Navigating Social Challenges
This is one of my favorite topics to discuss with new homeschool families and people who don’t really get what we do.
When you think of social challenges in homeschooling it really isn’t what outsiders want to tell you it is.
Our kids don’t need “socialization”.
I mean, yes there is the occasional child who may need it, but that applies to all kids no matter what type of school setting they are in.
Your child is probably well versed in social situations that involve all ages and walks of life.
They most likely look adults in the eye when speaking to them, are kind to other children, no matter how old they are, and you are probably used to hearing how kind and polite he is from strangers.
Basic socialization with strangers isn’t the challenge you face.
The real challenge is your child’s social life. This is where homeschooling can die on the vine. Most children want to have friends. This has been the hardest issue for our family for sure.
It is tough to find the friends for your kids that you want them to have. This is a lot of work and you need to put some effort into finding your tribe.
Do not discount how important it is for your kids to have friends.
Start with finding out what kinds of activities your child is interested in.
Does he like sports, theater, speech and debate, piano, raising and caring for animals, farming, legos?
There is so much to be a part of as homeschoolers that if you aren’t careful, you will never be home!
Developing friendships through common interests is a good place to start finding kids for your own child to hang out with.
One of the reasons children decide they no longer want to be homeschooled (or even parents) is because they think they are “missing out” by not being in a brick and mortar school.
Missing out on friends and opportunities. If you were brought up in a traditional school setting, you know that there is a lot of bad stuff your child is missing out on too.
That might be why you chose to homeschool!
If you are fostering his interests and creating strong social connections, he likely won’t feel like he is missing out.
As our children got older, we decided to be a part of a homeschool co-op. It was only one day a week, and my kids made a ton of friends in our co-op.
This is a nice way to get your social time in and it is only one day a week so your kids have something to look forward to each week. It is also not a huge disruption to your school schedule. You might even knock out a couple of those classes you don’t want to teach.
The opportunities for teens are endless. A part-time job, competitive sports, speech and debate competitions, dual enrollment classes, praise band, and volunteering at church to name a few.
Encourage him to start thinking about what he wants to do after high school and use it both as a social opportunity and career development. As homeschool parents, we are creative like that.
You probably have some ideas in mind of social opportunities that you can create and develop for your child. You know him better than anyone else, tailor it to his interests and sit back and watch him thrive.