Balancing Home Schooling with a Socially Integrated Child
When considering home schooling your children as an alternative to public education, one of the most frequent concerns addressed is whether children will be prepared for the real world if they are taken out of the public school system and home schooled. Many well-meaning people express doubt that a child that is home schooled can be properly prepared to socially integrate when entering adulthood, due to their ‘isolated environment’ called home schooling.
The two most common feelings expressed by others is the fear that you will deprive your children from socializing within their peers sphere of influence, or an unfortunate misunderstanding and distrust of anyone who may give the impression that, by choosing to home school their children, public education isn’t ‘good enough’ for their children.
Regarding the latter reason given by others, don’t feel the need to defend your decision to home school, based on this concern. The fact is, you are the parent and the reasons why you have decided to teach your children at home are none of their business. Besides, it will most likely be a waste of your time because they simply won’t understand anyway.
However, concerning the first position others often take when you decide to home school your children, it would do you well to ponder what, if any, impact your child’s social well-being will have by teaching them at home. You must carefully weigh out the pros and cons if you are to make an educated decision to home school your children. We will take a look at three aspects of the impact home schooling could have on a child’s social development.
The first aspect to consider has to do with their personal development. It is a fact that children are greatly influenced by their surroundings. One piece of evidence of this being true is how easily children imitate others. It may be in the way they talk or the style of clothing that will reveal the very real influence those around them have in shaping who they are. Choices their peers make can often affect choices they make, especially if they want to ‘fit in’ and be accepted. This is not necessarily a danger, but it can promote some undesirable results.
When children are home schooled, they are under a greater level of control by their parents when it comes to styles and trends. It is far less likely they will desire name brand clothing or get into habits such as smoking or alcohol. In addition, their peers they do choose as friends are much less likely to give themselves over to vices and thus be a more positive influence. By home schooling, you are providing them with an environment free from peer pressure; to make choices without threat of feeling ‘uncool’ or an ‘outsider’. This will give them the space and time to develop their own opinions and build up an inner strength, able to resist those needless temptations that become baggage later in life.
The second aspect to consider is the opportunity home schooling provides children with the time to explore interests in their own way and at their own pace; unencumbered with the social pressures a public school environment can place on young, impressionable minds. Parents that allow activities outside the home school environment can better influence peer choices and also ensure that the ages are not just within their own age group.
By introducing your home schoolers to various age groups, as well as differing economic levels, you will enable your children to be more accepting of all ages and lifestyles. Remember, as a home schooling parent, your children need not be placed within a strict time frame when it comes to class subjects and that includes field trips as part of the teaching experience. When you get them involved in community activities as part of the home schooling curriculum, you not only allow the home schooling experience to be flexible, but you also teach them to be responsible citizens of their community.
In addition to typical classroom instruction, because your time schedule is not in the traditional sense, you have more time to allow your children to pursue other activities, such as learning how to play a musical instrument, learning a second language or participating in sports. All these things are essential for developing their self esteem and forming them into well-rounded individuals.
The third and final aspect to consider is: if a child desires to learn subjects that are beyond the parent’s capability within the home school environment, most public schools allow home schooled children to participate in individual classes. Activities such as art classes or dance, along with after school sports, are all options available for the home schooler to participate in. By so doing, this also allows the child to interact with those in the public school system and thus provide additional socialization opportunities. In addition, should the child progress beyond what your capabilities are when it comes to home schooling, entering back into the public educational system full time will be far less traumatic.
Whether parents decide to home school their children or have them attend public school, social interaction is a critical component to their developmental skills. As long as parents realize this fact and do whatever they can to provide a safe environment for this to take place, their children will grow up to be self confident adults, fully capable of making mature decisions free from the peer pressure so many succumb to.
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