Homeschooling and Socialization
When people find out that we homeschool our children, they almost always predictably comment, ?¢‚Ǩ?ìWell, I could never homeschool my children. They need the socialization?¢‚Ǩ¬ù.
First, why do people do this? Why do people tell us what they wouldn?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t do? Did someone tell them they have to homeschool? Quite frankly, I don?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t give a crap whether you use the public school system or not. I am not preaching to you; don?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t preach to me.
Second, is there a class all homeschool opponents take? Does the first lesson in Opposing Homeschool 101 tell you that homeschooled children get no socialization? If no such class and lesson is offered, can someone please reveal to me why this is virtually the only comment we receive from people regarding homeschool? You would think we would at least get a ?¢‚Ǩ?ìYou?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢re evil?¢‚Ǩ¬ù or ?¢‚Ǩ?ìYou’re going to hell?¢‚Ǩ¬ù once in a while, but all we get is ?¢‚Ǩ?ìyour children will be social misfits?¢‚Ǩ¬ù.
Third, since when did the public school system become a social laboratory? Maybe the seven schools I attended in two provinces did things differently, but outside of two 30-minute recess periods, we were discouraged from having social interaction. Chatting in class would result in a smack of the ruler on our desk or having to write lines. In all honesty, the bulk of my social experience came from interaction with friends in the evenings and on the weekends.
Fourth, why do people assume that homeschooled children have no social skills and/or get no social interaction? Are people really so ignorant that they think homeschooled children sit at home all day locked in the house until they emerge with their homework done? How ridiculous.
For your information, our daughter?¢‚Ǩ‚Äùour son is not officially being homeschooled yet since he is only three?¢‚Ǩ‚Äùreceives plenty of opportunity for socialization. She is in her third year of weekly ballet classes. Every week she either goes to another family?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s house that participates in our local babysitting co-op or the children of one of the families comes to our house. Next week she starts art classes. Next month she starts swimming classes. That?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s not even counting all the times we go to friends?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ houses and she plays with their children, nor is it counting all the times her friends’ parents phone up asking if she wants to come over and play.
Of course, there is the remote possibility that maybe we are just radicals when it comes to homeschooling, and the majority of homeschoolers do lock their children in closets under the stairs.
Either way, please stop telling us our children will not be socialized.
Popularity: 10% [?]