They really, really seem like Bigfoot.

By that, I mean anti-homeschoolers.

I haven't met any. I might want to add "yet" to that, but it's true. I say "Bigfoot" instead of unicorns because there are really credible, sane people who claim to have seen one, whereas unicorns are pretty much regarded by everyone as mythological. If I were in Scotland, I might use Nessie instead, but I think that's been pretty much debunked.

Why? My own random experiences. When asked about our kids and school and I say, "We're homeschooling," I get a small variety of responses. Curiosity, interest, respect, admiration. Maybe nobody's had the nerve yet to challenge me on it, so I should be prepared, but it hasn't happened yet. What have I dealt with? Here's some of the surprises.

Last year at the optometrist. The owner of the shop is a former client of Dale's. She asks out of the blue, "So are you homeschooling now?" I thought he'd told her we were, or were going to, but he hadn't. "I just figured you for the type of former teacher who would." Seems she was one on a long list who knew before I did.

At the dentist. In talking with another patient while I was trying to get Rachel's coat on her, he said, "She's got more patience than God. She homeschools, too." We had been discussing it earlier and a friend of his son's was homeschooled. His wife (the dentist's) had pointed out all of the time lost in school--attendance, quieting down, waiting for answers, lining up, answering redundant questions, reteaching, waiting for twenty-five (or more) students to get the correct book open to the correct page... Yeah.

Last month with the city water workers. Mr. Conscientious Blue Shirt asking, "So are you going to homeschool them?" out of the blue, the support and lack of surprise of his boss, the admonition for our son to aim for the space shuttle instead of a backhoe driver... Yeah.

At the pediatrician. The older one tried to give me a talk about socialization when I first asked him if we'd miss any screenings (vision, scoliosis, etc.), but I tuned him out. This past month at the girls' annual checkup, the younger guy just looked up brightly at Madeleine and asked, "What are you learning about?" He had what I imagine is the same tone he uses for his own five-year-old daughter.

At swim class this session. It started with having more than the standard two children, then I got called an angel come to Earth for homeschooling them by another mom. Gee. I just think of it as a sneaky way to sleep in during the week, for one. (I'm kidding. Sort of.)

Today at the Detroit Science Center. We walk in to the little kids' area after the planetarium show (Dale wanted to see The Little Star that Could), and I look to my right. That kid is WAY past six years old, I thought. No uniform. Must be a homeschooler. From our group? Turns out he's the oldest child of this interesting lady, with whom I had a really good conversation.

I mean, I've been told they exist. I've heard it from other families they do. I've even had a drive-by troll comment against it, back in the day. But actually dealing with one, in the flesh? Not yet.

Nuts. Now I've cursed myself, haven't I?