Question to people who homeschool?

Question

This has always puzzled me, how do people who do homeschool get social interaction to meet people and what not?

Just curious

Answer 1

i am not homeschooled but a couple of my friends are. they go to different activites and hang out at like the movies or something. they just call people up and then go hand out.

Answer 2

I see "Unknown" is back, minus the previous morose avatar.

Answer 3

When you find out, let me know....

lol....

Well, I'll give you the answer everyone here will give you....

Chruch functions.

Clubs.

Activities with other homeschoolers.

Anything really along those lines....

I used to do those, then I realized how naive I was to think those helped....

I wish I still was naive, then I might be happy and not realize how alone I am in life....But at the same time, I'm glad I see it for what it is, instead of convincing myself my life is fine....

Edit: Haha, what I find funny about Thrice Blessed answer is, most of the phone numbers in my phone are people from youth groups, Ect.

But there's either 2 ways it can go here (Because trust me, I've put my 2 cents in, I HATE how people think I don't try! I really do!). Either I have really bad luck, or I just realized something everyone's to niave to realize....

They don't give a c**p about you! I go in everywhere, seriously I mean everywhere! With the point of making friends (Wether people will believe it or not). And I never make any "Friends", but maybe a person I see once a week or twice if I'm lucky for a few hours. then on the weekends they don't want to do anything with you....

You know why?

Because you're homeschooled! You never see them! You have nothing in common with them!

But maybe it's just me? Or maybe other people are just to blind to realize it? I don't know....I just am a staright forward no nonsense guy, who just sees things the way they are.

Edit: "Glee is mourning for R&S's" answer is quite interesting. I like how she said "our unknown" that at least makes me feel like I'm a part of something =/

But a couple reasons I would like her to know why I don't have any plans on going back to public school....

#1: I've lost ALOT of people skills, and I think it's to late to go back, and basically start, and try to adjust now when everyone's basically ending it.

#2: My family doesn't really want me too.

And I don't think my life would be good if I was in school now....

If I would have started going a few years back I'm pretty sure it would at least be a little better than it is now....But I think if I were to go back now, it would be probably just as equal misery, because I don't know how to deal with people.

And actually I am talking to a counsler.

And all the advice people give me, I've tried, and try to this day. So trust me, it's not like I don't TRY! Why do people think I don't try! Seriously! Do they think I just wine about things without trying to do things, and change first? The reason why I rant is because I try! And nothing changes!

=)

Answer 4

I have never been able to understand how public school kids socialize.  They are forced to sit in a classroom with other kids that they are not allowed to talk to.  After school there is so much homework that I don't see where they have time to socialize.    There is so much more opportunity to socialize with home schooling.  Here are a few examples:

Scouting

Sports

Home School social groups/co-ops

Music lessons

4H clubs

Volunteering in the community

Church activities.

Notice I listed church activities last on my list.  While many home schoolers are very active in their churches, there are so many more things home schooled kids can do for socialization.

Answer 5

We home school and have an organization we belong to that meets frequently to have the students interact. Than there is Scouts, Karate school, community sports clubs, Church sponsored youth clubs. There are many ways for home-school students to socialize. Since this is a frequent argument against home schooling some parents tend to over compensate. The truth is I see a lot of home schooled students better adjusted socially than most of the general population of public school students I deal within our Karate school.

Answer 6

Generally being homeschooled means you have more time for other things like hobbies, sports etc. You can join a club and make sure you don't get to used to being at home. Also, we used to go on excursions at least once every couple of week.

Answer 7

How do you think they got social interaction in the past before everybody went to school? There's so much more available now then there was back then, too!

Where I live, homeschoolers interact with:

-their family members--instead of being quiet all day long, lots of interaction, discussion, etc.

-sports: teams, lessons (swimming, skating, etc.)

-other types of group lessons, like music

-Scouts and other similar groups

-church

-youth clubs

-other homeschoolers: there are lots of homeschool support groups where I live and there are field trips, classes, workshops, regular get togethers (like park days--families meet up at a park/playground once a week), parties, playdates/get-togethers...

-many teen homeschoolers have part-time jobs where

-many others!

The possibilities for interaction are endless!

Answer 8

Well I am homeschooled have been since Kindergarten!

Here is what I do

Church and Youth Group

Sports

Homeschoolers Classes

Co - Op

Missions Trips

Choir

Community Involvment

Volunteering

I do TONS and get probably more social interaction then most regular school students!

Hope this helps and I was glad to answer!

Answer 9

i don't homeschool, but there are plenty of opportunities to socialize. of course, it's a little easier to socialize when you go to school, but there are sports teams and clubs and stuff you can join where you will meet people.

Answer 10

Well, we're out in public every single day at grocery stores, post offices, home improvement stores, etc. We walk through the neighborhood, we play with kids when they get out of school, we meet at the park with cousins, we have classes of our own, band, orchestra, tae kwon do, scouts, soccer and baseball.

We are socializing every single day with each other, as well as new people.

Answer 11

Well here's a few things my kids are involved in

- swimming lessons/public swim

- fencing lessons

- golf lessons

- skiing and snowboarding

- film school

- musicals and plays

- field trips

- workshops

- kids in the neighbourhood

- playdates

- skateboarding

- going shopping

- walking around the block

- friends of friends

- church

- youth group

- summer camp (my son works there every summer)

- part time jobs

- clubs

- etc.

Long ago there weren't any schools.  How did people get social interaction back then?    People somehow think that school is end-all and be-all when it comes to getting to know others.   I've never been able to figure that one that.

Answer 12

When I was homeschooled I was involved in the following:

Sports

Dance

Violin lessons

Piano lessons

Voice lessons

String quartet

Orchestra

Political campaigns

Study groups

Classes with other homeschoolers (Taught by homeschool parents)

Classes at the community college

Hanging out with friends

Camps/workshops

Kids in my neighborhood

Church

Answer 13

ok wow, lol people think we the ones who are homeschooled are like a diffrent society or a group of people.... were not  just cause we dont go to school like a normal teenager or kid doesint make us different we do the same stuff as you do to get social interaction and like its pisses me off when people make us sound like outcasts, ok now im done venting lol but to answer your question we do the same stuff as you do, interact with the same people have friends like you do live a normal like like you do so theres nothing diffrent thing we do to get friends

Answer 14

Here's what our child does:

(1) Art classes.

(2) Science classes.

(3) Homeschool park days twice weekly - playing at local parks with other homeschoolers

(4) Sewing classes with adults, which she takes because she has finished all of the children's classes and is more advanced than most adults.

(5) Tae Kwan Do - classes and volunteering.

(6) Horseback riding and working at a ranch.

(7) Playing with friends, both schooled and homeschooled.

This brings up a question I have: how do kids who go to school socialize when they are forced to sit in a classroom all day, doing boring work, and are loaded down with homework?  ;-)

Answer 15

They leave the house. You know, like normal people. They go to the store, the library, to visit friends, clubs, whatever. They have more time to do these things than kids who go to school because they don't spend their whole day locked in an institution.

Answer 16

the answer from unknown is sad. but the lonliness felt has nothing to do with being homeschooled. i went to public school my whole life and was always very lonely. he/she is just trying to find a way to blame his/her problem on something other than him/her self.

most homeschoolers get tons of social interaction....the difference is it's usually fun rather than being spit on, laughed at, or  publicly groped.

Answer 17

Name the ways that you get social interactions during the summers and after school hours and those are some of the ways that home schoolers get social interaction.

Many people graduate from public high school and still are able to do things with friends and meet new friends.  They do not need a class room with people their own age to find a social life.     If they can do this after graduation, then it just makes sense that those same avenues are available for homeschool students.

Thanks for an easy question.

Answer 18

Homeschool groups

Church groups

boys and girls clubs

literary discussion groups

4H

Scouts

Sports teams

Common interests (for example art or photography)

How much those things will help depends on the individual, some people are naturally outgoing and some are not.  Those who are not don't usually socialize much even if they attend public school, instead they spend their time trying to avoid attention.  

Then there are those who are so outgoing that they will make friends even if they are only involved in one or two group activities.  They will strike up conversations with people any time they are in public.

Temperament has a lot more to do with it than where you go to school... people like "unknown" will go to a group with a chip on their shoulder, sure that they won't make any friends, and guess what?  They don't.  Other kids will go in expecting to make friends, and will go out of their way to talk to others, to get phone numbers, etc.  Guess what?  They make friends.

Answer 19

there are co-op classes, i have taken classes at the community college since 8th grade there are all kinds of support groups for parents and through that you are forsed to interact with other hoomeschool kids

Answer 20

My sons only five but his friends consist of karate, dance and neighborhood friends. He also is friends with my friends kids.

Answer 21

well i do an online school...... i do Connections Academy.... and i get to meet kids all around the country and i talk to them over the internet......... but the kids that live closer to me i get to meet them in school field trips and what not

but my brothers do normal homeschool (my mom teaches them) and they get to see their friends at church and basketball games and stuff like that..... one of my brothers even do sports for a local school

my mom cna even plan field trips with other homeschoolers and other friends so we can see them then too

hope this helps

Answer 22

Well, my kids are only 7 & 8, but right now they both claim to be happy with how often they get to hang out with other kids.  They play several sports throughout the year.  In the summers, they go to library programs and Bible school.  This summer, they are going to go to a couple of different day camps for one week each, just to do something different.  When they want to see these friends between activities, they can call them and arrange a play date.

In the afternoons and evenings, they usually play with the kids in the neighborhood, ages ranging from 2 and 14.  Sometimes, when the public school kids have too much homework and can't play, my boys will hang out with an adult neighbor, helping them garden, build a chicken coop, clean out a shed, work on a car, go fishing, archery, or whatever.

Also, they have managed to make friends at all of the places that we frequent regularly.  Often times, when I am not pressed for time, they will have me stopping at places that we didn't necessarily need to go to that day because they need to tell some friend or another some exciting bit of news.  

My kids think that it is perfectly normal to have friends of all ages.  The only drawback to this is that I have to constantly remind them of the various safety rules.

Answer 23

I dance 5 days a week.

Answer 24

Homeschooled people get plenty of social interaction. Many are involved in sports, at churches, in activities such as debate clubs, and more.

Answer 25

They have activities where they can socialize with fellow homeschoolers. Not to mention there are field trips too.I know this stuff from experience.

Answer 26

There are TONS of things homeschoolers can do to socialize. Join a club, girl scouts, or sports team, sign up for a program at there local library, enter a homeschool support group,

The list never ends! Homeschoolers can blend with people who aren't just there ages too like kids in Public/private school do. When you grow up and our in the "real" world are you with just people your age?

Answer 27

To answer the question:

While many public schooled kids’ social functions revolve around the school, the homeschooled student's social functions revolve more around that individual and their family. But really the activities themselves are not much different. We don't go to church or co-op, but my daughter does know kids from those organizations and they do hang out on occasion. She goes to parties, movies and classes. She talks on the phone and plays with kids in our neighborhood. We like to go to the library and she usually takes a friend and they play video games. We go to the park and the mall. In the summer we go to camp outs. She does not lack for friends. Sometimes in the afternoons we walk by the local elementary school. If kids are having gym outside, we are sure to hear about ten voices call her name. When they get off the bus, she is waiting to ride bikes, climb trees and goof off with her public schooled friends. Kids do not shun their friends because of where they get their education.

  

EDIT:

Ah, our Unknown has returned. And he is still trying to convince people that his life would be a bowl of cherries if only he'd stayed in school. He feels abandoned, persecuted and shunned and wants us to think we are too. He neglects to tell you all about his train wreck of a home life or his myriad of other issues.

    See Ryuu, he's been on this same rant for over six months now and remains resolute that he has no options and is trapped in a never ending nightmare of loneliness and depression. Everyone has options. Everyone has struggles. He refuses to go back to public school. He refuses to do anything but pout and insult, in fact. His madness has degenerated to the point he is now saying, "No one cares about me and no one cares about you either”. How is that constructive or even reasonable? We aren’t naïve. I bet everyone on here has at least one struggle in life that makes his little social problem look like a day at the beach. I’d suggest he walk a day in another person’s shoes before announcing that he has more insight than people more than twice his age, but that would be as wasted as any other advice we’ve given him. His says no one cares about him, but many of the people here actually do. I for one am worried that he is chronically depressed and in need of a physician’s care. Perhaps we have social skills he does not or perhaps we have a slightly more positive outlook on life. Whatever the reason, we have friends and are happy. I’m sorry he is not. I think things could turn around for him if he gets help. Please don’t think his rather tainted attitude is shared with the majority of homeschoolers. He is a boy with an agenda and all of his anger and disappointment gets channeled into making homeschool sound like a life sentence in solitary confinement. It is not, but his attitude is.

Answer 28

From friends from public schools, friends at educational gatherings for home school, and friends in their neighborhoods. Our kids have their friends this way.