Quite apparently, they have not been listening to themselves. Did they
not just comment about how well behaved your kids were a few moments
earlier?
It can be frustrating. Still, the truth is that socialization is a
major reason why the vast majority of home schoolers are learning at home,
away from the supposedly pivotal and important formative "experiences" the
secular world puts so much emphasis on.
Yes, believe it or not, many parents are leaving these "social
benefits" of today's public schools (which include alcohol, tobacco,
drugs, gangs, vandalism, shootings, the occult, and humanism, among
others) for reasons such as better academics, more autonomy, plenty of
flexibility, great family interaction, and spiritual growth.
For those new home schooling parents, who have recently been confronted
with the "S" word, let me encourage you. The fact is that the majority of
home schooling kids continue to have friends after they have left the
public school environment.
First of all, they will begin interacting with people of diverse
ages (adults, smaller siblings, neighbors, other family members) in an
expanded social community.
Secondly, they will have more time and energy to explore their
interests; bringing them in contact with others who share the same
likes as they do. Many home schoolers make friends of all ages through
city league sports, 4-H groups, church choirs, drama productions, art
classes, radio clubs, and even community volunteer groups.
Thirdly, schooling at home represent a tremendous opportunity to have
many wonderful family experiences that your kids will long remember. Like
the science experiment in the back yard that scared the neighbors, or the
field trip with plenty of snacks that counted as school. The result of a
closer family unit, specially where the parents make the commitment to
include the Word of God not just as another subject, but the foundation to
all the subjects the children study, is by far the most rewarding
experience to home schooling parents.
Lastly, studies have shown that home school children are not deprived,
on the contrary, there is sufficient evidence that indicates that, in many
cases, they have a higher self concept that conventionally schooled
children and score in higher percentiles in many findings.
Studies show that the concerns expressed by teachers, administrators,
and legislators about socialization and home schooling are unfounded.
Indeed, what these studies do confirm is that negative socialization, peer
pressure, and conformity are first experienced by children in the formal
educational system, where settings of large groups, segmented by age, with
a constant variation of authority figures is the rule.
In his book Growing Without Schooling, John Holt writes, "Most children
come out of school with far less self-esteem, less sense of their own
identity, dignity, and worth, than they had when they went in."
The next time you hear questions about your kids like: "If they don't
go to school, how will they learn to fist fight?; or, how will they recognize ethnic differences?; And what about the
prom? Do not worry, your kids will be to busy educating themselves to
bother for an answer. These questions will become irrelevant once your
family experiences the freedom from such social pressures, and discovers
the liberty home education provides to pursue the moral, responsible
character our society is in such need of.