Bad Mommy Moments & Socialization

I have been reading the series Tales From Grace Chapel Inn . The current book, Recipes & Wooden Spoons, contains a lot of recipes. I decided to try one this morning, the recipe for German Pancake.

This involved using my iron skillet in the oven. After I took the pancake out and served it, the skillet was cooling on a hot pad on the counter. I told Amanda it was hot, but she accidentally brushed against it with her fingers. Sigh. I hate when the day begins with a bad mommy moment.

John is working, since he is taking Monday off to attend a minor league baseball game with us. The Kannapolis Intimidators are having an Education day, and we get in free. Another perk of homeschooling, since the public schools here are still in session for another week.

We have a pool date for lunch on Tuesday. And they say homeschoolers are "unsocialized"! This is one of my biggest pet peeves whenever someone finds out we homeschool. Invariably they say, "Well as long as they get enough 'socialization'".

Which prompts me to think about the socialization they get in public school. I mean, really. They don't socialize in class. At our elementary school they have silent lunch because they only have a small amount of time to eat. And recess is a thing of the past because they have to use that time doing planned physical activity in order to meet the P.E. requirements!

The kids spend 6 hours a day in school, longer if they are in before or after school care. When they get home they have homework, baths and bed. So when exactly do they socialize?

The socialization I see is "dating" starting age 11, and all the drama that goes with it. Interaction is taken up with 'he said' 'she said' and power plays for friendships.

I am not saying none of this happens between homeschoolers, because I am sure it does. But what I have observed is a slower pace, inter-generational friendships, and interaction between all age levels. At our co-op, the older kids and the younger kids are together, many times the older kids teach or assist in classes with the younger.

My kids meet every couple of weeks with other homeschool friends, when we are not in co-op, which meets every week. They are involved at church, take music and are involved in homeschool band events, play chess in a group, and Amanda is beginning Tae Kwon Do classes. And our outside activities are limited compared to most homeschool families.

This type of activity is typical for the homeschoolers we know. We know homeschoolers who are involved in competitive ballroom dancing, swim team, basketball, cheer, professional drama, and many more. None of our public school friends have the time for such things.

I am not knocking public school - it has it's place. But I wish the misconception of hermit like, pasty faced, backward homeschoolers would disappear!