If you are considering the dive into homeschooling or if you’ve been at it for awhile invariably, inevitably in casual conversation the red herring issue of socialization pops up. Today, going into our 17th year of homeschooling the concerns and objections seem lamer than ever. Why? Two reasons.
The first is why would anyone consider the artificial culture of a school as normal socialization? Is there any other time throughout our lives when we are confined to spend entire days, weeks, months with only those our own age? And why is this considered ‘good’ socialization, the paradigm to which all other settings are compared?
Be a fly on the wall in the hallway between classes at the local junior or senior high school. What is the great positive influence that a kid takes home from those daily experiences?
Secondly, concerns about socialization are underlain with the perception that homeschooled kids live a kind of monkish, sequestered life of workbooks and no friends. Homeschools are seen to be the assembly line for social misfits. It’s the stereotype that persists and is carried on in the excruciatingly stupid new movie, The Brothers Solomon. If you must, the trailer is here, but I can’t recommend it.
Our kids have very active social lives. It’s a big job keeping track of athletic, church and social activities. They are involved in the social activities of their choice not the pecking order of the local school. Time with the family especially at dinner is a big part of our lives. It seems the survey by the AP and MTV that says that teens are happiest when with their parents in families is really true. I submit that the socialization of a healthy homeschool life is superior to a public school’s. Socialization is a red herring because it takes the focus away from the objective evaluation of academic excellence.
“Accusing a homeschool kid of missing out on socialization is like accusing a work-at-home entrepreneur of missing out on corporate politics.” –Perry Marshall
UPDATE: More on socialization here.
You’ve made some excellent points here and I completely agree. What my kids are involved with keeps our family hopping. I don’t regret what we do but I am positive that things would be worse if going to PS.
I absolutely agree! My kids went to public school for a time before my husband and I got smart and pulled them out, and they were exposed to things like sexual harassment - kids saying things adults would lose their job for saying and getting away with it - extreme bullying, physical abuse (by other kids), religious discrimination, and more. There is no way that anyone can tell me that this free-for-all environment is preferable to selective social activities and lots of family time.
And I loved the quote!
I so agree with you!!
September 20, 2007
http://www.homeschoolersunite.co.za/Articles/News/MECSlamsHomeEducation/tabid/6335/Default.aspx
I couldn’t figure out how to make this a link. It’s an interesting article and responses on this subject from South Africa.
September 20, 2007
Oh, cool! It made it a link for me. Smart!
Very true…I think the problem with this question is that everyone has heard it so often, they think it must be a real issue without really thinking about what it means.
I mean, how much more practice at “socializing” with people you don’t like can you get than trying to get along with your siblings all day? Not to mention that you really should not be spending all that much time socializing at school, anyway.
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