was so inclined to look for them, on the average income of those who homeschool. I doubt its any higher than that of those who send their kids to public school, and more than likely lower than that of those who send their kids to private school.

 

[browneyes]

Originally posted by lilboo
I've heard homeschooled kids described as many things but 'rich' was never one of them.

Same here.

 

[danacara]

I generally associate homeschooling with poverty ("There was no room to store my ciriculom in the trailer so I just took the kids to the Wal-Mart to learn math" What planet are you on?). The wealthy send to private school or move to strong public districts. Those with enough education to earn serious money do not readily foresake their jobs and lifestyles to sit at the kitchen table and try to teach with absolutely no training.

 

[grinningghost]

Wow. After reading the OP, I was floored. Do people really do this? I never read any of the "home schooling" posts before, so I'm kind of in the dark. I know of a family who homeschools and their kids are all turning out great. I never thought of them as rich or snobby. In fact, quite the opposite.

I have nothing but complete admiration for parents who have the drive, ability and strength to homeschool. In fact, it amazes me. I only wish I could do it, but I admit, there's just no way. I don't have it in me.

Still can't believe there's so much controversy.

 

[peachgirl]

19K for private in home daycare... 2 kids one in diapers.

How does her situation have anything to do with contributing to the notion that homeschoolers are percieved as being rich? Apparently she didn't quit to homeschool as her kids weren't school age.

Once they reached school age it would seem that it cost her quite a bit to stop working...at least $19,000 a year.

The psychologist said the DS was going through the same type of depression a child would if their mother died.

How in the world do all the other kids in this world survive with a working mother? The kid may have had head problems, but I seriously doubt it was because his mom had a job. Maybe it was because when she did have time off she chose to hit the casino's rather than spend time with her child.

 

[crazyforgoofy]

Most of the homeschoolers in this fairly rural area do so because of fundamental religious beliefs, I think. A lot of the homeschoolers in the area where I lived previously did so because they wanted a more progressive or "unschooled" environment for their children. None of the people I know or knew personally who homeschooled were wealthy by any stretch of the imagination. Their lifestyle choice - one parent staying home with their children - dictated their behavior not their income.

 

[ScarlettO]

Originally posted by sha_lyn
I do think some look at home schooling as a luxury, and perhaps that is where the perception of being rich or at least well off comes from. As kermit pointed out there are some expenses we don't' have since we home school and I feel that pays for most if not all of the materials we spend money on. There are also many expenses we don't have since am a SAHM. I think when my cousin added up what it cost her to work a yr it was 35k.

Actually, from this post, I believe sha_lyn is trying to say that a SAHM homeschooling her kids saves an average family $35k a year. I guess that's how it realates to the original topic?