It seems like ‘Homeschool Socialization‘ will ALWAYS be a hot topic. Since I’ve started homeschooling, I cannot count how many times I’ve been asked the question ‘What about socialization?‘
Each time I hear this, I try very hard NOT to respond with an eye roll. I find it incredibly frustrating that our society has been fed this lie about public school’s purpose being socialization, rather than education.
However, there are numerous ways to facilitate socialization for your homeschooled children, ranging from Homeschool Co-ops to sports activities.
In this post, I will outline these methods and explain how they can contribute to your children’s social development and ‘Homeschool Socialization.’
Additionally, I’ll address a few things that are NOT effective in promoting socialization.
6 Reasons Not to Worry About Homeschool Socialization
1. Family Bonding
Spending more time at home with your parents and siblings is a great way to initiate socialization. It provides an opportunity to learn how to interact with each other in a loving and supportive environment.
Children can learn a great deal about socialization while spending time with their siblings and parents. Social learning can occur when they work on household tasks or chores together, play card games or board games together, or simply share a meal together at the table.
Surprisingly, these simple everyday activities are sometimes overlooked in discussions about ‘socialization.’
2. Church
At church, children learn when it’s appropriate to sit still and be quiet (without having to do so all day, every day). They also have the chance to interact with other families regularly, including adults and children of different age groups.
They may even have Sunday school where they get to interact with a teacher and other students all while learning about God, the Bible, and other knowledge for the soul. Church, in my opinion, is one of the best places to socialize your children.
3. Family Outings (e.g., to the park, grocery shopping, etc.)
Children can socialize during family outings and, at the same time, acquire essential life skills. For example, during a trip to the grocery store, you can discuss nutrition and budgeting as you shop for food.
Teach your children how to handle money at the register and encourage them to interact with the cashier. There are numerous opportunities to enhance their social skills when you’re out in the world.
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4. Neighbors and Community
Whether you live in an apartment, suburb, or on a farm, there’s likely a community nearby where your children can interact regularly.
They can play with other children in the neighborhood or participate in activities like helping the elderly or disabled with housework and yard work.
5. Sports Teams
Homeschooled children typically have more free time. This is due to less structured schooling compared to their public school counterparts.
With this extra time, they can engage in more extracurricular activities such as sports teams. This is an excellent way to promote socialization and teaches them how to be team players or even leaders.
6. Homeschool Co-ops
Co-ops are a great way to get out consistently and interact with other homeschool families. Not only do the children get to socialize, but so do you as the parent! Parents can interact with each other, swap homeschool ideas, tips, curricula etc.
Joining a Co-op will definitely assist you in your need for ‘Homeschool Socialization!’
Things that DO NOT Socialize Children
- Sitting inside, confined to a seat for 7 to 8 hours
- Being segregated by age
- Bullying and Peer Pressure
- Mountains of homework and very little free time
- Rigid Schedules
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It’s interesting how these aspects that do not contribute to socialization seem to resemble the traditional public school system. Perhaps this is one reason why communication skills have seemingly declined in recent years.
Not only have the past few generations grappled with this issue, but today’s generation faces similar challenges. Homeschooled children are socialized through various means, such as church, outings, sports, and co-ops.
This diverse socialization typically results in excellent communication skills, as they regularly interact with individuals of different ages. They learn to communicate effectively with both peers and adults.
With great communication skills comes a wonderful social life. If you can communicate effectively with different ranges of people, you can create many fantastic and meaningful relationships.
If you found this post helpful or would like to reference it later, remember to save this pin to your Pinterest Homeschool Board!
Lots of good ideas here! It is hard, though, when you live very rurally to find many of the options listed here. Some children by nature are much more outgoing than others.
I love this post. As a fellow homeschooler, I concur. It is indeed interesting how these aspects that people think do not contribute to socialization resemble the traditional public school system. I agree that this is a reason why the communication skills have seemingly declined in recent years.Our homeschooled children, in general not just mine, always impress me with higher communication skills than many that are public schooled and able to be social with a larger age group. It is harder as the commenter above indicated to find some of these options, but opportunities are there when you are determined.
Yes! I was absolutely amazed when I joined our Co-op. The way the kids there communicated effortlessly was very inspiring.
You highlight so many great reasons that homeschooling is social. I had a great friend group at church and value those friendships.
Homeschooling = INCREASED socialization for us! Great post
Could not agree more! As a former homeschooler, I got SO MUCH socialization that I had more social skills than most of the public schoolers in my neighborhood! And the odd looks I would get when people find out I’m homeschooled and talking to them, it’s like they can’t believe I’m even speaking! 🙄🤣 When I went to college, there were TONS of other students that were former (and current) homeschoolers, and you could normally spot them because they were some of the only ones who would ask questions in class and talk to other students right away! Great post!
It really is astonishing how great homeschoolers are with socializing! 🙂