HomeEdders Fortnightly Challenge; That Socialising Question.

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I’m hoping this will be a fun challenge this week. The inspiration comes from that oh so commonly asked question when people hear you homeschool or are planning to homeschool: “How will they socialise?”

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I’m looking forward to seeing how everyone approaches this topic.
What do you answer when asked these questions? Do you go out of your way to find social outlets for your children or do you find it all comes naturally? Why do you think people worry so much about homeschooled children not getting enough socialisation?

There will be 10 Steem in awards and 10 @steembasicincome shares up for grabs. Challenge will be open until Sunday 10th November.

If you're a home educator or are thinking about home educating, please join us on discord.

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18 comments
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I have been active in homeschooling for nearly 3 decades. At this point, I just want to face punch anyone who says the word "socialization." Really. I don't actually punch them, but I do think about how momentarily satisfying it might be to do so. Socialization is usually thrown around by people who allow their own kids to be socialized by--wait for it--the government. Those folks should keep their fake concern to themselves. We homeschoolers are fine. Tend to your own children and hands off ours.

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This response made me giggle! Yet it also highlights the level of interference so many seem to think is warranted.

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I have no motivation to even write a blogpost about this. So just a quick comment:

Coerced association is not socialization. Or maybe it is?

Look in a dictionary and think critically what socialization means:
https://www.dict.cc/?s=socialize

Wait a second! There is something I want to tell you about it. Let's write a blog post ...

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As one of the children that do homeschooling I don’t know what answers are given to these types of questions by my teacher/mother @freemotherearth. I feel that the socialization that most kids get is not that great because the only people you see in public schools are the ones in your area, the chances that the other kids in your area have similar mindsets or interests only go so high. For my socialization I go to boy scouts. In doing so I am finding other boys with similar interests rather than just being around random kids in my area. It is out of the way to do so sometimes but it is worth it in my opinion. I think people worry about homeschooling children not getting enough socialization is because from a public schooling outlook at homeschooling it seems like there is none because the only socialization they think of is going to public school. Another way I get socialization is through a youth action group for the environment that my sister @cassidydawn, a couple of friends and I put together to help the environment. The name of the action group is Kids With Pinecones or KWP.

Thanks for reading and happy steeming

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Steemager participation is AMAZING!!!! Great to read your perspective @aurynthenorse. I definitely consider a lot of things part of your socialization, but the homeschool experience is ultimately yours more than mine. I am so glad you decided to join scouts ~ they have added an entire sphere of influence and understanding to the world for you. Great post!

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It's good to hear on this subject from the point of view of the homeschooled student. Thank you for adding to the conversation.

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(Edited)

I read a few of the comments before I posted here, but I am happy to see that my own opinion is not going to be reviled by folks actually undertaking to teach their kids to learn. When I was raising my boys I wondered if they needed more 'socialization'. Then I would recall my own forced indoctrination in public school, and rejoice that they were not being subjected to what schools call socialization.

Bullying is not good for kids, and it's what governments do. Schools often encourage bullying, particularly in competitive sports. A great deal of what is called socialization by schools is actually being forced into a pecking order. As a child I refused to be subservient to jocks, or to scorn those they scorned. This was punished directly by those students, and followed up with punishment by the school employees, who beat me.

Abraham Lincoln grew up in a cabin in the woods. He may have chosen poorly when it came to brides, but no one thinks he was incapable of properly relating to his peers. My kids grew up in the woods, and became very popular with their peers, as well as with folks they worked for.

Maybe being put in prison with a cellmate could be called socialization. If it is, I don't want to see anyone's kids socialized. Public schools are just bigger cells, and offer more cellies. Homeschooler's kids are able to choose who they socialize with, and that's how it should be.

Thanks!

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It sounds like you didn't have a great experience at school. It has surprised me how much bullying is normalised in the public school system. For some reason I'm reminded of a trailer I saw for a comedy in which a homeschooling father wants to give his son the most authentic school experience he can, so he humiliates him in the shower and subjects him to the full highschool bullying experience.

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I note that bullying is the underlying basis for government, so am not surprised by it's prosecution by government indoctrination centers.

I found that a wet towel is an effective equalizer in a shower. Snapping a towel accurately doesn't depend on size. It's a skill that even the smallest kid can learn. Plenty of comedy ensues.

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Oh yes the big fear people have when you say you are home educating your children, I will be writing on this soon xx

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