Am I overthinking this?

[mhinds48]

[SIZE="2"]I also homeschooled my 3 children (2 girls and 1 boy), they are now all graduated and my girls are married and have children of their own. I am finishing up my BSN at Excelsior, I did my ASN through them as well. I agree with having your kids take the CLEP exams! Good way to learn and get college credit to boot! My goal is after I finish my BSN is to enroll at University of South Florida to get my ARNP (Family Nurse Practitioner). I also started from scratch with no college credits, now it has been 3 years and I am realizing my dreams![/SIZE]

[bat21]

We home school our kids(in CA) they are trying to outlaw it right now, typical B.S. from the school board it takes a Village, not good parenting to raise and indoctrinate your children.

We like it since our kids are not exposed and forced to associate with predators and future felons of America.The added bonus is I do not have to deal with teachers who always like to put kids on ritlin, since they cannot handle dealing with children.

And my kids can still be kids and not like 10 years olds acting like gangsta rappers.

[HawkGuy]

Now I have a question maybe you guys can answer for me. I've always been against homeschooling because the social skills children develop at school can't really be replicated at home. How do you get around that so the children develop the necessary social skills to function in the modern world?

[april004]

Now I have a question maybe you guys can answer for me. I've always been against homeschooling because the social skills children develop at school can't really be replicated at home. How do you get around that so the children develop the necessary social skills to function in the modern world?

I've mentioned this b-4 but this is ripe to be answered again. I would have loved to have been homeschooled. Going to a public school made me anti-social. The biggest thing I learned in school was how to CONFORM . Those who didn't conform and/or stuck out like a nail were shunned. I being one of them. Going to private/public school is no guarantee that children will obtain social skills. In fact it may very well stunt a child's/teen 's social progress and ruin their self esteem. I know because it practically stomped on mine.

Of course I was not a popular girl and that shaped my views on public schooling. I find that those whose high school experience was great tend to not understand why parents would homeschool. As far as the concern you mentioned of not being able to replicate the "social" skills one would learn at school if one was homeschooled- I would hope not. Materialism, bullying, etc.etc, are just one of many social skills learned that one can leave at a regular school's doorstep.

I am sure that homeschool parents can still involve their kids in social situations that may be more healthy for ex. take their kids to church activites, maybe dance classes, gymnastics, little league,etc. I'm sure they can get enough socializing done that way and with kids who have similar interests.

I guess I ranted on far too much, really just wanted to say that this former student of public schools fully supports those who homeschool!

[OnMyWay]

We like it since our kids are not exposed and forced to associate with predators and future felons of America.The added bonus is I do not have to deal with teachers who always like to put kids on ritlin, since they cannot handle dealing with children.

And my kids can still be kids and not like 10 years olds acting like gangsta rappers.

LOL. The schools in your area must be AWFUL!

[Ronny]

Now I have a question maybe you guys can answer for me. I've always been against homeschooling because the social skills children develop at school can't really be replicated at home. How do you get around that so the children develop the necessary social skills to function in the modern world?

Every study I've seen comparing academics between home schooled and public schooled children favors homeschooling. Also, the few home schooled friends I've had have been socially awkward, but not really much more than myself at that age. Teen years are very transitional no matter how you're educated.

[HawkGuy]

That is a good point. Thanks for the answers guys. I was just wondering.

[dk4girlz]

I get that question quite often. I agree with the previous poster about the socializing that goes on in public schools. I am not trying to duplicate that, but please don't picture my kiddos closed up in the house all the time either. My oldest 13 does a little too much socializing if you ask me. She is on a ballroom dance team, a homeschool cycling club, Christian debate, community rec softball team, volunteers at the Children's Science Museum, takes classes weekly with other homeschoolers, is active in our church youth group, takes ASL classes as the library and of course has some neighborhood friends. My 10 year old plays basketball, softball, takes ballet, is in a book club that meets at the library and also takes classes with other homeschoolers weekly. Oh yeah we also do 4H, Keepers of the Home and swim classes.

My girls aren't taught that it is only acceptable to make friends with kids the same age and in the same grade. They are completely comfortable talking with and getting to know both children and adults. I hope I answered your question. Let me know if you have any others.

[CLEP101]

I'm a rookie parent (dad) and I wanted to ask if you want to start homeschooling, at what age do you start? Do you start right from Kinder age?

[bat21]

You can start anytime really, I started after 1st grade when my daughter was being picked on and coming home crying because her teacher had no patience for kids, (she was single, right out college) and demanded that I put her on ritlin.

I told her maybe she find another line of work perhaps.

For socialization, we belong to several homeschool groups and they meet several times a week and do field trips and parties.

Plus they do not have R-rated vocabulary, or dress like the Real Slim Shady.