Pros and cons of homeschooling?

[Iffrinn]

You’re really reaching.

There are many ways children socialize. They can work in groups, eat lunch together, read to one another, play together at recess, work on a project together, practice math/reading skills together, chat in the hallway between classes, sit together on the school bus, be partners at gym, work together during art class, etc. I can keep going. These things happen all day, every day. So please elaborate how your children are getting even half of the same amount of socialization.

Or I’ll spare you the energy and answer for you: they’re not. And it’s not even close.

You being more socially awkward than your kids doesn’t mean they’re not also socially awkward.

Socialization doesn’t require meeting new people every day. The definition is “the activity of mixing socially with others.” My child does that all day, every day, with many children. Yours might do that for what, an hour or two a day, if that? That, in fact, means your children are getting a fraction. Oh, and I never aid public school guarantees anyone to be well adjusted.

So, like I said to the other poster, homeschool because it works for your family, but don’t delude yourself.

Dear Lord, you want a list of the way my kids socialize? Okay. To keep this from being multiple pages long, I'll stick to just my son, as he is the only one still being homeschooled.

He attends outside science classes 3 days per week, because I choose not to teach science myself. The classes themselves are 2.5 hours long. Once a week, we meets with his project group from this class to do labs and other projects. This also lasts about 2.5 hours. He also gets together with kids from this class just to study together for tests~to quiz each other, etc.

He attends dual enrollment classes at a local college 2 days per week. This allows him to earn his associates degree by the time he graduates high school. He is on campus 4 hours one day each week, and 3 hours another day. He attends classes at the college, where he obviously interacts with the other students on a regular basis, working on group projects, etc.

During a certain season of the year, he plays football with our local rec league. Practices are 3 days per week, 2 hours each. Games are weekly, lasting a couple of hours each. Tournaments, of course, involve more games, and usually last for a weekend, or longer.

When it's not football season, he does community theater. Right now, rehearsals are only one evening per week, but they last for 4 hours. The number of weekly rehearsals will increase as the show dates get closer. This group consists of the actual cast of the play, as well as the set building team, a total of 45 kids. There are 10-12 adults who work with them.

He also does volunteer work at a local nursing home on a monthly basis, and for our church as it is needed.

So, yes, he eats lunch with other people, he works on group project with others, he has study partners/study groups. He eats dinner with the cast/crew of the play he's in during their weekly rehearsals. He invites kids from ALL these groups to our house all the time. He interacts with their siblings and parents. Not to mention the time he spends with us, with his siblings, and with his grandparents and other extended family.

I feel like I'm beating a dead horse here, so I will have to simply agree to disagree with you, and all those who assume that homeschooling automatically means a child will lack in socialization.

Many traditionally schooled kids choose NOT to take advantage of the social opportunities that are 'built in' to school~they choose not to play on a team, attend dances, etc. I do not assume that kids in regular schools are getting the socialization they need. You should not assume that homeschooled kids are not getting the socialization they need.

[Anonymous 2]

The difference? He doesn’t do those things all day, every day like traditionally schooled kids do (not even factoring in extracurriculars).

You’re really reaching.

There are many ways children socialize. They can work in groups, eat lunch together, read to one another, play together at recess, work on a project together, practice math/reading skills together, chat in the hallway between classes, sit together on the school bus, be partners at gym, work together during art class, etc. I can keep going. These things happen all day, every day. So please elaborate how your children are getting even half of the same amount of socialization.

Or I’ll spare you the energy and answer for you: they’re not. And it’s not even close.

Dear Lord, you want a list of the way my kids socialize? Okay. To keep this from being multiple pages long, I'll stick to just my son, as he is the only one still being homeschooled.

He attends outside science classes 3 days per week, because I choose not to teach science myself. The classes themselves are 2.5 hours long. Once a week, we meets with his project group from this class to do labs and other projects. This also lasts about 2.5 hours. He also gets together with kids from this class just to study together for tests~to quiz each other, etc.

He attends dual enrollment classes at a local college 2 days per week. This allows him to earn his associates degree by the time he graduates high school. He is on campus 4 hours one day each week, and 3 hours another day. He attends classes at the college, where he obviously interacts with the other students on a regular basis, working on group projects, etc.

During a certain season of the year, he plays football with our local rec league. Practices are 3 days per week, 2 hours each. Games are weekly, lasting a couple of hours each. Tournaments, of course, involve more games, and usually last for a weekend, or longer.

When it's not football season, he does community theater. Right now, rehearsals are only one evening per week, but they last for 4 hours. The number of weekly rehearsals will increase as the show dates get closer. This group consists of the actual cast of the play, as well as the set building team, a total of 45 kids. There are 10-12 adults who work with them.

He also does volunteer work at a local nursing home on a monthly basis, and for our church as it is needed.

So, yes, he eats lunch with other people, he works on group project with others, he has study partners/study groups. He eats dinner with the cast/crew of the play he's in during their weekly rehearsals. He invites kids from ALL these groups to our house all the time. He interacts with their siblings and parents. Not to mention the time he spends with us, with his siblings, and with his grandparents and other extended family.

I feel like I'm beating a dead horse here, so I will have to simply agree to disagree with you, and all those who assume that homeschooling automatically means a child will lack in socialization.

Many traditionally schooled kids choose NOT to take advantage of the social opportunities that are 'built in' to school~they choose not to play on a team, attend dances, etc. I do not assume that kids in regular schools are getting the socialization they need. You should not assume that homeschooled kids are not getting the socialization they need.

[Iffrinn]

[quote="Anonymous 2" post_id=309225 time=1550010785]
The difference? He doesn’t do those things all day, every day like traditionally schooled kids do (not even factoring in extracurriculars).



And MY point, which is obviously eluding you. NO, my son does not do all those things all day every day, and ( watch carefully, here comes the POINT) NEITHER DOES YOUR CHILD!!! I hope to God she spends at least SOME time at school focusing on academics and not socializing!!!

That's the last swing I'm taking at this dead horse.

[Anonymous 2]

Yes, she does. Learning and socializing aren’t mutually exclusive. Which is what’s apparently eluding you.

The difference? He doesn’t do those things all day, every day like traditionally schooled kids do (not even factoring in extracurriculars).



And MY point, which is obviously eluding you. NO, my son does not do all those things all day every day, and ( watch carefully, here comes the POINT) NEITHER DOES YOUR CHILD!!! I hope to God she spends at least SOME time at school focusing on academics and not socializing!!!

That's the last swing I'm taking at this dead horse.

[Deleted User 203]

It's hard to list concrete "Pros and Cons" of traditional home-schooling and because each child is different on whether or not it's a good thing for them or has potential to be a bad thing.

I've always cracked up and rolled my eyes at those who believe that home-schooled kid's get no socialization. The same could be said for a child who attends a public school in that the child is sitting there in class for 6 to 8 hours a day with yes, their peers and learning, but the "socializing" is often kept to a minimum and can be rigidly forced ("Play nice with your enemy who bullies you on the playground," and so on).

Socialization for children depends honestly on the child, their desire to do so, and how much interaction THEY feel comfortable in participating in.

If someone is going to traditionally home-school their child, make sure you get your child's input on it, particularly an older child. Do not force them because you happen to, for example, dislike a teacher or "heard bad things" about the principal.

Know what you're doing, too. Have a grasp of the basics and use your imagination, too. It shouldn't be all book work and worksheets yet your child SHOULD be learning basics that will carry them as they approach older grades, high school, and even college.

Don't choose this route of education for your child to cut them off from the rest of the world and because YOU, as the parent, are afraid of the world. Big disservice for your kid.

And finally, remember that if you have other children, not all children are alike. One might excel from traditional home-schooling while the other(s) might flounder.

[Anonymous 2]

Again, a ton of socialization is automatically built into a public school kid’s day. Denying that just makes you ignorant.

I never mentioned dances or a team.

You’re really reaching.

There are many ways children socialize. They can work in groups, eat lunch together, read to one another, play together at recess, work on a project together, practice math/reading skills together, chat in the hallway between classes, sit together on the school bus, be partners at gym, work together during art class, etc. I can keep going. These things happen all day, every day. So please elaborate how your children are getting even half of the same amount of socialization.

Or I’ll spare you the energy and answer for you: they’re not. And it’s not even close.

Dear Lord, you want a list of the way my kids socialize? Okay. To keep this from being multiple pages long, I'll stick to just my son, as he is the only one still being homeschooled.

He attends outside science classes 3 days per week, because I choose not to teach science myself. The classes themselves are 2.5 hours long. Once a week, we meets with his project group from this class to do labs and other projects. This also lasts about 2.5 hours. He also gets together with kids from this class just to study together for tests~to quiz each other, etc.

He attends dual enrollment classes at a local college 2 days per week. This allows him to earn his associates degree by the time he graduates high school. He is on campus 4 hours one day each week, and 3 hours another day. He attends classes at the college, where he obviously interacts with the other students on a regular basis, working on group projects, etc.

During a certain season of the year, he plays football with our local rec league. Practices are 3 days per week, 2 hours each. Games are weekly, lasting a couple of hours each. Tournaments, of course, involve more games, and usually last for a weekend, or longer.

When it's not football season, he does community theater. Right now, rehearsals are only one evening per week, but they last for 4 hours. The number of weekly rehearsals will increase as the show dates get closer. This group consists of the actual cast of the play, as well as the set building team, a total of 45 kids. There are 10-12 adults who work with them.

He also does volunteer work at a local nursing home on a monthly basis, and for our church as it is needed.

So, yes, he eats lunch with other people, he works on group project with others, he has study partners/study groups. He eats dinner with the cast/crew of the play he's in during their weekly rehearsals. He invites kids from ALL these groups to our house all the time. He interacts with their siblings and parents. Not to mention the time he spends with us, with his siblings, and with his grandparents and other extended family.

I feel like I'm beating a dead horse here, so I will have to simply agree to disagree with you, and all those who assume that homeschooling automatically means a child will lack in socialization.

Many traditionally schooled kids choose NOT to take advantage of the social opportunities that are 'built in' to school~they choose not to play on a team, attend dances, etc. I do not assume that kids in regular schools are getting the socialization they need. You should not assume that homeschooled kids are not getting the socialization they need.