One of the most common questions that people ask me in relation to home schooling is about socialization. I guess the perspective out there is that home schooled children are deprived socially!
I will be the first to admit that socialization IS an important issue. God created us to be social! the Bible talks about it not being good to be alone.
From my point of view I am lucky that I have been able to sit on both sides of the fence. I have older children that attended school up until year 7 and I have younger children that have never been to school. From that arena I can honestly say that socialization is not just a problem for home schooled children! Schools tend to set children up from an early age to associate only within the boundaries of their own classroom. The school that my children went to only had two separate classrooms for each year but a lot of public schools have many more. One thing that I noticed early on was that if your child was put in classroom one then it didn't matter that there was another 30 students all the same age in classroom two.........they just didn't mix! Within the classroom setting of 30 children there were also separate groups. Very quickly children fall into "clicks" and although they are surrounded by lots of children they will choose their own "click" to fall in with. It didn't happen in our school because it was quite small but in lots of schools the classroom setting is changed every year~! I remember my sister being quite upset last year because her son was placed in a classroom with no friends from the previous year. Guess what? He made new friends very quickly but the friendships with his former friends was dead and buried.......why? because they were in another class now!
As an adult it would be considered strange to ask someone how old they were before deciding on becoming their friend. It sounds weird but it happens all the time in school! Because children are placed in classrooms based on their age they are programmed from an early age to associate only with others from their age group! One of the first questions that my son gets asked when we meet other non home schooled families is "what grade are you in?" To be honest with you I had to do some mental arithmetic the other day because I didn't know and Ben (9) certainly had no idea!!! Ben, who has never been to school sees children, regardless of age, as just that...........children! or more importantly someone to play Nintendo with!~
On the other side of the fence I can honestly say that socialization is an important issue in home schooling. I have always tried to include lots of time with other families and their children into our lifestyle. Once my children hit teenage years I have encouraged them to attend youth group at church. Church has been the biggest source of positive socialization for our children. Without wanting to brag I am proud to say that my children fit in well socially in every area. They have been protected from things like peer pressure and because of that they seem to radiate a freedom and sense of peace that permeates those around them! They are open to friendships with all ages! they don't ask what grade someone is in before choosing them to become a friend. My 15 year old daughter even claims that her youth group leader, at 26 years old, is her friend! This, of course, is another benefit to home schooling! I discovered once my children entered college that the teachers were respected as those in authority (like their parents) but also someone who could be a friend. With the ability to respect them and yet at the same time treat them as a friend, my children were fantastic witnesses to their college professors.
I have witnessed families over the years who have chosen to live an isolated lifestyle and protect their children from "the world". Without wanting to condemn or place judgment on other families I must be honest and say that I have found that these children have struggled to fit in when placed into a social environment. A lot of them have adult behaviour and find it difficult to relate to their own age group.
So, is socialization an issue only for home schooled children? I would have to say a vehement "NO" to that!