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Episode 13: Socialization and Homeschooling, Exploring it from Different Angles-Part One
Our conversation … (listen to Part Two here)
Socialization and homeschooling is unarguably a common topic. It might be considered the proverbial thorn in a homeschool parent’s side. But what do we mean by socialization anyway? Maybe there are a few ways to examine it. We were so grateful to have Kiki from @kikiandthewildlings and www.educatingwildlings.co.uk join us and offer her perspective and experience. Please join us as we talk about this common, yet multi-faceted, topic. We had a few technical difficulties this time, but if you bear with us, we think the content is worth it. 🙂
We Discuss:
What the word socialization means and the different ways we think about it
That this is a conversation that unites people from many styles of home education – how are kids socialized outside of school
How socialization isn’t something to really be formally taught as much as it to be learned naturally through modelling and life experience
How some kids are naturally quick at “reading the room” and others take longer or see things differently depending, and this is the case with many people regardless of where they go to school
Whether we can really consider school “the real world”
The qualities we respect in adults – often they are creativity, resourcefulness, problem-solving – and how those are often best developed outside the box of prescribed systems
That school is great for socialization into school itself and similar settings, but not always so useful in others
Social discernment and how that’s impacted by the messaging that everyone in the class is your friend
Conversing with kids about what a friend means to them and being curious about different ways of being friends and holding relationships of different kinds
Whether it’s necessary for homeschool families to have a community – variations in social needs for kids and not just socializing for the sake of it
The emotional intensity that can sometimes be part of home ed socializing (if you know, you know!) and figuring out what works for our families
The nuances of homeschool social time – the skill development and perseverance that it takes as parents to sort through, build connections, etc
That it can be hard! Sometimes parents gel but kids don’t or vice versa
The common ways that adults form friendships
The difficulty with extreme peer-orientation
The idea of bullying being normalized
Older adults and connections with a range of ages as rich opportunities for kids and having the time to nurture those
Resources:
Educating Wildlings Podcast and Blog
Socialisation – A Nuanced Topic, Erin, Ever Learning
Home Education Worries: Will They Learn How to Queue? Hayley, Taking a Kinder Path
The Worst Parenting Advice Ever: You Can’t Be Friends With Your Kids, Hayley, Taking a Kinder Path
Why My Kids Will Never Be Socialized, Jennifer McGrail, The Path Less Taken