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.
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)