# Socialization, LOL!!!



## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

I am posting this for future families considering homeschooling their kids and worried that they will be too isolated/ not socialized.

I just sat down and looked at our summer plans. Over an 8 week period my two kids will be going to 7 different camps! Some of those are overnight camps, some day camps (and no, neither are going to the same camp and only one week are they gone at the same time, and those are day camps). 

Again this year we will be schooling into the summer to finish off a few of our books...why, you ask. Because our kids are too busy during the school year to do it! Homeschoolers have an amazing number of opertunites to get involved in. We are blessed that we have other homeschoolers in the region that have similar interests, so we can have a home school Lego Team, home school Girl Scouts, etc. By doing some of our activities with homeschool teams and scouts (during the school time hours) our evenings are free for my kids to do youth group, bells, choir, community service, and Boy Scouts. My kids know that if they choose to switch to public school....they will have to give up some of their socialization opportunities.


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

> Homeschoolers have an amazing number of opertunites to get involved in


IF you live in a populated area. Those of us in rural areas are pretty much limited to Scouts, 4H and church.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

I'm in a rural-ish area, too, but not as rural as some of you. Many of my kids social activities (other then church and scouts) is with other homeschooler. We've banded together to make these opportunities. It's a core group of about 5 families.....but there are 100's of homeschool families in our county.....we just don't know most of them.


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## unregistered168043 (Sep 9, 2011)

You know I have never considered all that. My knee jerk reaction to homeschooling has always been "might not get enough socialization". Just considering all the extra-curricular activities that are possible makes my head spin;

Church ( and church activities )

martial arts

scouts ( a big one )

summer camp

Music

etc,etc

Hm...I think I would be more likely to consider homeschooling if/when the opportunity arises.


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

Ohio dreamer said:


> I'm in a rural-ish area, too, but not as rural as some of you. Many of my kids social activities (other then church and scouts) is with other homeschooler. We've banded together to make these opportunities. It's a core group of about 5 families.....but there are 100's of homeschool families in our county.....we just don't know most of them.


That's "populated" from my perspective. 
My county has a few hundred families, total. There are 400 kids in the school district (a county and a half) and less than 10 kids in the district that are homeschooled.


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## cindy-e (Feb 14, 2008)

ErinP said:


> That's "populated" from my perspective.
> My county has a few hundred families, total. There are 400 kids in the school district (a county and a half) and less than 10 kids in the district that are homeschooled.


 Erin, 
My kids have gotten a lot from online classes. I know it isn't quite the same, but there is one school that has kids from all over the world. The classes meet in real time online, and communicate with each other, and they have a forum sort of like facebook, but monitored so the kids do get to "chat" with each other. They have a school newpaper, music classes, art classes... and they are an extremely, extremely good academic school. Have you thought about something like that? It is better than nothing. I think we long timers have been able to make a few connections online. It's not all bad. Anyway, this school is religious. i don't remember your being adverse to that, but there are others out there that are not religious if you are interested. The name of it is the potters school. (pottersschool.org, I believe.) I do believe it is possible to meet the educational and social needs of kids on rural areas. As a matter of fact, that is sort of why this school was started, to serve the needs of kids whose families were doing humanitarian work overseas. Just FYI. good luck with it all!


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

ErinP said:


> That's "populated" from my perspective.
> My county has a few hundred families, total. There are 400 kids in the school district (a county and a half) and less than 10 kids in the district that are homeschooled.


Sounds like you are in an area like where my family comes from. When I was a kid they had allot more then 10 homeschooled kids (we didn't live there but visited a bunch....had friends there), but only about 300-400 in the school district (entire county). But then those homeschooled kids were homeschooled because the commute to school was too much (45-60 min walk to the bus stop....hour+ bus ride to the school. Out of the house 6am to 6:30 or 7 pm is a bit much for a 5 yr old)


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

cindy-e said:


> The name of it is the potters school. (pottersschool.org, I believe.)


I looked into it when you mentioned it as a suggestion for writing and whew! They're kinda pricey... 
But truth be told, we're OK. My point was just that it's not exactly "an amazing number of opertunites to get involved in." 

If one has an amazing number of opportunities, I'm glad they have that blessing. But so often here, I see people assume that's universal to _all_ homeschoolers. It's not.


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## cindy-e (Feb 14, 2008)

ErinP said:


> I looked into it when you mentioned it as a suggestion for writing and whew! They're kinda pricey...
> But truth be told, we're OK. My point was just that it's not exactly "an amazing number of opertunites to get involved in."
> 
> If one has an amazing number of opportunities, I'm glad they have that blessing. But so often here, I see people assume that's universal to _all_ homeschoolers. It's not.


yea, I agree. Kind of pricey. Very good if you can afford it (which I could once upon a time, but can't right now). In fact, completely worth the money if you can afford it, I would say without hesitation. 

I am glad you feel like you guys are OK out there. =0)


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