Rearranging the furniture

Today I want to address a burning question--or at least a question that makes me burn!
Probably the most oft concern posed to homeschooling families is, "What about socialization?" I have to tell you this question has caused untold amount of emotion in the homeschooling community--everything from anxiety to infuriation! As for me, I admit, I fall toward the infuration end.....let me explain why.

Miriam-Webster's main entry to define socialization reads: the process by which a human being, beginning at infancy, acquires the habits, beliefs, and accumulated knowledge through education and training for adult status.

Now, although that entry mentions education, it does not indicate specifically how a child should be educated. Here's why: It doesn't matter! A child can receive as balanced an education and social experience in a home setting as they can in a corporate education experience. Despite popular rhetoric, I do not believe I am raising children. I believe I am training young people to one day become functional, curteous and pleasant adults. Our family has chosen to make this happen using home schooling as one of our tools. Other parents may make a different choice--and I'm okay with that, provided I am also given the freedom (read, not have to constantly justify my position) to make the choice I have.

It is an unfortunate misconception (largely purportrated by our media) that a child who is kept home for education will "miss out" on all the wonderful social opportunities with peer groups that corporate education offers. Let me tell you--my children far from lack social opportunities with their peer groups. In my community alone (and I live in a relatively small town), I could have my children involved in: sports teams, YMCA programs, music classes, Boy or Girl Scouts, AWANA, Sunday School, library programs, Camp Fire, Vacation Bible Schools, Gymnastics, Dance, programs at the Boys and Girls Club, craft classes, summer camp, 4-H programs....and the list goes on (a list which I, incidentally, compiled completely from memory without looking at any resources). Truth be told, we have to decline most of the social opportunities offered or we'd never have any time for our curriculum or our family!

A while back at a social gathering, an acquaintance posed the question at hand to me. Smiling back at her I found myself answering in a way that had never occurred to me before.
"So, what do you do about socialization?" she asked in that way familiar to homeschoolers--a subtle, but real expression of a need to fill you in on what you are missing (did any readers miss the irony that we were actually at a social gathering!)
"It's funny you should ask that," I replied, "I wonder the same about you."
"What ever do you mean?"
"Well, I have the responsibility of seeking out opportunities for my children to interact socially with others their same age. You, have the responsibility to seek out opportunities for your children to interact with others not in their same age group."
Her face was priceless. She definitely had something new to chew on.

It was fun to turn the tables.