The most commonly asked question I get when people know that I homeschooled my children is, “But what about socialization?!”
“What about it?”
What even IS healthy socialization?
From the dawn of time and for thousands of years, children grew quite healthily in families and small communities.
They lived among many generations under one roof. And played, learned, and worked within the community able to interact with ALL age groups around them.
Schooling outside of the home is a relatively recent endeavor, when you consider “compulsory public school” only became mandatory in the late 1800’s to early 1900’s.
Even at its inception in the mid 1600’s public school began to support those families who in dire situations, such as the death of one or both parents, could not continue to educate their child at home. And all schooling took place within the model of the one-room school house where all grades came together each day. *(America’s Providential History by Dr. Mark Beliles & Stephen K. McDowell is a great insight into the true history of our nation)
Being in a classroom for thirty hours a week, with thirty other six year olds, who each have the same lack of skills in judgment, intuition, and wisdom is far from “healthy socialization”.
And in the typical classroom, separated and grouped by the same age, is the ONLY time in our entire lives we are “socialized” in such a way.
Once young adults graduate and go out into the workforce, they are required to work side by side to communicate and relate socially with people of all age brackets, from youth-aged, to middle-aged, to those close to retirement.
In fact, many times when my children were running errands and learning practical life skills in our community, if it was during “normal school hours” they’d often be questioned with “Why aren’t YOU in school today?”
To which they would politely respond, “Oh, I am in school. I’m homeschooled.”
And then the inevitable, “But aren’t you concerned about their “social skills”?
And I would respond with, “No, because actually they are practicing socializing with YOU right now. And also, they have many outside activities each week with children and people of all ages.”
One sweet elderly woman stopped me when we were waiting in the entrance to a store for the rain to slow up to share how she was so pleasantly surprised how my kids looked her right in the eyes and spoke politely to her when we were in line in front of her. She said many kids today look down and don’t even respond to her when she says hello to them and their parents. They are glued to screens.
My point is that healthy socialization can happen anywhere and everywhere and with those I choose to allow my children to communicate with. Not everyone has earned that right of close proximity and I can safeguard until my children have a track record of proven success.
So, if you are homeschooling, don’t worry about this one bit.
And if you’re worried about someone else’s child, also don’t worry. They aren’t your child.
And if someone asks and you’re feeling snarky, try to resist telling them that we socialize dogs, not children. 😉
If you’re looking for some homeschool mom support, Hit the Coach-with-Me link and let’s chat about how I can help! ~Be Blessed, Jenny
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~JENNY RIEFLIN MINISTRIES~ 