The biggest issue for our family is missing "recess" with 20-30 similar aged kids. Sure, we can go to a park or something, but it's always different kids. They're missing out on developing long-term relationships with people they see on a daily basis. They're also missing out on getting comfortable functioning in a group setting and working with peers. How did you address those issues? I'm not willing to gamble that "they'll turn out ok anyway."
Get your kids into regular activities in your community, such as hockey, tennis, any kind of team sports. They will have all the socialization they need. Chances are there are also homeschool kids on the teams as well to get to know.
That's a separate thing for us. Sport is organized. Children need disorganized play time where they can do whatever they want. They learn negotiation, team-building, etc. from free play where they invent games and play them with other kids.
Ya don't say. Thanks for stating the obvious.
Church and sports and homeschool clubs. Problem solved
Church and sports
I've never been to any of these that had free play, meaning the kids can do whatever they want as long as they're not breaking any rules. Is it regional?
...are you being serious? This is where you go for your kids to make friends, then after practice they invite said friends to come over and play, and they get invited to play at other kids houses.
Was recess the only time you got to play with other kids growing up? I assure you that recess is not where those lifelong friendships are being formed...
I went to public school in a 'good' school district with like 99% White kids.
I had a good amount of close friends in high school, we all became a bunch of degenerate alcoholics/pot heads in and after high school. Some turned to hard drugs, some became dealers and landed in jail, a few have died from overdose.
Now, about 10 years later, I've cut ties with all of them. The only one I still maintain close contact and friendship with is a guy I trained jujitsu with since then. I've quit drugs and alcohol and I'm married with a second kid on the way.
Explain to me how 'socializing with my peers' did me any good whatsoever. My kids will be homeschooled, I'll get them involved in sports if they are interested, and they will be socialized by each other, my wife and I, and other nondegenerate adults and their kids that I determine to be worth spending time around.
Explain to me how 'socializing with my peers' did me any good whatsoever.
Explain to me how it was responsible for your choices. And explain to me how only public school kids do stupid shit like drink too much and take drugs.
I went to public school, too and didn't do any of that stupid shit.
they will be socialized by each other, my wife and I, and other nondegenerate adults and their kids that I determine to be worth spending time around.
Your kids are going to be awkward weirdos, probably mistaken for autistic.
The entire point of my post is that, despite what looked on the outside like the best possible odds for 'socialization' to work, it clearly didn't. Socialization 9 times out of 10 means everyone falls to the lowest common denominator. My peer group was FAR from the worst, but the outcome was still just enabling bad behavior. My kids will turn out great by being homeschooled. Your's will learn how to be faggots and coal burners.
There are tons of articles like this one out there: https://www.time4learning.com/blog/homeschool/socialization-the-biggest-non-issue-in-homeschooling/
This has been addressed by almost every homeschooler. And I don’t mean that in an patronizing or snarky way…it really is the biggest question people have once they are ready to make the jump to freedom!
I had consistent friends through church, common interests, volunteer work (adults can be friends too!), and a homeschool co-op group.
In these big 30-kid recesses you mention, the kids play in smaller friend groups, which you can provide at home/out-of-home easily. There is not much benefit in having huge groups of kids in a school setting since they pair off anyway, are having to abide by many rules to keep them “safe” (usually overprotective rules like no running), and are in a controlled environment without much freedom to be creative and explore (aka, they’re stuck in a fence).
Compared to my childhood and friendships, I view school-quality “socializing” quite lacking. It seems wonderful and necessary until you’re out of it. With a little upfront creativity and work, you’ll find your kids even better social situations.
By not being in school, I became much more comfortable in a group setting. School controls so many interactions and does so by age/ability, that “getting along in a group setting” is very artificial. In the real world, I learned to get along in multi-age groups. My school friends were only comfortable with their peers. If anyone was gambling, it was the parents of the public school kids. I also, of course, had peers as friends, but I was pretty mature for my age and preferred to talk with older kids or adults or play with the little ones. Kids my age tended to be catty and immature. If I was in school, I would have been stuck with those kids. Thankfully I had the freedom through homeschool to pick my own friends easier.
There is all that hierarchical, social learning that needs to be going on.
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