Homeschooling

Yes, I am one of those who does not have full support from DHs side. I already called my mom for a chat since she is very supportive, but I think I need some input from here.

We were at MILs this past weekend and she brought out a newspaper clipping about a school being built near her home. She wanted us to go for the meeting at the new school which is supposed to be special, like a charter school but not. What she means I do not know. Now, my MIL does not live close to us!! I would have to drive up a small mountain pass to get there and we are talking about a 45 minute drive EACH WAY! Why she thinks we need to do this I don't know. *sigh* Then she pulled out another paper with a phone number on it to another school close to her home that is a school for talented children, or something like that.

Anyway, the subject got changed...we passed the bean dip and left it all alone. THEN,she called last night twice looking for DH. She wouldnt' talk to me, nothing to say to me I guess. When done talking on the phone I asked DH what she wanted since she seemed odd on the phone. Well, she wants to meet HIM for lunch on Thursday. Not me, just him. That is a little rude, number one, and I bet she is going to have something to say about schools. *double sigh*

She makes me feel incompitent. She is very intimidating (not to the point I will do anything she says, she just has that aire about her, you know?) and she makes me feel awful and I know she doesn't mean too necissarily, but she is so against homeschooling in a huge way and she wants her grandkids in school (she runs day care for government funded kids and used to be a public school teacher and has a K class at her day care).

I seem to only feel intimidated a great deal when I feel that I am slacking at homeschooling....which of course is now. Good timing on her part I guess. My FIL is not like her and never says a bad thing about homeschooling, so I don't know how he feels for sure, but I like that he seems genuinly interseted when I have something to say that Tanner or Hayden learned and seems pleased whereas my MIL seems to barely tolerate it. As a result, I don't say anything to her anymore. Now mind you, this is the very woman who wanted me to STOP breastfeeding Tanner at 4months of age so he could GROW UP A LITTLE!! Now you know her mind set.

Basically....I don't know. Maybe I just needed to get this off my chest, but I am generally one to sit and muddle in things and let them get to me. I have always said that if a a school comes along in my area, I would be open to looking at it and making choices that fit ME and MY kids based on OUR situation. I like to be open minded. But 45 minutes up a mountain pass 2 times a day is crazy and I won't even consider it!! And the lunch invite without me is just plain old RUDE and I am about fed up with this woman....

I need some bean dip please :O( I'm ending this and don't even know what I am asking for. So thanks for listening to my ramblings if you made it this far.

{{{{HUGS}}}}

Is you DH "seeing" the problem? Maybe this Thursday lunch is a blessing. Maybe they can work it out, the two of them. I would most likly ask DH how he might respond if she goes into the "school thing" at lunch. Tell him you are willing to be his sounding block if he has any fears that he may come across too strong or not strong enough (I assume DH agrees with you on HS'ing) and wants to work his responce through before the meeting.

I personally don't think her asking him to lunch is rude. If she asked you to relay the message that she wanted to have lunch with just him, THAT would be rude. I make dates with my parents from time to time that don't include my DH or kids.

Not sure this was much help,
Jen

Thank you ladies. And yes, my MIL never asks either me or DH for lunch and to invite him alone means something is up and it is rude to leave me out as his wife. But we do agree on the issue of homeschooling and he is polite to her and listens, then sets aside what he doesn't want to hear and ignores the advice. But we will see what the lunch is about and hopefully it will be just that she actually wants his company, though I doubt it.

Thanks for the bean dip and hey....my MIL loves mexican food so maybe that is where they will go LOL