Why are people on here saying not to home school because our children won't get any socialization?

Question

Havn't they heard of 4-H, swim classes, other classes, sports, church, also home schoolers in an area will get together for field trips or to do arts or other activities or do certain subjects at certain people's homes. I'm not happy with people telling me NOT to homeschool because everything I've read on it sounds great and homeschoolers have an opportunity to get a better education. Our children would not be hidden from the world like they make it sound! I went to public school myself and loved it in elementary school but then middle school and highschool was pretty scarey with all of the gossip, drugs and lack of one on one teaching and bomb threats. If our children ask to go to public school when they are older we will not keep them from doing what they want if it's the best thing for them since we only want the BEST possible for them!

Answer 1

People don't know what they haven't researched. I'm not sure why people think that parents aren't the best teachers for their children. Homeschooling takes alot of effort and patience! But it is very rewarding. When my family tells me that my children won't have the socialization that they would have in public school I tell them....."yeah, he would be going to a school that is full of gangs and has a cop sitting there all day and also have kids going to jail on a daily basis for fighting. You are right....he should be there because he would learn so much!"

Don't care what others think of you. They are YOUR children and you need to do what's best for them!

Answer 2

I home school and my kids are as socialized as any traditional school kids. They are  involved in 4-H, scouting, dance, little league, home school support groups. Also, since they are not segregated by age and intellect during school hours, they are able to socialize with an extremely wide age range. My 10 and 4 yr olds are as comfortable with toddlers as they are with children there own age, as well as adults, and every where in between.

Answer 3

Those things are just like once a week, children need to be exposed to other children daily, not just for special classes. Homeschooling is a terrible way to school your kids. If you are worried about safety try a private school, because even at private schools kids get a chance to make new friends DAILY.

Answer 4

because they do not know what they are talking about and they think they have a viable argument for non- Homeschooling. I am a pro- ponent for it, and no, they ahve not herd of 4-h, other classes, and school is not the only place to have socialization. It is the type of kids in school, is why i do not want my kids there, but they ahve learning disabilities, so i have to let them go.

Answer 5

I think it's because there is some misguided belief that the only place to socialize is school.  It's really odd, because plenty of adults don't go to school and no one seems concerned about their socialization problems.  

Homeschooled kids are in the real world, socializing with fellow human beings of all ages.  Sometimes that's a difficult concept to grasp for public school students.

Answer 6

1) Plain ignorance. Often combined with the assumption that homeschooled children never do anything outside their home.

2) Total misunderstanding of psychology, confused with rational thinking. The idea that a child should experience horrible things to know how to deal with them as adults is TOTALLY backwards to healthy psychological development. Combine that with no knowledge of sociology and you get comments like "Those things are just like once a week, children need to be exposed to other children daily, not just for special classes. " It's false. Also, the idea that you actually have to experience stuff (like being offered drugs when you're 10) instead of being able to learn about it without necessarily ever being around it.

3) Uncomfortable with what is different and quick to label it bad (take, for example "All home schooled children I've ever met are awkward socially, and have a hard time making friends. They are more mature due to being only around adults (their parents) which makes it hard to have things in common with children their own age that they might meet." So, it's BAD to be mature because it's different than public schooled kids' behaviour. But, of course, if most people were homeschooled, then this attitude wouldn't exist.)

Answer 7

drugs are every where in swim classes, in the water, at church, during sports, parking lot of walmart and even in your backyard. so home schooling a child because of that is evil. as for gossips, after homeschooling the child will have to interact with the world someday - he/she might as well learn to deal with c**p that he/she will face in life while young.

as much as peer pressure can be bad, it has some great virtues that can never be overstated.

Answer 8

Because they don't know what they are talking about. You sound like my parents, with all the reasons that regular school is bad, and with all the school shootings, I agree. Just remember that home schooling doesn't work for everyone.

Answer 9

Because-they are scared and angry that your kids will be smarter and more social than THEIR kids.

Sorry, it's the truth.

Answer 10

Because homeschooled children will miss out on...

- Being punched in the face by a bully and learning not to respond or face the exact same consequences as the bully

- Having severely limited access to the bathroom

- Marching to and fro in a strictly timed and regimented fashion (just like college)

- Being told to sit still and be quiet in class

- Being made fun of if they are perceived as intelligent (just like college)

- Not being popular if they are not in sports or cheerleading (just like college)

- Not being popular if they have an interest in art, band or choir (just like college)

- Being denied freedom of religious expression

- Being taught that evolution is a science fact and not a shaky theory

- Being taught moral relativism

- Textbooks that reduce founding fathers to minor players in our country's history

- Not having anyone to talk to about Fear Factor and other wholesome and popular shows

- Learning to care more about Brittney Spears than terrorism threats, high fructose corn syrup, government leaders, inventors, business leaders, etc.

- Having a chance at being seduced by a teacher

- Learning to respond to bomb threats

- Learning that parents are unable to decide if you are too sick to attend school (Drs. note, please)

- Learning to pace oneself so as not to get too far ahead of others

- Learn sexual morality from a stranger

- Horizontal (same age only) socialization

- Having about a half hour every day at lunch time for any actual open socialization (unless of course you get too loud)

- Learning that being an individual and being different is bad

- Favoritism

- That all time favorite ride - better than space mountain - the school bus

- Being forced to be nude and shower in front of peers for physical education

- Daily exposure to drugs, cursing, sexual peer pressure

Tongue in cheek, of course.

Want to learn more about "unsuccessful homeschoolers?" Check out the article below by "Silence Dogood, the 2nd"

Answer 11

Because people in this forum tend to speak to issues of which they have no real knowledge.  They have opinions, but little to back it up.  They have been raised by the schools (yes, I said that the way I intended) to tow the NEA line and to think as taught.  Individual thought and innovation are discouraged.

On occassion, when I read a particularly poorly worded response, or a particularly vehement and nasty post regarding homeschooling, I like to look at the profile and see what other issues are important to this person.  It is an exercise that has truly opened my eyes.  Though some are often opinionated, but intelligent, the vast majority are immature and shallow.  Most posting dealing with "social issues" such as  dating, s*x, drinking, parties and pimples. What some people perceive as "socialization" is cliques and partying and pop culture, not things which have long term value to society as a whole.  And that is what they are concerned homeschoolers are missing.  They don't know how to function in pop culture-----and to this I say ,,,,,,,,,,,DUH!!!!!   That is exactly what homeschooling is supposed to avoid.  The stupidity of "school style" socialization.  

    And yet, when you read the responses on profile of those who routinely respond thoughtfully and intelligently (often young homeschoolers) you see well educated, well spoken folks with broad interests in subjects that can often be of vital importance to the future of our planet and life on the planet .  

Kudos to these young folks.  And to the homeschooling parents.  And even to those who disagree with the concept, but come to their conclusions in an intelligent and thoughtful manner.  

Having said all this, and being a homeschooling mama myself, I have to say that it is definately not a panacea nor is it for everyone.  Like everything in life, the level of success achieved is directly related to the committment of the parties involved.

Answer 12

There are just some things I think some kids miss out on that happends in school on a daily basis that they would miss out on and need to learn from.

You said that it was scarey with the gossip, drugs, bomb treats and such...and yes, it is scary, but you learned from it and experienced what to do in those situations first hand. If you take your kids out of those situations (and I do understand that it's scary as a parent) then they aren't going to understand as strongly what to do in bad situations that are eventually going to come up. And it's better to learn right from wrong as a child.

It's great that you want them to recieve the best education possible, and you can still do that if they go to public school with special tutoring done at home and special after school activities. If you pay the attention like you want, then you're kids would do just fine in a public school.

Answer 13

1) Because they know nothing about it, but choose to show their ignorance anyway...

2) Because they "knew this one kid who _____" (somehow didn't have social skills)...

3) Because the thought of someone making choices that are different than theirs somehow threatens them...

4) Because there are a lot of trolls on here who just plain feel the need to put others down...

Answer 14

I was homeschooled, and have no problems with socializing with people of any age.  I was in a great homeschool group, where we played sports together every week, we had parties, had a prom, and a graduation ceremony (21 in my year!).  I didn't have as many people to socialize as I would have had in a public school, but I had no problems with the group I did have, and even today, no one believes that I was homeschooled because of my social skills.  I'm a mathematician, and I have better social skills than most people I work with.

Answer 15

unless you went to college to be an educator, i dont think you are qualified to teach your own children or anyone elses'. as far as gossip, drugs, etc....like it or not, these things exist and sadly children will have to deal with them as adults.  streetsmarts are equally as important as book smarts, and i don't think that you can give them the best avenue to learn either.  sorry!

Answer 16

Probably because we've met a few home schooled students who don't have the equaled education of a public school graduate.

Also, the social skills that kids learn are equally important for them to learn.  All home schooled children I've ever met are awkward socially, and have a hard time making friends. They are more mature due to being only around adults (their parents) which makes it hard to have things in common with children their own age that they might meet.

Just like any subject though you can't just blanket ALL homeschooled kids as deficient...everyone is different and some parents are educated enough and their children will learn what they need to...but it still doesn't make up for the missing socialization.

Also, I believe that keeping your kids away from drugs, and bad behavior while their young is great, but what about when they do go off to college?? Talk about shell shocked.  They won't know how to deal with all the pressure.  I would much rather my children go through things while they are young and have me their to lead and direct them, than to have them face it when they are grown and I can't really tell them anything.

It's everyones choice, and it's not a bad choice, it just may not be the best thing for every family.

Answer 17

People (and yes, "experts") imagine that "socialization" happens by interacting with other children. That is not true. Children learn how to play well, be polite and treat others with respect by modeling the example of their parents. Even children as young as a year old can be seen imitating the way their parents treat them and eachother and no ammount of spending time with other children will undo the damage that parents can do when they do not treat their children or eachother well in the presence of their children.

I can honestly say that my children (both homeschooled their entire lives with the exception of my oldest who went to school for the first 2 years) have no difficulty with social situations, are polite, outgoing, funny and have no issues striking up conversations with complete strangers if they need to.

The children that I see who seem to have the greatest difficulty with "socialization" are generally day care kids (whom you would think would be socialized to a greater degree if the "experts" were correct in this matter) These seem to have more violent tempers, are rude and deal with conflict with other children in completely inappropriate ways...

Every home schooled kid I have met seems well balanced, secure, polite, considerate and well educated.

As for "what children learn from the drugs and such at school"  .... I don't even know what to say to that reasoning. For many kids, what they learn from  those experiences is how to live life addicted to drugs. The self esteem problems that are inflicted on our children by cruel class mates... what is the benifit to learning that? UGH! Ignore that kind of reasoning. You have been home schooling your kids since the day they were born. There is no "teacher" who could possibly better understand your kids, the way they learn best or who could provide them with one on one instruction like you can... (how could a 30:1 ratio be better than that?)Personally, I do not see a single advantage to public school over home education.

Answer 18

send your child to a private I attend one and love it no bulleys, no bomb threats, no gossip, everyone is kind and friendly. It will not seem reall for your child being at home. Let them have a social life and have friends! With reunions! it's not fair to your child with the opportunities you had. They need to have a rel world experience.

Answer 19

I think the real reason some are against home schooling is you are taking away a mind that the most powerful union in the country can mold. This is why these same individuals are against you chosing which school you send your child to. How many years of failed education must be on the books before we can end public education in favor of the private sector.