Loving Our Social Time

 

 

 

I have to laugh! Ha ha ha  

Sorry, like I said, I had to laugh!

Admittedly, there are some closest to me that are probably tired of hearing me joke about the whole “socialization issue”.

You see, I’m the stinker that will catch my children heavy in social conversation with their *gasp!* friends, and say out loud sarcastically in public places, “Wow, you’re such an unsocialized homeschooler!”  Imagine my amused surprise when a fourth grade teacher at the city park thought I was serious, and anxiously reassured me that the boys were “just fine”!  My younger son had just spoken to him, and is doing fourth grade work.  I had a hearty chuckle over that one, and reassured him that I was only joking about the whole homeschooler/socialization issue.   I don’t think he got the joke.  Oh, well . . .

The thing is, it still amazes me that it is such an issue for so many people.  It is almost literally every non-homeschooler’s first question and concern!  As if, as a homeschooling mom I just decided that my kids didn’t need to be social, and I locked each of them in a closet with their school books all day.  Uh . . . no!  But unfortunately, I believe, homeschooling is largely misunderstood in many ways and by many people.

Now about the look on my older son’s face in the picture above.  He loves to observe, and he’s just concentrating.  Glad I could clear that up, but I digress.  

The picture above was from a mock dinosaur dig, and my boys had a blast!  Just imagine, a whole lawn of homeschool kids split into small groups and playing paleontologist.  What joy, what fun, and they were all . . .  working together!

Every homeschooling mom is bombarded with the question of “socialization”, but in our support group there really isn’t much concern about it, because we know our kids are just fine in that respect.  The ironic thing is that as most of us are such social creatures, as homeschooling moms, we are constantly “exposing our children to social situations”. 

As a family, we personally take art classes, go to a gym day with our friends, we take enrichment classes within our support group and our community in general, we go to church, and we are hosting a small group bible study(among many other things).  We do all of this as a family, and we have many friends.  Just as my husband and I are very social people, our children are very social people.

There are those that are concerned about homeschoolers functioning in “the real world”.   We are learning and growing in the “real world” every day! 

Last night I had some “social time” . . . mommy style.  I love the support group that I belong to.  I love the ladies.  I love their friendship.  I love their faith.  I love watching our kids play together.  I love the fact that together we are always striving to give our kids the best in education, life, and love . . . and that we are on this journey together.

Lord, you know that we would love to live in a world where we are better understood by those around us.  If it is in your plan, please give us this blessing.  But even if that never happens, thank you for the blessing of you.  You love us and understand us and bless us as homeschoolers and moms.  You are working in us for your plan and vision for us, and the families around us.  Thank you for blessing us on this journey together.  Amen