Engage in conversation. As a homeschooling parent, you may be reluctant to talk about your choice to teach your children at home because you fear that others are biased or close-minded toward the concept. However, friends may simply fail to understand what homeschooling means. Ask them about their perceptions and answer their questions openly and honestly. Don't be afraid to talk about the disadvantages as well. Doing so will give your friends a more comprehensive picture of what homeschooling involves.
Host an open house. Let friends experience your homeschooling environment for themselves. Invite them to sit in on lessons or even contribute to a lesson. You could, for example, ask a friend to read aloud to your child or help him with a spelling exercise. Your friend will gain a deeper insight into the benefits of homeschooling if she sees your child working in a happy and relaxed environment, customized to his needs.
Dazzle them with the facts. Research published by the U.S.-based National Home Education Research Institute in January 2011 reveals that children educated at home typically score 15 to 31 percentile points above public school students in standardized academic tests. This higher score is achieved regardless of their parents' level of formal education or socioeconomic background. This will help your friends understand that children respond well to homeschooling and that it does not negatively impact academic performance. Lend them books about homeschooling, such as David Guterson's "Family Matters: Why Homeschooling Makes Sense."