The "S" Word

Socialization-Yes, I said it; the "S" word of homeschooling. Since this is the first thing non-homeschoolers always think of, I thought I'd start out by sharing an excerpt on this topic from our family's Homeschool Brochure that we carry around.

In a study of social and emotional development of 9-year olds from private schools and homeschools, home educated children perceived their parents as primary authority figures more often than those in the private-school education.

Data from children that were home educated for at least six years showed they were fiercely independent and strongly emphasized the importance of family.

“He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm. Proverbs 13:20

In a study done by teams at Cornell, it was found that children who spend more time with their peers than with their parents until about fifth grade will become peer dependent. Obviously, this pertains to children spending countless hours in a school building, whether it be private or public school.

Rick Boyer, father of 14 homeschooled children, notes that peer group socialization in school system settings results in making children dependent on their peers, subjecting children to constant attacks on their self-esteem, and isolation from the real “adult” world.

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