I just read a great article, “The Bitter Homeschooler’s Wish List,” in Secular Homeschooling Magazine.
Of the 25 items on the wish list, here are my top three:
# 2 – Learn what the words “socialize” and “socialization” mean, and use the one you really mean instead of mixing them up the way you do now. Socializing means hanging out with other people for fun. Socialization means having acquired the skills necessary to do so successfully and pleasantly. If you’re talking to me and my kids, that means that we do in fact go outside now and then to visit the other human beings on the planet, and you can safely assume that we’ve got a decent grasp of both concepts.
# 7 – We don’t look horrified and start quizzing your kids when we hear they’re in public school. Please stop drilling our children like potential oil fields to see if we’re doing what you consider an adequate job of homeschooling.
# 18 – If you can remember anything from chemistry or calculus class, you’re allowed to ask how we’ll teach these subjects to our kids. If you can’t, thank you for the reassurance that we couldn’t possibly do a worse job than your teachers did, and might even do a better one.
While the article reads rather snarky, if you’re a homeschooler, you know how often we get asked some of the most ridiculous questions and receive some of the most judgmental looks imaginable, but we’re expected to take the high road and respond with calm, intelligent answers. Therefore, even though I’m not personally bitter, I totally get and appreciate the article’s message. Not to mention, until today, I don’t think I’ve come across a secular homeschooling magazine – kudos to Deborah for such a wonderful resource.
Lastly, it appears there are some people who’ve, um, borrowed Deborah’s article without permission, and naturally, she doesn’t appreciate people taking credit for, and reaping the rewards of, her work. So if you want to spread the word about the article or the magazine, you should check out this post on Deborah’s blog.
ADDITIONAL READING:
I posted the following link as a reply on my About page but I felt it was a good fit for this post. Mrs. G, a contributor on Pioneer Woman, responds to the question every homeschooler gets at least once but normally they get it from everyone who learns their children are homeschooled, “What about socialization?”
http://thepioneerwoman.com/homeschooling/2009/09/the-oldest-one-in-the-book/