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Ways To Socialize Your Child While Homeschooling
Teaching Your Child Important Social Skills
How can homeschooling parents teach their children social skills?
Learning to get along with other people, working as part of a team or group, and just knowing what our culture and society expect of a worthwhile contributing young adult is important.
How can responsible homeschooling parents make sure their child(ren) is/are learning these important fundamental social skills?
There are many places where a child can learn social skills.
Just as all humans start learning about their world the moment they arrive on this planet and in this world, so all situations bring experience that teach us in some respect, how to relate to other people.
There are many opportunities for children to learn how to interact with other children, how to get along with other children, and how to work with other children, as well as people of all ages.
Activities That Teach Social Skills and Team Work





Great Places Where Your Child(ren) Can Learn Important Social Skills
· Enroll your child in a club like the Girl or Boy Scouts of America.
· Get your child(ren) involved with Girls and Boys Clubs where they are available.
· Enroll your child in a community sports team for children of a similar age.
· Enroll your child in 4-H.
· Enroll your child in dance lessons or classes that will include recitals.
· Enroll your child in a theatre group that includes just children, or both children and adults. Performing in plays helps build self-confidence and teaches children to work with other people to accomplish a common goal. Also, everyone needs to be able to get along with people of all ages and to work with people of all ages, not just their own age.
One of the objections I have to public and private schools is that children are segregated so much of the time with people of their own age. Children in public and private school rarely if ever get an opportunity to get to know people of different ages. Learning to get along with people of many different ages is a skill they will need all of their lives.
· Enroll your child in music lessons that include recitals. Or if there is a children’s chorus or similar kind of singing group in your community, get your child(ren)involved in it. Music is part of a well-rounded education, and some experts even say that early music lessons (beginning before the age of 6) will help children do better in math.
· Enroll your child in a library group for children. Most libraries have story times for very young children as well as library clubs for older age groups. Contact your local library to see what they have to offer.
· Look around your community and see if there is a group that specializes in something your child is especially interested in like bird watching for children, or a science group. It need not be any of the things I’ve listed here, but look for groups that do whatever it is your child is interested in.
· Form a playgroup for your very young children that includes neighborhood children or children of your friends.
· Enroll your young children in a Daycare Facility for just a couple of hours a day, or just a couple of times a week, allowing you time to run errands and shop while your children are engaged with other children their age.
· Check to see if there is a group within your church that gives children the opportunity to socialize with each other.
· Look around your community for after school programs. Your child need not be enrolled in a public or private school to be involved in community after school programs.
· Check with your local school district. Some public or private schools will allow homeschooled children to participate in just some of their classes or extra curricular activities instead of being enrolled as full-time students. This is not common, but it is the case in some places, so if that is something that would interest you, check to see what is offered in your community.
Public School May Not Be The Best Place For Your Child To Learn Social Skills
Public and private school are not the only venues where children can learn social skills.
Many parents would agree, I think, that many of the social skills children pick up in a formal school situation may not be all that useful or desirable.
One of the advantages of home schooling your child(ren) is that you have more control over the people they spend their time with and the sort of behaviors your children are learning.
Home schooling allows parents a lot more control over the influences in their children’s lives and the behaviors other people are modeling for their children.
There are many great opportunities for children to learn and grow socially besides formal public or private schools. I recommend taking advantage of those opportunities whether you home school or not.
Comments
As a former home schooler I enjoyed all your suggestion. If I was just starting out down that same road, this hub would be helpful to read. This is very useful information to share. - Kudos!
I am seeing more ads for activities specifically designed for kids who are being home schooled these days. Parents would not have a problem finding opportunities particularly in large cities. In small rural areas it might be more of a problem but as the old saying goes..."where there is a will, there is a way". Sharing this good article again.
These are great tips for parents who home school their children. It seems to me that parents either do a fabulous job with it, like you obviously have done, or they barely do the minimum to really prepare their children to become contributing member of society. Since many people are choosing to home school their children, I hope a lot of them will read your articles so that they fall into the category of those who are doing a fabulous job.
Great article. Voted UP and shared.
You are so right, Aufait There are so many opportunities for kids to interact with others. Over they years while I was teaching quite a few home schooled children came to school at some point. And the ones who did the best in getting along with others were the ones who had been enrolled in activities such as the ones you mentioned.
Concern about socialization should not be a reason to keep a family from making the decision to home school.
Angels are once again winging their way to you this morning ps
i have never thought of home schooling, because i don't much much good temper either
Socialization is an important issue for children who are home schooled. They need the experience of being around their peers, negotiating with them, learning how to evaluate whether or not they like being around certain people, building friendships, and all the other skills they get from being with other children.
I am using G+ more and more. Sending this good hub of yours that direction and will once again share.
Very helpful ideas for those who choose to home school. Also great after-school activities for those who attend school!
This is such good information to know for people who are considering home schooling their children. Giving this a tweet and will once again share.
I have never known any children who were home schooled but this is very good information for parents of home school kids.
Our chiropractor home schooled her kids but I know they were also in school sports. Interesting hub voted up and shared.
You are an amazing writer. I don't have school age children, and I don't think I would be a good teacher, but all the suggestions you made here is great. You must have been a wonderful teacher.
I really enjoyed you writings.
Coming back to tweet this hub and give it a boost. Parents or potential parents need to know this information!
This will be another one of your informative hubs to pin.
Children do start out learning their first lessons at home. It is certainly interesting to read that you as well as some others have done it successfully at home. However, there are limited opportunities in some countries to go through it right up to the end.
Voted up and useful.
I was home schooled for over two years. I got a great education because my dad was an educator by profession, but my social skills definitely suffered. I think socialization is just as important in life as book knowledge and you have some great tips on how to help out home schoolers.
You have given parents great information regarding how to socialize children who are home schooled. All of these suggestions are great. From what I have heard, there are groups of parents who home school who get to know one another and other outings like trips to museums or parks, historical sites, etc. are often arranged. The sky is the limit...and like you say...they will not be picking up the bad habits or behavior often seen in public schools. Good hub. Up, useful and sharing!
This articles has really gotten me thinking of all the different ways I can provide social opportunities for my children that are better in many cases than school. My husband and I have just had our first child a few weeks ago and we are giving very serious thought to home education for her. I know I have read some of your other articles on this issue and they are very compelling for home schooling.
Appreciate all the ideas you have listed here for socializing children. It's really got me to thinking of ways I can provide opportunities for my child to be with other children and adults and learn to get along and accept differences.
I really like your article on Giving Your Baby a Headstart, too, and I'm already incorporating as many of those ideas into our new routine as I can.
My baby is only a few weeks old and already she loves books! I'm so glad I took your advice and introduced a book to her because it's something she looks forward to now and she's still so tiny! I love that she loves books! I will be getting her more of those.
Au fait, I think homeschooling is a priviledge for my grandchildren. They do so much better being at home. They are both very active social beings and, of course I am proud of them. I, also, attended public school and I cannot say that it was an entirely positive experience. I do not feel children miss out on anything being in homeschool, if their studies are scheduled approximately.
It is true, not everyone is able to participate in homeschool for one reason or another. That is ok. What is important is that children receive an education that prepares them for life's experiences. One needs to remember there are alternatives to the traditional public school. Parents need to search out what is best for their child(ren). In some communities there are homeschool assoications or groups, where all involved schedule regular social times for support for the children and the parents. This is something I would like to see more communities be involved in. There are times when homeschooling is much safer than a public or private school.
I agree 100% with you. Thanks for the info.
Thanks for the list of suggestions for social opportunities. I homeschool my grandchildren and I believe social skills are a very important part of learning. Often homeschool is associated will little socialization and this does not have to be the case. Social skills learning just has to be part of your planning. My grandchildren are homeschooled because one has cancer and the other is severe ADHD. I am disabled from a career and practice in psychology. Homeschooling for my grandson (ADHD) has made a tremendous difference in his learning. He is a very social little guy, but would get upset in the public school system. He is learning to live with and understand his ADHD. He is learning to establish friendships and learning more appropriate social behaviors and ways to handle stress, as well as all academic subjects. This one of the advantages of homeschool - being able to design and plan a program that is specialized for the individual child and their needs.
This hub gives a lot of good ways for children to learn social skills besides in school. I agree that children learn social skills better when they mix with people of all ages. I home schooled my daughter too, and I think it's the best way to go for anyone who is able to manage it.
your article make good points socializing is very important.nice hub.
Another fine example. How do you determine which members of society your child mixes with? There is no mention of segregating with other races for instance in this country it is deemed to be discriminatory to exclude other races and in some cases it is against the law. Do you have these issues in the US or are we alone in this? One of the rulings that came out of Brussels.
Your article makes a very good point- socializing being Very important. Over the years i have heard of kids being schooled at home who were leading quite narrow lives due to an Overbearing parent/tutor who controlled the kids every move.
Your article gives some good ideas on places to socialize and have fun ,so that they can find a circle of friends and interests
Nice hub as well! I have a question since I am not from America and home schooling is quite rare here, at least I never heard of anyone that was home schooled. until which age will children be home schooled, I assume not all the way through high school? Not many parents have the skills to teach all that to their kids I would think let alone the time to do it.
I do really understand home schooling better however, thanks for that, although I would not consider it myself, I have had a great time at school and hope my kids will someday have too.
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