We homeschoolers get so frustrated and annoyed with hearing the ridiculous question, “What about socialization?” But lately I’ve been wondering if there’s some truth to it. 

 

Are my kids unsocialized?

 

Some of you are laughing as you know or have read all about our social life and how very social my kids are. So why am I concerned where I have not been previously?

 

My sister says my kids lack tact and discretion. She’s right. They will point out or say everything or anything. Plus, my son is a know-it-all, and she thinks that if he were in a classroom then other kids would be better at things than him and it would put him in his place so to speak. “Of course he knows more than his three little sisters, but he wouldn’t know more than a whole classroom of kids,” she postulates. Really, would he not? 

 

My kids are very forward. Just the other day my son says to the cashier (who has neither noticed him nor acknowledged his presence), “Father’s Day isn’t fun for us since our dad is in Chicago.” He does this all the time. At the playground he started talking to two older woman telling them about how we just moved here from Virginia, but he was born in Maryland and all sorts of other stuff (while I was on the other side of the playground with his sisters). Should I discourage him? Maybe God has given him this boldness for the purpose of evangelism. 

 

My middle daughter is very affectionate, physically. It’s a challenge to keep her from climbing up on people’s laps and putting her arms around their neck. Specifically men.   I’m talking any man! We even had a contractor come to our house once and she climbed up on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck and stared into his eyes. Totally inappropriate! How do I teach her not to do this without crushing her tender and affectionate spirit?  

 

My son has also completely stopped using the “interrupt rule” (as some call it) which he has been taught since he was 2 years old. He’s very confident and speaks to adults as if they are his peers. He has begun interrupting conversations with great frequency, which is especially frustrating when he does so to correct me and some detail that I missed or something that I said that wasn’t exactly correct. I’m verbose enough as it is and very detail oriented in my story telling, but have learned that people don’t have time for every detail, so I try to leave out the insignificant ones and now MY son is sitting beside me correcting me every time I leave one out. I’ve tried to explain to him first that he’s being rude and embarrassing me, but second that I’m not lying just because I don’t tell every specific detail! We’re working on it, but it’s been a challenge. (And I understand because he is just like me). The worst was when my dad was talking to my uncle, relating an incident that had happened, and just when he got to the pinnacle of the story; my son interrupted and finished it, effectively stealing the punch. My dad sat with his jaw dropped. Ds had literally taken the words out of his mouth and my dad was none too pleased!

I could go on and on with examples, but the big question is: Is this evidence of a lack of “proper” socialization? Are my kids always going to be a little bit odd because they were homeschooled?

 

In addition, does anyone have any suggestions for how I can deal with these types of situations? Beyond memorizing applicable Scripture verses (there are plenty about pride & boasting), I’m at a loss. I’m trying to communicate what is and isn’t appropriate, but it just isn’t sinking in. 

 

I’ve been increasingly more concerned over the past few weeks, but things really came to a head at my sister’s house Sunday, and I’d hate to write off her words when I know there is validity to them.