Brussels Journal Editor Threatened with Prosecution over Homeschooling

I was making a serious point I do think it warranted that flippant remark.

Yes I understand that children are exposed to a lot of bad influences at school but so are you at work. By being exposed at an early age helps us to combat these by hiding away in isolation until 16, 18 or whatever how does a child then suddenly cope with the outside influences.

I know the argument is that by then they are an adult and able to disseminate good from bad etc and to a great extent I agree.

My only worry is some children will continue to rely totally on parents for social interaction because it is safe and ultimately the parent will either feel it is time for the child to make it on their own or ultimately they will die leaving the now adult middle-aged child totally isolated from other human contact outside work especially if they are not from a church going community.

The concept is great but maybe not suitable for all.

This thread has got me thinking about the behaviour of children nowadays and I am gradually beginning to realise that I think some of it is because they spend too much time with other children.

They copy and probably plan how they can be more disruptive and in many cases more of nuisance to their parents and other adults. Probably because deep down they crave attention from their parents rather than company of other children.

Children do need balance of company not just children. Something I noticed which is different from my childhood when adults have social gatherings the children are put together sometimes with an adult but often on their own. When I was a child the children tended to stay with parents and join in the conversations that your parents were having. Even church events are going this way with creches during the main service or children going out to Sunday School. When I was young Sunday School was either before or after the morning meeting not during.

I have noticed that young adults have far less a vocabulary than I have and tend to want their children to go off with other children at social events rather than stay with them as they will be badly behaved and cannot interact with the adults.

The more I think about it the socializing problems from HS are not a problem as long as the children do get to met other people whether it be adults or children.

Sports activities I do see as a problem unless you ensure the child goes to some form of sports club at a local sports centre.

How do they determine this when older?

As I said above socializing is maybe an old chestnut which is a modern myth and I gradually beginning to worry less about this but I still think that children need to play and it is not always possible to play on your own or with an adult.

The other thing I do feel is how children who have been bought up in this safe environment do cope when exposed to the world at 16 or 18. Hopefully that have been taught about it but how much are the parents aware of it? Also do the parents posses the skills to home school not everyone is a natural teacher and can pass on knowledge. What is you are lousy at maths or English or your history is not good. I know there are obviously home schooling books and a curriculum you have to work to but I am sure there are many parents who will feel inadequate to do this.

Re: sports activities. You know, the importance of this depends on the individual kid. Some kids excel on sports teams, others excel in individual sports like ice skating; some kids just aren't athletic. My main goal is for my kids to learn LIFETIME physical activities, so they are both in ice skating and take swim lessons. I'm looking into karate also, at least for my son. I think he would also enjoy being on sports teams of some sort, but that can come next spring with t-ball. Dd, age 7, is almost too competitive and a perfectionist (oldest child syndrome), that I think being on a competitive team might be too stressful. We'll see. I would like her to get into competitive skating and on a swim team.

Opportunities like these abound for HS'ers because we aren't bound by traditional school schedules and hours. I can take my kids skating in the morning when the rink is nearly empty, etc. A couple of months ago I ended dd's ballet lessons because I was so tired of being on the go, running kids around every day of the week. During the school year they also go to AWANA (a Christian Bible club for kids) and we get together with our HS group once a week and on field trips. All the socialization can drive you crazy! :o)

I'm not a real team sports kind of guy, so I've never encouraged or discouraged it with my kids. However, one son played baseball for a couple of years. One daughter tried out for a varsity level homeschool volleyball team. She just missed the cut. Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, summer camp, A kids club at church called Awana round out several opportunities.

There are home school based team sports available in most areas. Additionally, community recreation depts. have teams. As a family, we also ski, kayak and ride bicycles. My kids will get a few hundred miles in by the end of the year.

As I said above socializing is maybe an old chestnut which is a modern myth

Hi Snugs--this thread caught my eye, and then I also found you! How is your dad today?

I think that for most homeschoolers, socialization is the least of our concerns. I can understand why people are concerned about it because homeschooling is so different from the present norm of society. However, many, if not most, homeschooled kids end up being comfortable with adults and with other children. I know that people have commented on the ease with which each of my four children converse with adults. (They are now 17,15, 12, and 7--but we are only homeschooling the youngest two right now.) There are so many opportunities avaliable today (as some of the other people on this thread have mentioned), that even for those people with only one child, as you were, have ample opportunity for interaction with others.

Most of the people we know who homeschool are extremely concerned about the character of their children. Over the time they have them at home (and for us this has varied--my oldest went to kindergarten and first grade at a Christian school and then was home until ninth grade, our second was home until 8th grade, and the other two are still at home) there is a great effort made to instill values, morals, and faith. They may not have been exposed to as much in person, but at least for us, we have talked extensively about what they might run into. Our kids are at a Christian school now, and thus are still a bit sheltered, some would say.

What is you are lousy at maths or English or your history is not good.

There is a ton of curriculum available today. Even if a particular subject is not your strength, many people are learning right along with their children. Also, perhaps they will have another teacher for a certain subject. In our house, my husband takes over math instruction at about 7th grade as he is much better able to explain it. We have had the great blessing of a wonderful science class, taught by the parents of one of our friends. The grandad took the older kids (2-3, depending on the year) and the grandmother took the younger (usually 4-5). They have been fabulous. They are both retired scientists. What a load off my mind not to have to worry about science! Over the years my friends and I have had co-op classes where we teach the kids in a group together. We had the fun of teaching civics the fall of the Bush/Gore election! They had just learned all about the electoral college and then got quite a lesson in real life!

This is probably way more than you wanted to read, but it was fun to write. :)

"I do think it warranted that flippant remark."

I do as well. Glad we could agree ;P

One argument the anti-homeschooling left loves to propogate is that kids will not develop the right social skills necessary if they aren't exposed to other kids enough. That argument falls flat when the truth of the matter is shown: home schooled kids get exposure to other home school kids, little leagues for sports, church youth groups, etc etc.

The crux of the issue is this: Who knows better for your child; a leftist bureaucrat or you, the parent?

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