A question about Home Education and Socialization...?

Question

This question is posed to those that repeatedly bring up the "S Factor" as a reason NOT to homeschool. However, I welcome everyone-especially other homeschoolers-to respond.

If public school is the only source of socialization (seemingly it is, by the responses I read that indicate you will not have a chance to socialize if you do not attend public school), what do you do in the evenings? Weekends? Holidays? Summer break?

It is sad to think that you spend all of that time alone, because you do not have the public school to go to for your socialization.

Just a note: I a homeschool parent. That last comment in my question is not for homeschoolers, but for the public school proponents who think that public school is the only way to get socialization. I wonder what THEY do on evenings, weekends, holidays, summer...not what homeschoolers do, because I know we do not need school to socialize.

Answer 1

Good point.
I have also wondered, what happens when they grow up and graduate, sure there's college, but what then? Do they sink into depression because they can never again socialize?
And what about all those people born 100-200 years ago who didn't go to school, what about the pioneers, the people like Abe Lincoln (mostly homeschooled). Were they all unsocialized? What about people from cultures that don't have traditional classroom schools?
Gee, I feel so sorry for all of these people (insert sarcasm).
I feel so sorry for all those kids on summer break, they must be so lonely (more sarcasm).
I am so glad my kids have learned other ways to socialize! (no sarcasm there, I meant it.)
Thanks for asking this question! :-)

Answer 2

We have been homeschooling now for 2 years and the main reason for doing this was because of the other children my children were exposed to a daily (8hour) basis. I do not believe that being locked away for 8 hours with 32 other 6 years is a good way to socialize. We are out there in the "public" on a daily basis. We interact with people of all ages as we do not discriminate against age because "someone" thinks we should only socialize with the exact same age group. We are also very active doing everything from piano, to volunteering at animal rescue centers, swimming, fishing, art classes, horse riding lessons and we own 2 Welsh ponies, enrichment classes, and the list just goes on. I also work at home and my husband is a firefighter. Socialization is NOT an issue for homeschooling families. This question makes me sick. I ask the "public" school families HOW they can send their children to a place that and have their children socialize with children that are mean-spirited, rude, and have no respect. Those are the people we try to avoid. This could go on forever but I have too many other things to do to continue. Have a nice day!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 3

My son is in public school and we are going to homeschool, granted a little late (ok more than a little, he'll be a junior), but from all reports I've read, even being late makes a difference. As for socialization... every single report/study I have come across has shown that homeschooled children are Better at socializing than those in public school settings. I have seen and heard so many bad things about homeschooling, but have not seen a bit of evidence to support all of these bad things. I guess people just don't like things that are different. But as one teacher who left public school teaching put it, if homeschooling was so bad, then what did civilizations do for the 4500+ years before we had public schools?

Answer 4

"In fact, anyone who stops and thinks about it for just a moment must see that, in childhood at least, socialising with others their own age is the antithesis of socialisation....unless they're really expecting their six (or sixteen) year old to learn how to conform to the standards, expectations and conduct required by their wider society from 30 other six (sixteen) year olds! " So, so true. Part of the problem is that people DON'T know what socialization means (and apparently that it can be spelled in more than one way ;) ) and really don't think about the full sociological implications of raising children in a family of 20-30 kids the same age--with pretty much only a single parent running the show. It's not intentional on their part, then, to substitute 'socialization' for 'socializing'--just ignorance, the primary cause of all the naysaying anyhow. ADDED: 72% are behind? Oh give me a break! Based on what study? And were the results replicated? There is MORE than one study by different groups showing how homeschooled students, on average, test BETTER than their school counterparts, are more active in the community around them (through extra-curricular activities, lessons, volunteering...) "Only someone who has never been socialized with their peers would not see the value in it." Oh, that is TOO funny. I grew up in public schools, and therefore, that is where the bulk of my socialization came from. It is not my lack of socialization that shows me there is little value to be had in growing up only with same-age peers but my ability to analyze situations, combined with the courses I took in psychology and sociology to become a teacher, not to mention my experiences viewing the whole socialization process within a class and school when I was teaching.

Answer 5

I'm a homeschooled 14 year old girl, and honestly, I don't have but a couple friends, and I am not really a social person, so, that's ok with me, but, I know that some of my other friends, who are very social would be climbing the walls if they had to spend their days alone or with their parents. I don't know of any ways to socialize other than school, My dad is my best friend and I'd rather hang out with him in the evenings and weekends and stuff, but, I hated school and I hated all the social stuff the most, so, i don't know...

Answer 6

I find that with any of my students, they are sociallized just fine.

Why? Because they participate in extacirricular activities like art classes, martial arts, swimming, sports, music lessons, exercise classes, etc. Also, they are friends with their neighbors.

Another thing that I will point out is that all of the homeschool programs I work with have a sense of community just like public school. Parents volunteer to teach science classes, writing classes and even yoga classes to all of the homeschool kids that are a part of a certain homeschool program. So all of the homeschool kids get to know one another so it is just like having friends at public school. Also, the high school that a few of my kids go to have dances and proms and even field trips for certain classes they are taking at home!

So, yeah many will raise the "S Factor," but it is really up to the kids (or even their parents!) to have an interest or hobby. That is how I met my best friends. I didn't go to school with them, but played team sports and went to art classes with them (and I went to public school!). I am not saying that I didn't have friends that were at school, I am saying I had them all over the place!

Anyone who thinks that homeschooling keeps children isolated is ignorant about the whole system. Believe it or not, that is the question I get most often from people who meet me for the first time and ask my profession. (A lot of them think kids are homeschooled for religious reasons!! Hahaha!) I hope to change that stereotype of homeschooled kids, one person at a time.

Answer 7

Well, I am a new homeschooler. But I can tell you right now that homeschoolers don't not get socialization. If you are involved in lots of after-school activities you will have plenty of friends. It just depends how active you are in your community.

What I've stated earlier shows what we do in the evenings, weekends, holidays, and summer break. The key is to meet new people and try new things.

We don't spend all our time alone. Period.

Good Luck ;)

Answer 8

I don't know why this is really such a huge concern.

When I took my two boys to the library yesterday, they sat for the reading program, then they did arts & crafts with the other kids and had a blast. Then they went into the kids section and my 6 yr old got in on a puppet show with some other little kids in the puppet theater area, while my 8 yr old sat at the computer with another kid his age and they started playing games and talking and ended up exchanging phone numbers.

Then my 8 yr old went into chess club for a couple of hours (taught by a man was an international champ, and-- he was homeschooled too). He sat down and played a couple of games with some other new kids who were there that he'd never met before, one of them was a total beginner so he showed them what all the pieces were called and how they move and played a game with him explaining strategy along the way.

Then today we went to the aquarium, after looking at some of the sea creatures for a couple of hours we went to the play section where there is a little water park, and the boys jumped on this giant pirate ship in their bathing suits with water cannons and everything, and before I know it they're going back and forth with other kids having "sword fights" using plastic water bottles and searching for buried treasure.

They have regular friends, and are in a co-op and all and have their regular friends, but just going somewhere where they know no body, it is just so easy for them to walk up to other kids and just start playing or talking.

I just don't get the concerns.

Answer 9

There are sooooo many ways to socialize as a homeschooler. My 5th grade son was signed up for so many of them that he finally asked me to ask him for an ok before I signed him up for any more, lol! He's got field trips, baseball (a homeschool team that plays in the city league), Scouts, church activities, any number of co ops that he can be involved with, units that he does with friends, playing with kids in the neighborhood, at the park, at the pool, wherever he meets them...he's more socially active now than when he was in school, because he gets to structure his own time. For the hs kids that aren't socialized...well, either their parents just plain don't want to take the time (which is sad), or they really just plain aren't social. They probably wouldn't be any more social in a classroom than they are at home.

Answer 10

Good point, never looked at it that way.

Not to give those who bring up the "S" word repeatedly any more ammo to support their "keep them isolated" theory, but I just want to say that we enjoy a good dose of solitude; there is a big difference between being lonely, and being alone.
Even kids need that more often than we adults think.
We enjoy people, and all the activities, however we, nor our children are depended on either.

That being said, our definition of socialization is being able to communicate with people of all ages; young, old, and in between at their level about many different subjects from cooking to politics; rather than what is in this week, who made the headlines, or what ridiculous "reality show"; now there is a misnomer if I ever saw one; is the most popular.
I guess that goes back to the quality vs the quantity.

Our teens will blast us out of the house at times with their music, and movie nights with friends when it is our turn to host it, but such is life; it makes us appreciate the quite times that much more.