I found the perfect answer to this common question on a homeschooling forum. So instead of trying to come up with my own answer, I'm just going to memorize hers:
"The actual word most of us MEAN is social-IZING....to take part in
social activities. When someone says, "What about socialization", they
are meaning, "What about friends? What about Prom? What about having
play dates and going to the park....??"
The meaning of socialization is completely different and infers what a lot of people think about the "mindset" of public schooling that they want to avoid:
Socialization: the process by which individuals acquire the
knowledge, language, social skills, and value to conform to the norms
and roles required for integration into a group or community. It is a
combination of both self-imposed (because the individual wants to
conform) and externally-imposed rules, and the expectations of the
others."
It's a very astute observation. There is a huge difference between what public school advocates mean when they speak of socialization (which is really aimed at making sure children adopt the values endorsed by the government, rather than those of the parents) and what Christian parents (and others) mean when they use the term.
ReplyDeleteReal socailization of home schooled children is of critical importance - but it need not be done in ways that result in kids being pushed to conform to secular values. Homeschooling Christian parents need to be careful, deliberate and prayerful as they seek to place their children in situations where they can learn to relate to peers, and eventually to stand up for their faith in a hostile world. IMHO, the greatest pitfall that both home schooled and Christian schooled parents face is that kids only see the flaws in the "Christian world" - without this being balanced by seeing the secular world. Sadly, I have seen several young people leave the faith because parents insisted upon "sheltering" their kids from the world.
While there is no "cookie cutter" solution, one thing is certain: The first time a home schooled or Christian schooled young person encounters people who do not share his or her worldview should not be when they leave home.
The original author studied sociology in collage so she definitely knows what she's talking about and that is probably why she was able to put it better than I ever could. :)
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