I need a good come back for socialization question

B

boomerang

Member
My pediatrician likes to always ask me if the kids are being properly "socialized". I'm not very good at being witty or quick. Anyone have a good short come back I can give him to make him see his view of socialization is a joke? Thanks!
 
We socialize our dog, we educate our children. ;) that's the joke one... then do what I do... you've spoken to my children, how do you think they are socially? Mine are very very outgoing, talkative, sociable! and most people have to admit that's their take on my children if they speak to them in only a little bit of time alone. Then if he is still listening tell him, you don't lock them in the basement, he can clearly see they come out of the dungeon once in a while, and when ever you are out... they socialize! they have friends and family just like any other children who they play with, talk with, and socialize with... not to mention you are a mature sociable adult and you want your social skills being taught to your children, not other children's ill social habits.
 
I like the last line of the article: Socialization is not about doing everything and being everywhere, but about choosing those things that truly have lasting merit and will guide [a] child into adulthood.
 
I don't know about a one liner but on the rare occasion where a person has mentioned socialization I say something to this effect, " The children go everywhere with us- to various stores, offices, city hall, doctors, field trips, the symphony, the gym and so on. At each of these places, they interact with people of all ages and backgrounds successfully. They're better socialized than any traditionally schooled child you will find."
 
I'm not sure about saying this to a pediatrician, but what I've said before to people that like to bring it up often is "Nope. Between sleep overs, co-op classes, sports and playing with their friends we don't have time for socialization."
 
Love Jackie's response! Honestly, I think that is the best way to handle it.



But if you really want a one liner - tell him you've seen the village and you want nothing to do with it raising your children.
 
A woman where I go to church was constantly asking about our homeschooling and making snarky comments about our kids being isolated and unsocialized.

She had just been robbed by her own son who is a drug addict, who is a dead beat father. She is from a totally dysfunctional family and her brother and father had gotten into a fight on a holiday weekend that put the brother back in jail from a probation situation. The family was all mad at the father because he started it and was the one who was hitting his own son with a golf club in the head. The dad was mad because he wanted to move a TV that belongs to the son into another room so he could watcvh sports away from the family.

Her daughter has kids by more than one man and was soon to get married to a third. Her other son is squatting in a forclosed home and has been for years.

This woman is totally a nervous wreck and it was all I could do to refrain from saying.

I homeschool my kids to they don't come into contact with the likes of yours.
 
Oh I get that sometimes. I have been told that "children need competition and homeschooling is bad for them in that respect." I just laughed and explained that I went to public school and couldn't have cared less how I rated with other students. My boys are not like that either. I want my boys to be able to be happy for the success of their peers. She just looked at me and then mumbled something about how that was true. For the socialization argument I just let them know that as a former classroom teacher, a good portion of the day is spent trying to stop socialization so we can get through everything before testing occurs. Children go to school to learn. They learn socialization through experiences. I am very fortunate to have a pediatrician who says, "Good for you mom!" when my boys tell him they are homeschooled. He is appalled at what has happened to the school system.
 
valleyfam said:
Love Jackie's response! Honestly, I think that is the best way to handle it.



But if you really want a one liner - tell him you've seen the village and you want nothing to do with it raising your children.
Click to expand...



I LOVE THIS....the village definitely cannot raise my child!!! I've seen the outcome!!!
 
Outside of the obvious benefits of kids spending more time with their parents through homeschooling, rather than being influenced by complete strangers who may or may not share your values, at least you can be assured that they can concentrate on their studies. I can't begin to think of all the negative aspects of socialization in public and private schools, from the aforementioned bullying, or peer pressure to fit in which can range from teenage rebellion to drug use to violence to sexual promiscuity, or the social groups ('cliques') that form depending on interests, there are just so many distractions that kids can never reach their full potential during their formative years. Unfortunately there are many within society, even pediatricians, who see these negative aspects as almost a rite of passage as if kids can never be complete members of society without this negative socialization. These same people probably believe that it's just as important to experience binge drinking and frequent hook-ups in college in order to get the most out of the college experience. These quacks don't understand that homeschoolers get plenty of exposure not only with other kids but also with adults through family reunions, church youth groups, sports, music, volunteer activities, field trips, etc. The important thing is you get to choose the environment and the kids aren't forced to stay if they don't like it. Things that public school students can only dream of because they're stuck in a classroom for eight hours a day learning the same things that takes homeschoolers only a fraction of the time due to better efficiency and effectiveness. But rather than try to explain all this to these enlightened mainstreamers, I would simply state, "More than you can imagine!"
 
Another one. "God gave children to parents to educate, not the government. If He thought the government could do a better job, He would have given children to them. Do you think you know better then God?"
 
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