Fisher of Disciples

Feb. 24, 2007

Socialization....

Just the other day I was talking with my sister and she mentioned how busy she thought I would be with our boyo when he grew up a bit. She knows that we are planning to home-school him, and she said "you'll be busy driving him around, cause he'll need his socialization".

My first thought was
1. Don't all parents drive their children around to activities of one sort or the other?
2. I'm not worried about socialization.

I look back at my school days. I loved learning. I hated the playground. The socialization aspects of things... ick! I did like when they let the "big kids" play with the "little kids" I had a blast organizing the little kids and playing games with them. Gave me something to do and people to help. Fun that was. Didn't last long because "big kids can't play with little kids don'tcha know?"

Why would I want to send my child to school to have to deal with socialization?

What if he ends up having to deal with bullying and name-calling and not having good friends at school? Why should he have to deal with all that "ick" in order to have "socialization"? I've been there, done that, don't need my boyo to go through that.

Besides...I think he'll learn a whole lot more, more quickly, at home.

He won't have to deal with schoolmates liking or not liking him.
He won't have to deal with bullying.
He won't have to deal with having to decide...do I stick up for this child being bullied or do I run away so I don't have to deal with it or get hit for sticking up for him?
He won't have to deal with teachers pushing their own agendas (just his parents doing that!)

So, how do I answer the questions of socialization?
Should I just say...it's not a concern for me?
I'd rather he learn how to function as a Christian in society, than that he spend his days with same age students learning how to social with them?
That yes, I will enter him in sports...but not because I want him to socialize, but because I want him to learn to use his body and to work co-operatively and to learn from someone other than me in something. If he makes new friends in the process... cool, if not, that's okay too. :)

I'm not too worried I guess about the whole socialization. I figure he'll make friends in time. :)

But what do you think?

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Comments

Feb. 24, 2007 - Untitled Comment

Posted by BarbaraLee

I read in a mag on time about childrens parties. NO I don't remeber the mag but I do remeber the article. The ? was how many # children do you invite to a b-day party? The expert said what ever the age of your child is how many to invite. So if we are to invite a certain # for parties why do children need more then that to have personal friends.? I myself have 3-4 really good friends and I am 39. I am missing a few. If your child is seeing cousins, neighbors & other events he is already socializing. You can inform your sis of this and the real caught is if he is well behaved you can make that the fine point of his getting along w/others.

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Mar. 1, 2007 - Untitled Comment

Posted by ladysown

thank you. I will let my sis know about the other aspects of socialization. good reminder. :)

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Sporadic thoughts about homeschooling hopefully showing my Christian worldview.