Ahh Socialisation!! This is mentioned all the time when I tell people that I homeschool (or planned to homeschool). I used to feel personally attacked for making the homeschool choice but now I explain to people that socialisation is a community based association not just with children of the same age. My neice and nephew are the same age as my children, they are schooled, and become very shy when they talk to adults or children that are a lot older than them - not my kids!
They get it thru sports and scouts. This has been a tender subject lately because in my community there are not whole lot of children and most of the friends we have met live a hour away so we don't see them until we go to the shelter to volunteer. I have started to explain to them that it doesn't the quanity but the quality of the friendship. This is easier on the 10 y.o. than the 5 y.o. and 6 y.o.
When someone asks about socialization in front of your kids you could respond, "Well actually today we were performing an experiemnt and looking for a test subject to help with our lesson. You are a great test subject and my kids just learned there are many judgemental people in the world and sometimes ya just gotta ignore them and move on, thanks for helping!"
I haven't gotten that question, but I generally just smile and say, "Funny, when I was in school, the teachers always told me I wasn't here to socialize." I might point to our activities, if it's a close friend. But then, most of our close friends know that my daughter will carry on a conversation with their children, them, and the mailman. Which is probably why they don't ask.
We recently went to a dance academy to get my Oldest Don enrolled in Dance classes (funny looks from others by putting my SON in DANCE, but thats another rant. lol) And one of the Mothers there asked him where we went to school. He is pretty shy, but said, "Mama is my teacher." She looked at me and said, "It's great you can be in the same school as your child and teach him. That must be great. Are you a new teacher?" I just said, "No, I homeschool him and his brother." She didn't say anything for awhile, and you know how you can just tell somebodies wheels are turning? I smelled it. lol. She then said, "So is that why you are putting him in Dance? To socialize him?" I just simply told her that this was something my son wanted to do, and so we got the means in which to do it. We didn't say anything afterwards. I liked Amie's response, alot. I look back in high school and I don't want my children exposed to that kind of socialization. I swear, people think us homeschoolers are holed up in our houses all day, and we don't go anywhere or do anything, and our kids run around like wild animals!! lol.
Yeah-cause the only homeschoolers in movies, TV or on the news are the bad ones who don't ever leave the house! And you know-you can believe everything you see on TV, right???? LOL
I have never been asked that question. My boys are very social, though. It would be an odd question if asked to my 2 chatter boxes.
