Socialization? Why it always pops up when people are considering homeschooling
In the 15 years that we have been homeschooling, I cannot think of a time when we have not been asked about the socialization issue.
Here is what people often fear:
Their child will sit at home, alone, with no contact with the outside world, raised in complete isolation.
And this then leads to their child growing into adulthood and not know how to interact with other humans in healthy, functional ways. Thus, homeschooling, because there is no socialization, leads to maladjusted adults.
Here is our reality:
Our children are around people through all sorts of opportunities: church, sports, dance lessons, singing lessons, 4-H, field trips, homeschooling groups, and just moving through life as normal people who are part of a family: grocery stores, doctor’s offices, post office, parks, movie theaters, concerts, museums.
Of course, all people are different. Homeschooling children are as well. Some people are naturally outgoing. Others are naturally not. Some are introverts. Some are extroverts. This is true whether a child homeschools, unschools, private schools, public schools.
Note, that the burden of giving your children the opportunities to interact with others is going to fall on you, parents, when you home school or unschool. That is the difference. Maybe that is where the fear originates?
