"What about socialization?"

 Do you follow the TOS Homeschool Crew on Facebook?  If you don't, you're missing out! We have a great team of contributors and share lots of interesting information with our fans each and every week.  Tuesdays is our Tuesday Topic day - and starting next Tuesday (the 26th), it will work more like a "Crew Carnival".  Each week, there will be a new question posed, and Crew members will have opportunity to answer this question on their individual blogs.  Be sure to check in each Tuesday for the new question, as well as links to blogs where you can read answers.

This week's question is probably the biggest question posed to homeschoolers --- What about socialization?

If you're a homeschooler, you've probably heard this question about a million times!  It gets old, doesn't it?  I know that I get sick of hearing it, and sick of answering it!  And, like is often the case with me, I often leave a conversation thinking "oh, if only I had said ...." (but I can never think those clever things fast enough).

Over the years, after having been asked this question so many times, I've come up with some things that I answer each time.  Here they are, in bullet points, for ease of reading:

• How much socialization does a child really receive in school? I mean, get real. They sit in a classroom all day, where they aren't allowed to speak without raising their hand first.  The only socialization time is during lunch and recess/break.  That's probably only about 45 minutes per day, right?
• How many people in your child's peer group at school do you really feel comfortable with them socializing with?  My daughter Ashley had a brief stint at the local public school and, out of about 22 kids in her class (at any given time), I could probably count on one hand the number of them that I'd approve of as friends.  Funny, I had opportunity to speak with one of her teachers when the school year had ended, and I remember her telling me that, out of all the classes she had ever taught (and she was close to retirement at the time), that particular class had the worst bunch of girls she had ever encountered.  Now, that's just sad. But, it pretty much cemented my thoughts that there really weren't many good friend options there.
• What is the good of socializing with only those in your own peer group?  I mean, anyone can talk to those their same age.  I want my kids to learn to socialize and interact with people of all ages.  I want them to be able to (and willing) to play with younger and/or older children (and have fun doing so).  I want them to be able to hold intelligent conversations with adults. I want them to enjoy both young and old (and, in turn, I want the young and old to enjoy interacting with my kids).  Having spent most of my growing up years as an only child, I feel that I exhibited these qualities (even though I wasn't homeschooled), and I want them to be displayed in my own children.
• They socialize with each other (and with me) each and every day.  Not to be smart, but what more could a kid want?!  Seriously, there's a book out there with a title something about making siblings best friends.  Mine aren't to that point yet; but I sure would love to see it.  Someday, we (Brian and I) won't be around anymore;  I'd love to know that my kids love each other and continue to enjoy each other's company (that they desire to be together).
• We go to church, they take lessons, and we spend time in the real world.  Plenty of time for good quality, healthy interactions with people.
  

A fellow Crew mate, Debra, shared her response to this question, which I just loved and had to share!  Why, oh why, didn't I ever think to answer like this?!

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