Homeschool & Anti-Socialization

So, every single time I have spoken about homeschooling there is always someone who's quick to uphold the anti-socialization "aspect" of the ordeal. Ahem. First off, let me just say this: Homeschooling is what you make of it. Can you create hermits when you homeschool your kids? Of course you can. Any parent can do a poor job of homeschooling their child...if they choose to. However, that is rarely the case. Those who have chosen to homeschool have chosen to take an a difficult task. They know that it is hard work and have well-prepared themselves for it. The whole of it - not just the curriculum side of it, but also the socialization, the physical, and, for some, the spiritual side. If you have chosen to homeschool then you should automatically know that it will be hard work, and lots of it. It is no walk in the park and there is no room for laziness. There are no "off" days just because you don't feel like being a teacher that day.

Well, I'm happy to report that I recently joined two homeschooling groups that I'm really happy with. I have read their posts, looked over the outings, the co-ops, the extra classes, the field trips, the tours and play dates. It's a lot! I felt overwhelmed, and couldn't even read all the way down the list of future outings before I had to take a deep breath and log off. Between the two groups there are: PE, Tennis, Mind Lab, Meet The Masters, Story of the World, Spanish, French, Karate, Nature Class, Sewing, Dance, classes for older kids (social studies, creative writing, public speaking), a Lego Club; trips to the farm, trips to the U-Pick-It, trips to museums, humane society, nature center, chocolate factory, fire station, police station, radio station, hospital, vet, post office, disaster house (hurricane related); tours through the FPL facility, the PBS facility, the airport, the water treatment plant...and the list goes on and on and on. Now, that's just a small example of all the outings between two groups (one of them being relatively new), and mind you, the school year has barely started. There will be tons more co-ops and field trips etc as the year progresses and more members join. One group has almost 200 homeschooling members. The other new group has 26 and counting. This new group did a yearbook as well, which was really awesome! I can't wait to get next year's yearbook and be able to look back on our first year of homeschool!

Now...what was the reason that so many people think homeschooled kids get no socialization?? Ah...that's right...ignorance!