Jim1999 said:
I don't know how I feel about homeschooling. Most times I think the kiddies lose out on the socialization and playtime with other kids. Also, are they getting the education they need in life in the real world? To each his own, and glad I don't have that decision to make. I grew up in all boys private church schools, and I remember my first year in university when a girl had the nerve to sit beside me in a lecture. I got up and moved......
LOL - That is funny. See, what I've found with homeschooling is that the kids are BETTER socialized than those in public and private school. My kids are not segregated with children only their own age all day every day and are very comfortable around people of any age. I remember being in school and not being around those kids who were a year older or a year younger and my girls (and the other homeschooled kids I know) don't even LOOK at age or grade to figure who to associate with. They can sit with a group of adults and have a normal conversation with them - or can comfortably be with a group of toddlers and be able to deal with them well. With their own age group, they're absolutely wonderful - and don't have a lot of the 'issues' their peers have. Look at it this way, do I spend all of my day only with other 41 year olds? Nope. I'm with the little ones, then teens, then my husband, then with friends from church, then with the younger moms in my mom's group.... you get what I mean. Also, the majority of homeschoolers get lots of time with peers because of the activities we put them in. We've been involved in Sunday School, youth group, 4H, homeschool support group, ballet, camp, art classes at the local museum, organized sports, etc. They get LOTS of time with friends and peers.
As for the education, I think there are definately the few families who do their children a disservice in educating them but did you know that homeschoolers consistently test out at 70 or above on standardized tests? Did you know that the average is 50 - where public school students tested AND many homeschoolers test out at a grade or two higher than their public school peers? Did you know that Ivy League schools ACTIVELY recruit homeschoolers because they're better learners than those who come out of school? Here's a good site that I found with lots of good statistics (if you're into that)
http://epaa.asu.edu/epaa/v7n8/ Also, the education of the parent has no bearing on the success of the child in homeschooling whereas it has a large bearing on the success of public school children.
I have to say, I know homeschoolers who are now adults and they are wonderful people, well rounded and very successful. Meeting some of these people are what turned my DH onto homeschooling because he saw the benefits of it. We see the fruits of homeschooling in my teen girls who are wonderful, Godly girls, love us and want to spend time with us, and are girls that are constantly being praised by everyone around them (I can't count how many times people come to me and say how great they are). I just thank God that I had the opportunity and freedom to raise them up in the way they should go - every day.
As for the case of the girl sitting next to you, my daughter had a boy sit next to her the first day of school who was one that all the other kids made fun of. Think Pointdexter to the 10th degree and you have this kid - white oxford shirt, black polyester pants pulled way over his belly, pocket protector, big black glasses, greasy hair, white socks, black sneakers (the first time I saw him, I thought it was a costume - honestly) - and my daughter made friends with him quickly. She brought him to youth group where he was embraced and he came to the Lord. He celebrated his 16th birthday and was able to have a birthday party because, he said, "This is the first time I have friends to invite to a party." (That made me cry!!) She doesn't see 'popular' or 'geek', she sees other kids, period. I think that's just so cool.
