Anonymous
Post 04/12/2016 13:59     Subject: Are they really homeschooling?
Anonymous wrote:Is it a shared driveway? How big are the lots? I'm just curious I guess. Our neighbors kids play outside during the day while I work from home and it isn't an issue.


They are not shared driveways, and I'm not sure why a PP assumed they are. Her child are playing in our driveway (husband and mine). Huge lots (not in the metro area, much farther out in Virginia). And no, noise canceling headsets don't work on people talking or singing or babies crying, or anything like that. They work on airplane noise, period.

Anyway, my child plays in the backyard where no on can hear or see him, so I'm really not sure why that's so difficult for everyone else. We strive to make sure no one else is inconvenienced by us.
Anonymous
Post 04/11/2016 20:10     Subject: Re:Are they really homeschooling?
You do not care if the kids are being homeschooled, you care about the noise.

Ypu work from home. That is a huge benefit, but it comes with the risk of noises in the neighborhood, including people, lawn mowers, construction, etc. You do not get to dictate how your neighbors live because you insist on working on one side of the house and keeping a window open. Get a laptop, move to another part of the house when you need to, and/ or buy a fan or air purifier that will help drown out noise.

Anonymous
Post 04/11/2016 07:47     Subject: Are they really homeschooling?
Have any of you actually used noise-cancelling headphones? In my experience, they don't work on noises like this. They work on aiplanes, reducing the engine noise by creating their own white noise so you can hear the words/music.

If you know of headphones that actually eliminate intermittent outside noises in a normal, otherwise quiet environment, please share.
Anonymous
Post 04/10/2016 08:35     Subject: Are they really homeschooling?
I can't believe someone would even consider calling CPS because children are playing outside. Jesus H.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2016 18:37     Subject: Are they really homeschooling?
This is PP and I wanted to clarify that I think the innocent family filed a harassment claim with the police which is how they got a restraining order.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2016 18:36     Subject: Are they really homeschooling?
Anonymous wrote:F-that. I'd ask the mother to keep her kids off my property AND call CPS. If it turns out the kids are being homeschooled for real, and not being beaten or tricked out for kidde porn or neglected, no harm done - except to your relationship with your neighbor.
I would not take the handful of examples here, from well-educated people describing their mindful friends and relatives, as an accurate sample.


This can't be real advice because that's it's not that simple. Once you call CPS it becomes a very painful process for the family you've called about. I once met a family this happened to and it was really horrible for them even though in the end CPS found they did nothing wrong and that the complaint was motivated by discrimination. The poor family that was victimized was able to get some kind of restraining order against the neighbor who called in the supposed issue and CPS was furious with the neighbor for wasting their time. Things got very very ugly.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2016 18:29     Subject: Are they really homeschooling?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:DC is full of terrible people like op


How is OP terribke? She's not trying to get the family thrown out of the neighborhood or anything,.

Because she's making what should be a simple issue too much noise and trespassing into a judgment about how fit the neighbor is as a mother.
Shame on you, OP.
Find the guts to walk up to her and tell her in a friendly way to stay off your property and to keep the noise down because you work from home. There are noise ordinances in some jurisdictions. It's unlikely children playing violates those but you might want to check just in case. There's usually a decibel limit.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2016 08:44     Subject: Are they really homeschooling?
Anonymous wrote:The thing that I think is so amazingly stupid about some of these comments is that many school class ratios are 20 students to one teacher and this mother is being attacked for her 6/1 ratio.


20? Try 30! In highly regarded Fairfax County School.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2016 08:30     Subject: Are they really homeschooling?
Is it a shared driveway? How big are the lots? I'm just curious I guess. Our neighbors kids play outside during the day while I work from home and it isn't an issue.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2016 00:26     Subject: Are they really homeschooling?
Anonymous wrote:Wait, so you think she doesn't homeschool her kids.

I bet she doesn't think you actually work. Because working from home is lazy and you just surf the internet or watch TV instead. Are you annoyed people would think that? Then stop judging the mom homeschooling because you have NO IDEA!

Just be a nice neighbor. There are so many bitchy anti-social neighbors these days and you are starting to act like one.


+1

Anonymous
Post 04/08/2016 23:29     Subject: Re:Are they really homeschooling?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I have been told by a homeschooler that they can teach the material in an hour or two a day without all the other regular school filler. Many of them apparently use online resources. I work with someone who has a FT job and "homeschools" her child. The child is older. As far as I can tell, the child self-directs for an hour or two a day to complete online work, does some reading, and then just hangs out all day. This is a middle school age child.

BUT

It's none of your business and I don't really think you have a right to ask them to quiet down in the middle of the day. Maybe move to another location in the house or go to a public library.


Total bullshit, and I can't imagine why the state doesn't crack down on it.



Oh, you mean school? Yeah, it is total BS. It's basically content for two hours and babysitting the rest of the time. Now, THAT'S what I call BS!
Anonymous
Post 04/08/2016 23:01     Subject: Are they really homeschooling?
I can see if you just have one child how you can do it in 1-3 hours. I supplement with my child and we do 15-30 minutes a few times a week and more in the summer. I've seen a lot of improvement from it. I do not get the impression he's spending hours at school working. There is a lot of play, recess, lunch, etc. The only reason why my child's handwriting and basic math skills have improved is we work on it.

However, we have neighbors who run through our yard. We tell them to get off our property each time. They say their parents gave them permission.
Anonymous
Post 04/08/2016 22:55     Subject: Are they really homeschooling?
The thing that I think is so amazingly stupid about some of these comments is that many school class ratios are 20 students to one teacher and this mother is being attacked for her 6/1 ratio.
Anonymous
Post 04/08/2016 14:31     Subject: Re:Are they really homeschooling?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:How old are the kids? What do they appear to be doing while outside all day? Does it seem possible that the parents have an "outdoor classroom" approach to homeschooling or are the kids just running around playing & telling all day?


I think they are 6-14, can't remember. Right now they are riding scooters up and down in front of my house and bouncing basketballs in my driveway.

I really don't want to switch rooms around!


But you may have to, Blanche. Your situation has changed. Flex, adapt and let it go.
Anonymous
Post 04/08/2016 13:39     Subject: Re:Are they really homeschooling?



This PP and others have explained it well.
I nearly homeschooled my son this year, and may next year if we don't change school situations soon. He is both gifted and learning disabled




Who isn't these days?