It seems like all homeschool parents stress over socialization.
What is socialization?
The enculturation for the process of being socialized to a particular culture. {anthropology}
Children learn the norms, customs, values, and ideologies of society from their parents…and eventually others. {Wikipedia}
I don’t want my family to be representative of our culture.
When I first began homeschooling, it was purely for academic and financial reasons. After a few years, we realized this would be our lifestyle.
When we met an older KMC couple at the American Cemetery in Normandy, the lady who is a DODs school teacher, nodded her approval that our kids are “at least in the base sports…for socialization.”
I gritted my teeth and pasted on a smile.
My husband’s family has expressed that everything I post online is a direct attack on them as public school teachers. I never tag them nor directly send them articles I write or share. I was a public and private school teacher and college professor and private tutor, so it’s not like I don’t know the system and issues. I chose to get out of the system and homeschool.
I post and write articles for discussion and provoking conversation. So many are indoctrinated into what the government and society wants us to believe is best that they defend it! There are other options.
I don’t want an institution raising my child.
School is not necessary.
Herding groups of same-age children for 13 years is not socialization.
Too many people think that a school environment is the only way children can and should be socialized. They offer weak arguments. They’re confused how my homeschooled children will ever cope in the world.
I’m not buying what they’re selling.
I don’t believe socialization is any of this:
- Bullying
- Competition
- Age Segregation
- Standing in line
- Sitting still
- Being silent
- Raising hands for permission to do anything
- Power and control by adults over children
- Using the toilet only on a schedule
- Eating a barely nutritious state-funded “lunch” in fewer than 20 minutes
I’m not worried about my kids not knowing how to stand in line or act quietly when necessary.
I’ve noticed that when we attend community events, it’s often the children who attend school who have self-control problems.
The education I provide my children is above and beyond better than anything a school can offer.
We use amazing books, travel experiences, real art, and handicrafts projects (instead of cutesy worthless crafts).
I make sure I find time to include all the art, music, nature study, and interests my children have in addition to our math, Latin, history, and science.
We read and study the Bible every day, not just on Sundays at church.
My job is not to recreate a school environment.
We choose not to participate in co-ops and seldom attend field trips or events in our homeschool community because they too often replicate a school environment.
Almost all the field trips and co-op classes are age-segregated and offer very little of value to me or my children. When we have attended in the past, my kids soon complain since the courses are unorganized, the other kids are unruly and disrupt their attempts to learn, deadlines are arbitrary, and rules are enforced inconsistently. We’ve been bullied.
Just because it’s the norm doesn’t mean it’s for us.
Too many homeschool events seem to be just exclusive clubs for cliques within the homeschool community. For example, a particular mom plans an event or field trip and messages her children’s friends’ moms to sign up so the event is full before others even notice it’s on the calendar.
I read articles, blogs, memes, and social media statuses attempting to be humorous, describing kids and siblings and families fighting and bickering and being mean to each other. Or memes about back to school time where the parents are ecstatic to get rid of their kids. Or the public shaming of kids acting like children. I don’t find it funny. It saddens me that this is the expectation and considered normal.
The kids and I all get along really well. My kids seldom argue. They never fight. We are respectful and kind to each other.
I respect my children as people. They are perfectly capable of answering questions without my input. They are perfectly capable of making wise choices (most of the time). They are perfectly capable of deciding what and how and when they learn.
We have a peaceful home and restful homeschool.
The kids work together and help around the house, assist each other, and have great attitudes (most of the time).
This kind of learning is way more important to me than if my kids compete in sports, do well academically, stand in line without fidgeting, ace the SAT, or get a high-paying job.
I think I’m doing all right.
I recently received this text from a neighbor:
Because it matters more to me that my kids are kind and well-behaved and know how to interact well with others when I’m not around.
.
at the library.
in workbooks) in high school. There is some argument among homeschoolers about whether to count each Form as 1 high school credit.
and may look into that. He also offers Spanish and Latin.
and now we’re on 
.
