Another part of confidence is letting it go when others are critical of our lifestyle. Confidence also sends our children the message that what they are doing is positive and admirable. When the inevitable peer magnetism makes them wonder about their lifestyle, your ongoing conviction can secure their support as well. Humility is necessary, too, in a society in which we are a minority and largely an unknown. The best parents I know are humble about their successes and not judgmental about others.
Righteousness wins few converts.
A good statistic goes a long way as well. Stating facts with confidence and humility can turn a skeptic in one conversation into an admirer in the next. Information, rather than emotional advocacy, also short circuits uninformed critics. Asking for help may seem to make you vulnerable but it can, in measured doses, draw reluctant family into the process and give them a sense of ownership in the children's education. Offering help, through volunteering and being there for relatives, creates connections as well.