I've often been asked, "What about socialization?"  Then I launch into my defense of the homeschooling lifestyle, peppering it with all the times my children have behaved well, participated in outside activities, and behaved  "normally" for children. But in the back of my mind I remember all the weirdness and can't help but think, "What if the socialization people knew this?" Little incidents like:

**At the eye doctor's office this week, two ladies looked at my daughter and asked her some questions. With two peppermints in her mouth she se replies, "I just come in here for the candy."

**Dear son, aka Earnest T., says, "Mom, I want a chainsaw for my birthday. "  He's got a thing for powertools.

**On the phone with my best pal [who only has daughters] in mid-conversation I inject to my son, "Son, don't use the power tools in the living room floor." My friend cackles in laughter. "What?" I ask. "Haven't you ever said that before?"

**Dear Daugher, Thelma Lou, asks while watching and Andy Griffith Show episode [of course], "Mom, is there love between those two? They look like they're about to kiss or something. "  My wise reply? "Ask your Dad."

**The photographer asks Thelma Lou, "What color are your eyes?"  Her answer? "I don't know. I can't see my eyeballs."

**Upon entering a local clothing store, my sheltered kids cringe at the really raucous music on the loudspeakers. My six year old puts her hands on her hips and asks [LOUDLY], "Why do they play that ungodly junk? Don't they have any cd's of Jim and Marie? " [Jim and Marie are a couple who go to our church and have sung in groups in this area for over thirty years.]

Maybe those socialization folks are onto something......but I'm not too worried about it. My guess is that their kids are weird, too.