But what about socialisation???

One question, that never ceases to annoy me, is the question that is perpetually asked by every person you come into contact with who finds out you homeschool. "What about socialisation??" Their words try to come out sounding very casual but the look on their face tells a different story. They have the same sort of look you would expect if you had just told them that you have decided to give all your children a tattoo, of a heart with mum written in it, smack bang in the middle of their forehead.

I know that there are probably a lot of legitimate reasons to question homeschooling but socialisation??? Really???

As I have said in an earlier post I didn't hate school. But I know for sure that it hindered my social abilities. Before school I was a care free spirit. Definitely left of centre and quirky. Unfortunately, when I started school I didn't have the confidence to carry off my eccentricity and it was quickly squashed. I felt like I didn't fit in and spent my school years pretending to be someone I wasn't. I always felt like I was weird or abnormal in some way. This further suppressed my confidence and I feel like I am only coming out of the rut school put me in just now. I also felt inferior to the other more confident kids. Like I was some kind of subhuman.

THIS IS SOCIALISATION?????? REALLY???

My kids do plenty of activities with other homeschooled children and also activities on the weekends with other schooled children. Yes, they sometimes have issues with other kids at homeschooling activities. But I am always in the back watching how they deal with the issue and then debriefing with them afterwards. I am certainly not constantly stepping in to handle their problems for them.

I also ensure that my kids spend time with adults as well as other children. My children are very close to everyone in our family, neighbours and a lot of my friends.

I feel like I really know my children and that I am building a strong family unit. That is extremely important to me. There is not a doubt in my mind that my children are a lot happier with our current situation than they would be if I packed them off to school.

I really don't understand how people can rationally think that homeschooling is socially damaging in any way. I'm sure there are a lot of fanatical homeschooling families out there, who don't allow their children to socialise and therefore may be hindering their social development, but no more so than the poor little bullied kids in the schooling system. I just don't see either system as being perfect.

But I do know, without a shadow of a doubt, that homeschooling is the perfect choice for us!!!