Thanks for posting this and well done to you, it certainly is rewarding to have our way of doing things noticed and remarked upon in a positive manner. The tide may well be turning, people might just be starting to understand what exactly it is we do in home education and why it is the best way to tailor an education to suit the child. Having had some similar experiences recently, where support for home education has been shown from those in an official capacity, I feel that I might as well post mine too :bounce:
We have the educational officer from the council supporting our view that home education would be the best option for a young child who was recently brought into our family via kinship care. The child is a 'looked after' child and we were worried that the official view would be to try and push us along the school route. Fortunately in this case the social work and educational officer support our view that the child's best interests are right here at home with us, where we can provide a more child centered approach to her education and development. We home educate our 'own' children so when bringing another into the family it is only right that she have the opportunity to be part of what we do.
We are chuffed to see home education being recognised by officials as the best environment to meet a 'looked after' child's complex needs and are glad that we are in a position to provide the setting.
Another positive encounter similar to yours happened to us, funnily enough up at the hospital, where a doctor remarked the same thing as to you and 'took her hat off' to us for doing what we do. Although not an official endorsement either it was great to have a doctor taking her hat off to us for the mere fact that we love our children and are actively trying to achieve the best outcomes for them. :bounce:
Maybe the tide is turning?