allthingsgodlypretty posted: " Are homeschooled children less social? This is the question i get the most from people who ask me where my children attend school and i tell them they are homeschooled. I get flooded with questions and amongst those questions asked is, how will our ch"
This is the question i get the most from people who ask me where my children attend school and i tell them they are homeschooled. I get flooded with questions and amongst those questions asked is, how will our children learn social skills?
Are they not deprived from socialisation?
This question as i noticed is the most concern, however i now understand that homeschooling is really a new thing and different so the best thing is to address that question because it comes from a place of deep concern.
I can imagine that someone puts themselves in our children's shoes and automatically wonder if they are being deprived of their social life!
That is a sincere concern and i believe most parents wonder now that they may have to consider homeschooling, it may affect their social life.
What are social skills?
A social skill is any competence facilitating interaction and communication with others where social rules and relations are created, communicated, and changed in verbal and nonverbal ways. The process of learning these skills is called socialization. Lack of such skills can cause social awkwardness.
Wikipedia
Balancing social skills and individual personality
What we normally ignore is the individuality of each child because as much as we are social beings we are individuals that desire to express themselves freely without being put in a box to behave how everyone should behave. The balance is very important because too much of each or lack of may place one at a disadvantage.
I strongly believe if you are able to balance these your children will never lack any social skills or their individual personalities.
Our children are so sociable more than a lot of children i know because they are not socialised too much to keep to themselves. They interact with anyone despite their age or social standing. They understand that every being deserves love and we have seen how much that attracts many because "nature ceases to feel enmity around them" as Jim Rohn normally puts it.
The reason why most parents homeschool is because you want a different socialisation from the norms of society. You desire nothing suppressed from the child's character but for them to maintain their Godly nature. Here we just provide knowledge that could assist you to engage them in society but balance it with engaging with the values you desire sow in them.
Teach them an International language
This is something we have been criticised for from time to time. However now we see the benefits of teaching them English from conception because they are not limited whichever school they enrol in. It also makes them speak to anyone because of the relatable language. Their mother language is all around them and they absorb it daily, it does not necessarily have to be taught.
A homeschooling parent's perspective
No matter the circumstances or your environment whether you created it or it found you, you are the one that creates the lifestyle you desire for yourself and your family.
The Covid 19 pandemic is an example of how we changed our lifestyle to fit what was happening around us and being social i recall was of a big concern. We had to adjust to new ways of life and find creative ways to our social life.
Choosing homeschool and planning social activities
When we decided that it is homeschooling we desire for our children, ofcourse we planned around how we can entertain them or help them interact with their natural environment, other children and people from different walks of life.
We had to pick activities that will keep them engaged with their society without them losing their individuality.
These activities keep changing from time to time according to our exposure and what our children suggest for themselves.
Activities for homeschooled children
We dedicated our weekends to their activities we learnt to spend so much time with our children when we are not at work. This has made us very close in learning who they are individually. We use our weekends to do family activities like outings depending on what we desire to do on that particular weekend. Sometimes we do our gardening together with our children and they love it.
Getting to know the natural environment. This is an interest that we share as a family because we love nature and we also love to travel, do hiking and some camping. We take them to places we all enjoy where they get to meet people.
Church and social gatherings this is the major place for their interaction with other people. Understand that every parent i believe ponders the path of their children's feet where you know the values you want instilled in the children. The environment they are exposed to should really reflect whom you desire modeled to them. We are not suggesting you deprive them but do not be ignorant to question each place they are exposed to even if its a church.
The park, road trips, vacations. The park is a great place where most children go to with their parents, guardians, teachers and it is a wonderful place for a picnic. Search around your area the which parks are closer to where you live.
We love restaurant outings with the children and they love them too. They get to try new foods, meet new people young and old.
Understand that each family is unique as it should be, your plans for activities with your children could be similar or different depending on the life you choose as a family.
If your life is filled with music lessons, ballet classes that are attended in your town then the list becomes different. And you learn to spend time pursuing the children's passions at their young age and that is an advantage of homeschooling. You realise their gift so early in life and you nurture it and choose a curriculum that supports their gifts and talents.
I would love to hear your questions and comments regarding homeschooled posts so you can get a better understanding about it and i get to know what to focus on when publishing a post.
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