Buddhist Homeschooling

Sep. 15, 2006

Socialization Links

http://school.familyeducation.com/home-schooling/social-skills/41008.html
http://themorningstaracademy.org/articles/homeschooling_information/reasons_to_homeschool/searching_for_the_best_way_to_teach_your_child_-_homeschool/
http://www.discovery.org/scripts/viewDB/index.php?command=view&program=DI%20Main%20Page%20-%20News&id=3479
http://www.naturalchild.com/common_objections/index.html#2
http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig/zysk1.html
http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/articles/042998a.htm

Phew! That was a lot. First off, I suppose I ought to learn how to post 'proper' links in my blog, but I don't really have the resources handy, nor the patience to bother. (Edited - I did it!~I figured it out.) These websites are my answer to the socialization questions. I figure even if I NEVER get that call back from Dr. Phil's show, this info is worth saving in the memory banks for all those other people who will ask those questions. This goes back to that "Socialization Questions" entry I have in here somewhere, LOL. Since I can't seem to keep the sarcasm out of the answers, I figured I would bone up on better ways to answer, full of MORE info than the ignoramus bargained for.

On that bottom site, there were links to some of the other sites - one sticks out about future conversations, it's a creative look at HSers and PSers and a park conversation about how socialization happens. Very funny (at least I thought so).

Best quote in the articles: "The idea of learning acceptable social skills in a school is as absurd to me as learning nutrition from a grocery store." Lisa Russell, weblinked to last site as "No thank you, we don't believe in socialization."

I read through all those links, their links, the links' links. I feel so much better answering the most common questions now:

Q: Where do you go to school?
A: (pick either one) I'm homeschooled. OR I go to (name of homeschool - TBA)

Q: What about socialization?
A: What about socialization?

Q: You're sheltering your kid too much.
A: Like a greenhouse operator who shelters the young tomato plants before the snow melts. (just to see the looks that one elicits)

And any other questions people can throw at me! Bring it on, suckers! Ha ha!

Okay, that was mean. I'm done being mean.

No, really. I'm done with the meanness.

What's that look for? You look like you don't believe me!

Self-promoting, horn-blowing moment: We were doing a review, and Daughter told me she was frustrated because the work was too easy. We were subtracting numbers from 1-10 on worksheets (the only one she enjoyed was the connect-the-dots themed problems). She was too cute.

Gotta go! Time for our playdate.

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Comments

Sep. 15, 2006 - Thanks for Sharing!

Posted by Louscrew

It's amazing how many lurkers there are out in cyberspace! Thank you for taking the time to let me know that YOU dropped by. I have a funny little cartoon that I just saw this morning on another blog about socialization. It goes right along with your post on socialization and homeschool. There's three kids at the schoolbus stop...a girl carrying a "s*x education" book who's very pregnant, and two teen boys smoking, with all kinds of metal coming out of various body parts (ears, nose, tatoos, etc.). The title of the cartoon is, "Yes, we homeschool. Now what was your question about socialization?".

Thanks again for stopping by and for letting me know! LOL!
Blessings,
Lisa

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Sep. 15, 2006 - Socialization...a non-issue

Posted by BarbaraFrank

That socialization question has got to be the silliest one we get. What happens in school is not socialization, it's the inevitable result of crowd control---and it's often negative. My kids are now 13--23, and none ever went to school. They all have friends and they all do fine. One thing they did teach me was that I should not expect them to become friends with other kids just because they're also homeschooled. I learned to let them choose their own friends where they found them, and that worked just fine.
It sounds like you're doing a great job with your daughter, and that you're both enjoying homeschooling :)
Thanks for stopping by my blog,

Barb

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Sep. 16, 2006 - So true

Posted by

I absolutely adore this:
A family member asked my wife, "Aren't you concerned about his (our son's) socialization with other kids?". My wife gave this response: "Go to your local middle school, junior high, or high school, walk down the hallways, and tell me which behavior you see that you think our son should emulate." Good answer.

I like your links, looks like you are boning up on information for Dr Phil. That's awesome!
I recently had a conversation with my neighboring friends about this topic. It was very interesting. They expressed the need for children to experience "socialization" in public school. I reminded them of what ps is like and reminded them that type of behavior is not tolerated in the adult world. (bullying, etc...)
They say "Sometimes it does exist in the work place."
Me-"Okay, but think back to your own school days, don't you wish you could go back and speak with your own bully now armed with the knowledge and confidence you have obtained in your adult life? I don't believe it is simply exposure to bullies which leads to the knowledge to deal with them. I believe it is maturity and confidence on our own part which enables us to handle them."

Also, as I often pointed out to my husband when we began discussions about homeschooling, we (as adults) do not put ourselves into bad situations to simply "learn how to deal with it". I mean, come on, I'm not going to walk through the bad parts of downtown Louisville late at night to simply learn how to deal with it!

Anywho, I think I have ranted enough in your comments section. LOL!
Oh, before I forget, your first two links are broken.
(Edited by Toughmutts: Thanks! I fixed that link problem - good catch!!)

Edited by toughmutts on Sep. 17, 2006 at 9:02 AM

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Sep. 16, 2006 - Ha Ha!

Posted by RollsLife

I just had to share this with you:
http://www.homeedonline.com/popcomics7.html

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Sep. 16, 2006 - public school

Posted by sis

as a person that attends a public high school, i can say this without any doubt--school is where they teach you how to be obedient, conforming, worker bees. (thus the extreme rebellions as well)

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Sep. 18, 2006 - Hmmm!

Posted by cryskey

Just think of all that our dear children are missing in school.

how to make bombs, carry guns, pierce everything, use "protection", cursing, disobeying parents, being target practice for bullies, being target practice for a shooter, the list could go on and on.

Just think of how bad we are scarring them for life by allowing them to miss out on all of this socialization!

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About Me

Buddhist/Christian Homeschooling family trying to get a handle on all the newness that comes along with being a first time homeschooler with values not reflected in the majority of my city!