Homeschooling and Socialization, Socialization and Homeschooling

homeschooling and socialization, homeschoolers are weird
No doubt about it, socialization is different for homeschoolers. 

I ran across this piece that I thought I'd pass along to you, if you are still wondering about the issue. I think it's a good perspective.

For our family, we have always found that being with friends, socializing, by the way, not socialization, requires deliberate action. We do not have our three besties at the lunch table, quietly eating their sandwiches five days a week nor do we have buddies living down the block. 

Instead we go out of our way to create time together, meaningful time, fun time, hangout time.  In fact, at this very moment my daughter's bestie is here at the house and planning on staying a few days with us (as she often does) and John is about to run out to see friends.

Community is crucial, essential to human beings. Time with friends may be even ten times more crucial for our kids. I can handle it when I don't get to be with friends, but my kids need it. They need it and so do your kids and that is why we deliberately build hang out time, unstructured, into every single week. As much as possible.  

When I was a kid in public school I don't remember alot of talk about socialization. Maybe it was there and I just missed it because if there had been talk about it, surely school socialization would have been better because Good Grief. My experience in school wasn't good and I have some wonderful friends who had truly horrific experiences. Not that I'm sure that my experiences forty years ago relate to schools today...

Maybe we need to simply be clear and say this:
KIDS NEED GOOD AND MEANINGFUL FRIENDSHIPS.
Kids also need us to respect their personal preferences for friendships in their lives.

Honestly, sometimes my kids both hermit-out. I encourage contact with friends regularly but the kids both have their own personal level of how much, how often, how deeply they need to be with beloved friends. In fact, both of them prefer long, meaningful times with a friend or two interspersed with time alone. Because of our consciousness of the issue, we can respect their needs... and plan accordingly.


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