How Do You Feel About Homeschooling Your Child/Children

Crystal - posted on 08/19/2010

Oh yeah, as fro the social skills keep him around the kids at church as much as possible. Have play dates with them at your house, and around the family kids as much as possible,

Crystal - posted on 08/19/2010

I feel like if you can not afford a Christain School you should home school if at all possible. These public schools are out to brain wash our children into believeing everything except for Godly things. I know my kids will not be attending a public school ever.

Maggie - posted on 08/17/2010

look for a homeschooling support group, there are also playgroups you can join. we attended a church that had lots of activities for kids, so he was interacting with kids at least three times a week. just because a kid is in school doesn't mean he will get "socialized." in junior high i was ostracized by the other kids and had no friends. kids can be very cruel and it's really hard when you have to deal with them every day. homeschooling and traditional schools (whether public or private) both have their pro's and con's, you just have to decide what works for your child.

LeighAnne - posted on 08/13/2010

Thanks so much for asking this question. I have a bit of a different situation. I am chronically ill. I have a primary immune deficiency disorder (genetic) and stay sick...ALOT. I worry about what bugs my daughter could bring home to me from school. Strep throat would make her ill but could put me in ICU. I might be forced to homeschool because of my health and have felt bad for my child, like I'm depriving her of a "normal" school life. Thank you everyone for all your positive homeschool stories and input, I feel much better about this. If I do have to homeschool to keep me healthy and alive, i wont feel guilty now. OOO and not to toot my horn here, but because of what I taught my child, she knew all her colors and could count to 10 at 18 months old...so I know I can teach her. I'm not the brightest crayon in the box, but I can do whatever I need to for my child, through God's help

Ruth - posted on 08/13/2010

Definitely give it a try! I homeschooled my three children. For socialization, we joined a homeschool group and did group classes for art & PE. The group also had quite a few social activities such as field trips, parties, etc. We were also very active in our church so our kids attended Sunday School, Awanas, and youth group as well as helping out with several church ministries. All three had special friends that we would invite over for play times and sleep overs. When you think about a traditional school, recess and lunch time are the only really free time a child has to socialize. With homeschooling you can provide more time than that for socialization.

Denise - posted on 08/12/2010

I home schooled my daughter for a year before she went into kindergarten due to a layoff at work. I do not feel that she lost anything in being home with me and what she gained from being around mom was invaluable. We still made play dates with friends and went to gymnastics and ballet so she definitely was able to have some social time. I think it is a great opportunity and would do it again if I had the chance.

Jasmin - posted on 08/10/2010

Hi Tonya, I'm Jasmin from the Philippines. This is the 2nd year my two girls aged 11 and 9 are into homeschool. And contrary to the misconception of many, they did not turned out to be anti-socials. In fact, they began learning how to mingle with different people in different age groups. They became more sociable. What I did was to organize more play dates for them and small parties so they will get the chance of mingling with kids of their age. I alo enroll them in other out of school sports activities like swimming and tae kwondo.

Don't feel discouraged. This is a great experience for you and your son. Plus, you get to bond with him more and make the most of his childhood. He won't be young forever, isn't he? ^_^ God bless.

Sitka - posted on 08/10/2010

Okay there are a ton of posts here, but I find it hard not to put my two cents in! I have four kids (7,5, 2, and 7 mo.). I started the two oldest early so this year I have a 3rd grader and a 1st. Time wise for me, it's hard BUT I wouldn't trade it for the world!!! It's fun to say the least! I was in and out of public school as a child (even in good districts) and I just didn't feel challenged. I can't imagine putting my babies on a bus and not seeing them all day! (Plus where we live the ride would be terrible!) And I LOVE owning up to my responsibility to teach them. What a treasure to be the one to give your children the gift of reading.
My son has a lot of kids just a little younger than him at church, but my daughter has no one. I long for her to find a friend. BUT have you ever noticed that kids who only social within their age group are stuck in that age group? My 7 year old can easily converse with adults. Yes, she is a little shy at first, but so was I. Who's to say what is from nature and not nurture? SO go ahead and jump in with both feet and ENJOY.
PS -Check out www.sonlight.com . I don't use them exclusively, but their children's literature is outstanding! I would definitely use it for preschool!

Diana - posted on 08/09/2010

I currently have 6 children, 5 of which I am homeschooling. I had a bit of a struggle this past year with continuing on and actually called a homeschooling friend of mine to get some clarity on the issue (I was feeling pressure from others to put my kids into the school system). One of the things that she said that encouraged me was regarding what other kids end up teaching each other when put together for all those hours, bad language, inappropriate talk on relationships (sex), among other things. That is not to say that everything that happens on the playground amongst their peers isn't healthy, but it does go to show that socialization at the grade school age isn't as big a deal as some might say that it is. I have provided time in outside activites for my kids so that they have the opportunity to interact with others their age (soccer, library groups, swimming lessons). The other thing I have worked with them on is being able to interact with people of all ages, especially those who are much older. My 10 year old daughter goes over to our neighbors house a few times a week (she is in her 80s) to see if she needs help with anything. The idea of making sure that a child is socialized is not that big of a deal, although, it may be a much bigger deal for him not being able to see friends on a daily basis. Since he is only 4 and hasn't experienced that yet, I'm guessing he won't notice it so much.

Gail - posted on 08/09/2010

Hi Tonya, I home schooled my children all the way through high school, I will say it was the best decision we ever made!
I dealt with people that were skeptical around my life, but when the character and wisdom and such started surpassing the cousins kids and such... I no longer heard those worries..
A lot of people put a lot of emphasizes on the socialization stuff... I found this rarely an issue among homeschoolers, most I have known over the years far surpassed other children and were far more balanced since their social circles included more balanced adults to learn examples for life by then just other foolish children... We all learn by example so the question then comes down to... what social imprints do you value most??
We had plenty of opportunities for social activities! Connecting with other homeschoolers has multiple benefits, both for parents and the children. You all learn, and are inspired! many of the such environments are far more safer....
Let me expound here... There are homeschool groups you can connect with for all kinds of opportunities, weather it is play and/ or learning.... be it you connect with a group or one other family... I have experienced a variety over the years.. I even did co-op teaching with a friend and her 4 kids for a year and a half.
I was really blessed that we could work school around our lives, not our lives work around the public school system. When we moved... their education stayed stable, when my hubby had time for a vacation or we went to visit family, homework could be done in the car if needed or just taken with... but time for our plans were easy to go with the flow..
One thing I learned early on is our kids know how invested we are in this and this does affect there attitude.
Make it fun... if you are getting board, good chance they are too, so learn how to stir it up.
Teachers are students too, so remember having others around to glean what works for them is a wonderful aid in helping you find what works for you.
Always keep it in prayer... God is always our greatest leader.
Note, we all feel in adequate at times and discouraged... prayer and support are always assets.
One particular season I will share is I was comparing myself to a friend who was doing all kinds of neat science with her kids, although I knew what I had been doing with my kids was good.. I felt lacking, I felt the Lord say to me " apples and oranges are both fruit, they are just different, but both serve a purpose!" The funnier part of the story is shortly after this, this same friend went through a same moment of feeling inadequate, I was shocked, the Lord lead me to share with her the same thing He had said to me. She thanked me for that, it was a good fit for her too!
The point is being is creating a work life in our children to be fruitful productive God fearing students of the living God... so when we are done, He can say to us "Well done, good and faithful servants" and the chances of them making good choices for their lives increases.
Our children can grow in assurance and love and character... in fact often homeschool children are referred to as "green house transplants" and there is a season we wean them out into the world, but when they are mature enough to go into the world.
The lessons and blessings our lives gain are so multiplied I cannot possibly expound on here. Dueteronomy 6:6-8 was the verse that carried me through the years in this investment. See what the Lord shows you... and if it helps you to know, my daughters both intend to homeschool their children too... so they too have decided it was also a blessing to them. Lord be with you as you seek Him for guidance and strength (our strength comes from Him, not us... it is through the weak and humble He has done mighty things... Look at the story of Gideon!) The Lord go with you!

Phyllis - posted on 08/07/2010

I had my daughter in public school from kindergarden through 4th grade. She has ADD and had an IEP in place but the school didn't go by her IEP all thetime. They used it when it benefited themselvs. She was supposed to have a modified homework schedule. She had the same amount of homework as all the other kids and sometimes it would take 4-5 hours each evening to do this. Now we have been home for three years and she has excelled so much I can hardly beleve it. This last year when she took the EOG she made a 99 on them. I was very pleased and she was soooo excited. So I think home schooling is a very wonderful idea!!!!

GinaMarie - posted on 08/07/2010

so glad you posted this. i will be homeschooling our 7 going on 8 year old boy this year for third grade. i too worried about the socialization skills but we kinda took care of that. he is a cubscout so he meets with friends weekly on that. his homeschoolrequires that he do 40 minutes of pt daily so we will be putting him in a sport, either soccer, football, or gymnastics, all three intrest him. that way he has another outlet as well. we found that most of the programs have meet ups too, so the kids get to meet up with others in their age range on regular basis, kinda like feild trips. hope this helps, best of luck. if you have any questions give me a yell. please keep in touch and keepus posted, blessings.

MaryEllen - posted on 08/06/2010

Well, the problem with signing up through some programs is the cost. Homeschooling doesn't need to cost much, and for kids under 3rd grade, you don't need to buy anything special.

Erin - posted on 08/06/2010

Try to find a University-Model Schooling (UMS) in your area. My son will start School this year. It is a home school program but they go to class for 2 days out of the week. It's also a Christian School. They will not teach evolution but they will teach creation. My son is a social butterfly I would have felt guilty leaving him out of a school environment but this will give us the best of both. Oh, and it's also cheaper than private school.

Heather - posted on 08/06/2010

Tonya, i am so sorry you had to go through all of that. My memories from public school were nothing that I enjoy, but nothing that horrid! :( My son went to public school through first grade and he did witness to one girl, but we moved and her mom was an atheist so I'm not sure how much of an impact he had. But it was a seed planted. However he is still planting seeds with our neighbor kids and the kids at the parks we go to. He just doesn't have to worry about getting beat up on the playground, or made fun of because he doesn't have name brand clothing. I mean really, why do 1st graders care what brand your clothes are?! Just as I don't have to be in the workforce to be a witness to others my children do not need to be in school to be a light to other children.

MaryEllen - posted on 08/06/2010

Search through the Yahoo groups for a homeschool group in your area. We have several near us with weekly park days.



They are a great source for local classes, too. (Although I've found them too expensive.)



Your church might have co-op classes too.

Tonya - posted on 08/06/2010

I see where you're coming from. However, I went to public school from kindergarten to 6th grade. My experiences were horrible! I had to focus on being bullied than learning. Some of the kids were not so friendly. While in class, a little boy exposed his private part to me and kept putting it on my leg, while the other kids laughed and thought it was funny. I was furious! I raised my hand to tell the teacher but she kept on teaching the class. Another time, I was punched in the back by another little boy who found it funny. By the time I was in 6th grade I had enough. I begged my parents to put me in a Christian School where we were attending church.

I think kids shouldn't have to focus on being bullied by their classmates. School should be a fun, enjoyable experience not dreadful. I thank God my parents listened to my concerns. It was never my desire to homeschool my child from the beginning. But I have to obey the voice of God. Only He knows best.

Lena - posted on 08/06/2010

I homeschool my two boys. i was worried about the socialization before I started. But they actually get more now then they did before. Find a co-op in your area and your son will get interaction with many age groups. it is great !

Laura Zoey - posted on 08/06/2010

Sandy, I see your point but I believe that at such a young age, our kids are like sponges and while their faith is so young and immature they can be convinced to change their minds and doubt what you told them. I got so confused when my friends from soccer told me what they believed and it was a hard time trying to figure it all out even with my moms help i still felt confused. And if I had been in school 48 hours a week with these kids it would have been much harder.
I feel like maybe our kids would benefit from their elementary school years at least to grow in their faith and strengthen their knowledge so when they enter the world they are confident and capable of answering the tough questions that come up.
It can work as you said and if it all works well it would be an awesome testimony but I fear that such young kids might not have the maturity to 'debate' with their peers about God.
Do you see why I am concerned? Im sure with alot of help from the parents it can work beautifully and with a mature child too. (when I was young I know I wouldnt be able to do it :) I was far too impressionable to stand up for my beliefs if questioned. Maybe, its just me..... :)

Sandy - posted on 08/06/2010

We choose not to homeschool because we feel that if we are not there to share the Gospel message of Jesus, then who will be? Do we have concerns about the things they hear and see? Yes. Do we have concerns about what will be taught? Yes. But we see these as opportunities to teach our sons about what a biblical world view is and how God views things. If we left because we didn't like how something is going, then how are things supposed to change? If just one child comes up to my son when he graduates from 8th grade and says, "Hey, Jj, you are different. How come?" Then Jj can say "Well, let me tell you about Jesus..." We can't reach those who need to hear about Christ if we refuse to go out into the world. Also, my husband just told me about a study he heard about. There is no difference between kids who are homeschooled and those who go to public school IF their parents are involved. If parents are not involved, public school kids do poorly.

Sue - posted on 08/06/2010

I homeschool and I love it! If I were you I wouldn't worry about his social skills too much. I homeschooled my daughter for the first time last year and it has not hindered her socially at all. She's a very social, outgoing child and homeschooling will not change that.If anything, it will make her a better person, to be able to grow up away from the public school system. There are homeschoolers everywhere, which makes it very easy to join a group, also there is story time at most local libraries where your son could interact with children his age. I go out once, sometimes twice a week with our girls, and no one could ever say our girls are under socialized due to being homeschooled. I encourage you to homeschool, I don't think you would ever regret it. It is very satisfying to know that your child isn't learning what they're teaching kids in public schools these days.

Mary - posted on 08/06/2010

I have 3 daughters, 12 year old twins and a 7 year old. I have been homeschooling my girls from the very beginning! I do not think that socialization is an issue!! You will probably find a homeschool network in your area that will include homeschoolers of all ages. These groups have outings and activities that your son can participate in -- both academic and purely social. My girls also play the piano and dance ballet and do gymnastics with kids that go to school. I think you will find that there are so many social type activities for your son that you will have to pick and choose which ones to involve him in!! Homeschooling is very rewarding. I am convinced it is the best way for our family! Follow your instinct and go for it...you may find you will not want to send him to school no matter where you live!! And some more pluses; your child can learn at his own pace in the best way possible for him, there is a lot less peer pressure and YOU can help instill your beliefs in YOUR child!!

Prudence - posted on 08/05/2010

I was homeskooled for the most part of my school years... and i think my mum is the most amazing person for doing so... but i dont think i would handle doing it...My husband and i have talked about it and we would do it if we felt the schools in our area were not good enough..but we are blessed to have great teachers and great schools in our town. I think everyone is diferent and you just have to go with what you believe God is telling you.

Sarah - posted on 08/05/2010

I have been contemplating the same thing. It's looks like I'm going to have to as the christian school that I want to put him in only has 5yr. Kindergarten. I have a 1yr. degree in Early Childhood, but that was over 5yr. ago and I feel so out of the loop. My son (for being an only child) is a social butterfly and love going to Church (which is where he gets most of his interaction time.) I also was home schooled for High school. It was a tough time for me at first, but then I did the same thing as my son. I looked forward to Church! I say that if you are lead by the Lord to do this then Please follow His will! Philp. 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ, which strenghten me!" And when things seem hard and you can't go on, remember the hymn ~ It Will Be Worth It All (When We See Christ) God Bless!

CaRetta - posted on 08/05/2010

Tonya, I homeschooled my son & daughter (then kindergarten thru 1st & 4th thru 5th respectively) and I was a little intimidated by the idea at first because I lived in a state that traditionally didn't have much support for homeschooling. We moved to California and I found all kinds of support including outings for homeschooled kids which of course helped with social skills. Both of my kids are outgoing by nature and because I took steps to keep them involved with other kids with similiar interests, they are still outgoing and social. When we moved to a city in Cali that had better schools they chose to attend & they adjusted very well and are in the top of their classes. My son who will be in 4th this year is in the Gifted & Talented Program & reads on a 6th grade level. My daughter is a straight "A" student but has asked to be homeschooled again for her 8th grade year because she didn't like the drama associated with middle school. So I say "go for it!" Research the schools available (I used K12 because its structure worked for me) and trust your God given instincts. Best wishes!

Terri - posted on 08/05/2010

I will be homeschooling our 5 year old this fall. I started looking into local homeschool groups in our area last year and we got so busy with all of the social activities, I have to cut our schedule back this fall so we will have time for schoolwork :).

Brenda - posted on 08/05/2010

I started my daughter out in the public school system for her first 10 yrs of course repeating as well due to her disabilities. but because they wanted her to attend school more than what her health would permit. I chose to take her out of the school system. they tried to say that I wasn't doing what was best for my child , and they tried to have her taken away from me. they also tried to say that I had munchausen by proxy syndrome so that they would have a legitimate reason for taking her.well I contacted a home school legal defense attorney, through CHEO and they had gotten me in touch with a good one. once he took over I had no more problems with the school or the dept.of job and family services. I had all I needed to back me up. Needless to say they never bothered me again. If you intend to keep home schooling your child, it is the best thing you could possibly do for him. It is time consuming but very rewarding. you should also become a member of HSLDA so that if you ever have a problem with anyone in regards to your decision you will be covered and they will take care of everything. I wished I had started my daughter from the beginning at preschool age with homeschooling and then I would not have had this problem. she would have done better off, than where she was in the beginning.

Brenda - posted on 08/04/2010

Check and see if there are other parents Homeschooling in you area, they may get together which takes care of the social skills. Some get together once per month, some twice and some each week. Some families get together each day and teach their children together, even though they are using different programs.

I used to Homeschool my son, he is grown now. We used to get together with other families and it helped out a lot.

MaryEllen - posted on 08/04/2010

I/we homeschool our kids. This will be our 11th year of actually schooling at home. Our kids have a 16 year age difference. Our son was home schooled for 6 years, including his senior year. SJ has been homeschooled from the beginning. She will start 4th grade soon.
Join the forums at www.theswap.com for encouragement and support.

Sierra - posted on 08/04/2010

My daughter is 9 months old and I am already using a homeschool curriculum that I found for ages Birth-8 yrs. I plan to homeschool because I know that I can monitor what my children are learning at all times. I also feel that having someone else influence their lives for 8 hours everyday is not something that I want to do. I started a home daycare just so that I could ensure that I was with my child all day and still able to make some money and help other children learn as much as they can. We only get 18 years with our children so I want to make the best of that time rather than having my children sitting in school all day learning just enough to pass a test. The stats on homeschooled children are amazing so I am all for it if you can afford to and you have the desire to do so.

Tonya - posted on 08/04/2010

A friend of my moms teach 4 and 5 yr olds in her home. She invited my son to come along when she takes the class out for field trips. So that's a start. At least he'll be around other kids his age. Eventually, we will put him in sports or karate once we move and get settled. Thanks everyone for the encouraging words!

Vereena - posted on 08/04/2010

Check out the k12 program, it may be available in your area. K12 is an online public school.

Heather - posted on 08/04/2010

A friend of mine just sent me this link that I thought you would enjoy! ;)

http://www.dailyutahchronicle.com/mobile...

Mirdza - posted on 08/04/2010

I think you are making a wonderful decision to homeschool them. I have homeschooled my son since 2nd grade and he's now going into 6th, and I homeschooled my daughter through kindergarten and first grade and she will be going into 2nd grade in the fall. As far as social skills go, simply put him in organizations where he can spend time with other kids and learn good values. For example, when he's 6, I recommend getting him (and yourself and/or your husband) in cubscouts. Classes at the city community hall that are in things he enjoys doing is also a good idea, as is involving him in sports activities.

Dawn - posted on 08/04/2010

Home schooling is great! Yes, there are though children who are home schooled and it ends up not being a good thing for them. But, like Danielle said, that's mostly the parents fault. There are many many public school children who lack social skills, or who don't read/wirte at grade level. Unfortunalty my step son is one of them. We only have him in the summer due to distance and it seems like all we do is try to get him where he should be for his age. His mother does not let him do anything. Never even had a baby sitter, never been on a team of any kind. (Until this summer we put him in ball here, and he did great!) His mom plays video games all the time while he is with his grandma (who we just learned still picks him up and carries him!?) She refuses to let him go to the park even.I could spend all day telling you the things he cannot do at 8 1/2 years old. OR the things he doesn't know. We school some in the summer and when I give him my daughter stuff from his grade level he is LOST. He was lost playing the game "Sorry" at the start of summer. He couldn't figure out what the card was saying to do. Now I know he is an exception to most public school kids. My point is a lot of it is on the parent, no matter where the kid goes to school. Parents who don't care or don't want to face certain facts are going to raise a socially awkward child no matter where the kid goes to school. Public school isn't, and cannot be, held accountable for everything. Parents can be though.

Andrea - posted on 08/03/2010

Homeschooling can be a wonderful experience for parents and children. My cousin is 13 and loves being home schooled. I often questioned his socialization when he was young but he has many friends who are also homeschooled. There are many homeschooling 'districts' if you will all over the country. Also, meeting other children at local parks can be a wonderful socialization experience for children. These days, if parents take the time to take their children to the park, they are probably paying attention to whats going on in their childs life.

Kristina - posted on 08/03/2010

I LOVE homeschooling my children, I have a 15yr old finishing up 9th grade, a 10 yr old in 5th grade, twins that are 2 1/2 learning colors, shapes, numbers and letters and expecting one in Dec.... so love having my kids around here and knowing what they are learning!! You wont be disappointed, it is a blessing!!!

Danielle - posted on 08/03/2010

"I survived being Home Schooled". Haha, but really I was homeschooled by my mother k-11th grade. I loved it! I still have friendships with children I grew up with in our Homeschool group. Not all of them ended up a social success, but I put that blame almost completely on their parents. As long as you make an effort to involve your children (Homeschool groups are such an asset) they should end up great! And be blessed with the ability to interact with adults just as well as peers.

I treasure the memories of being taught by my mom and having class with my siblings. I want my children enjoy such a encouraging and comfortable education, so I plan on homeschooling myself. I can only hope to be half the mother and teacher as my mom.

Jamie - posted on 08/03/2010

Some cities have homeschool orginizations which you can sign up for (there might be a fee with some groups). They offer sports, field trips, etc. I worked for one such group for a year, and I loved it. You simply homeschool your child, and involve your kids only to the extent you want. They usually have weekly outings during the school year that your children can attend if they and you desire that. The orginization I was involved with had about 200 really involved students, and they were incredible at sports even competed against some public schools.

Vereena - posted on 08/03/2010

Even though my son is only 7 1/2 months old, I am already planning to enroll him in the k12 program. It is an online public school, which is available in many states in the USA. This program is homeschooling that offers various activities to interact with other kids who are also in the school, by way of field trips. But the part that grabbed my attention about this type of school is the curriculum.

The website is k12.com (if anyone is interesting in checking it out)

Lisa - posted on 08/03/2010

I think it is a wonderful thing to do. We had 2 of our children go thru public and christian schools, our last 2 has done public and now homeschool. I like you have been not happy with the public school systems, not so much the teachers as much as what all is required of them. This will be my 3rd year with my 16 and 12 year old and they are not lacking social skills at all. We go to church and they are in the youth group ect..and they get to pick 1 thing they want to do such as a sport, karate ect..as long as you dont just shut him away from all his peers he will do fine. good luck!

Laura Zoey - posted on 08/02/2010

http://home-school.lovetoknow.com/Statis...

heres a article with the statistics regarding how many kids in usa are being homeschooled and how they rank academicly too.
nice to see the good stats!

Diana - posted on 08/02/2010

I was home schooled for most of grade school, and I am scocially fine. As long as your kids have friends, I wouldn't worry about.

Linda - posted on 08/02/2010

Tonya, I have homeschooled for 14 years. Believe me, the socialization question is a non-issue! Homeschoolers are some of the most social beings on the planet! The joke for many homeschoolers is 'When are we actually home?" Between groups like Awana, church, homeschool coops, music lessons, and sports, there are many opportunities to get together with other children--though hopefully under your supervision so that their "socializing" time is godly and not counter-productive. The flip side of that "joke" however is that we need to use discernment on how many activities are kids are in because we do need to spend time at home being a family.

Rebekah said public schools have to let you join in for sports. That is actually not true but varies from state to state. It was true for us in Massachusetts, but not true when we moved to New York. However, even though we can't do sports with the public school, there are town leagues and homeschool sports leagues as well.

There are homeschooling groups on Circles of Mom that you may want to check out.

God bless!

Tonya - posted on 08/02/2010

I agree, reading is one of my concerns with the public school system in LA. Phonics is no longer taught in the schools, which to me is the foundation of learning to read. If you do not know the vowel sounds, consonant blends, etc. how are you ever going to sound out words correctly.

Sherri - posted on 08/02/2010

I have homeschooled my kids for years. My 2 older kids went to public schools until they were in the 6th and 4th grade. We pulled our kids out when our 4th grader could only read at a 2nd grade level. Over the course of one summer we had her go from a 2nd grade reading level to 5th grade. My youngest has never been in a public school. They are very social, the attend church and go to various activities and have friends in the neighborhood. I have never regretted homeschooling. It can be scary and intimidating at times just pray and don't give up. It is worth it. My oldest is going to be 23 this month and he is in the Navy and doing very well. You can do it.

Robin - posted on 08/01/2010

No one's beat me to this yet...wow :).....you should check out the homeschool lounge! You'll find A LOT of encouragment and support there! You can google it :)

I've heard one lady's reply to the socialization question that made me giggle....someone asked her the very common question "what about socialization" and she replied with "that's why we're homeschooling" :P

If they have cousins and siblings and are active in Church then they'll have friends, also you could look for a homeschool group that meets maybe once or twice a month around your area and that'll offer more socialization. Homeschooling was around before public schooling and the generation that was raised when homeschooling was 'normal' had absoutly no problem making friends or socializing or any of that

Dawn - posted on 08/01/2010

I have home schooled my daughter for the past 2 1/2 years. We started it when we moved here and there were problems arising in her new school. At first it was just to finish her first grade year. But, she loved it, we loved it, and so here we are, still at it. We are military and have decided that we will continue to home school her as long as my husband is in. Socialization has not been an issue at all. There are plenty of things around here. She does many sports (basketball, soccer, softball, tackle football even) and is active in 2 church youth groups. We also have a home school group that gets togehter and even does field trips. She has been to the pumpkin patch, firehouse, science center, ect., all the "normal" places. And of course we have playdates. Our house is always full of kids. IMO, they don't really "socialize" in school anyway. Unless you count sitting next to a kid for 7 hours but only being able to talk to them for 15 minutes at recess "socializing" LOL We do school, and as soon as we are done most days we are out the door to meet someone or go to some sort of practice.

Tonya - posted on 08/01/2010

You are absolutely correct!! Children learn social skills way before they start school. The moment they are born through touch and communication with parents, siblings, grandparents, other family members, friends, etc. I know he'll be fine, just needed to hear other moms' experiences. Thanks for the encouragement!!

Christine - posted on 08/01/2010

Tonya -

My husband and I plan to homeschool our daughter once she is old enough and have had to face questions on socialization many times. I have a leg up on this a little because I was homeschooled, so I have some answers for people, but Mark's and my reply has been something like this:

1) We certainly don't believe that homeschooling is for everyone or that God calls everyone to homeschool. However, if parent's are not going to homeschool it's very important for them to be as involved as possible in their kids' school so they know what they're being taught, by whom, and what kind of other children they're surrounded by.

2) We've thought about socialization and have decided that for our part, we prefer our daughter to learn her social skills from us, rather than from children her own age. Children don't naturally have the correct social skills, which is why we have to teach them to share, to be polite, not to hit, etc. Also, where do people think that children learned their social skills before daycare and public school?? Before organized sports and ballet lessons?

I learned to socialize with my parents, which taught me to relate to and respect those older than myself. They taught me how to socialize with my younger brothers and sisters, which taught me to relate to and protect those weaker than me. My parents taught me how to socialize with my peers by encouraging me to have friends in my neighborhood, which taught me to relate to others my own age with discernment and kindness.

Your kids will do just fine being homeschooled if you feel that God is leading you in that direction. It's a lot of hard work, but my mom always says she's so glad that she and my dad chose to go that direction.

Good luck!

Christie