Socialisation is still the 'go to' issue that rears its ugly head when people ask how Home Education is going. It's all very well getting one on one tuition ... I can see how it would work academically... but what about the social aspect? I mean, really, how can they be normal if they don't go to school?
As time passes it's getting harder to be polite about it : after you've been asked the question for the fiftieth time you get bored of answering.
I have begun to think of it as a tombola; I spin my cognitive wheel and pick an answer :
1. Socialisation is the process of disseminating customs, norms and ideologies and the ones in accord with our family values are best found in museums, the great outdoors and art galleries (I'm an arse)
2. School is an authority based structure which bears little resemblance to the real world and children are forced into a narrow social situation for which they may or may not be developmentally ready (I'm a gigantic arse)
3. We do loads of activities (I'm a bit defensive)
4. School is not the only place to gain socialisation and frankly I provide wonderful socialisation opportunities for the children (I'm very defensive)
5. There's a thriving home ed community (It's true but we're not fully integrated yet)
6. We socialise with a waaaay more diverse set of people than at school (I'm 5. Nur de nur)
7. None of your business (You're the 8th person to ask today)
8. We follow the National Curriculum for Socialisation (I'm being sarcastic)
9. Social children do well at school; less social children don't - I have less social children (I'm being honest)
10. If school is the best place to learn social skills then every adult must have amazing social skills (She shoots, she scores. Boom)
It's not big or clever, but hey, you've got to make your own fun.
Especially when you are missing out on playground politics to keep your social skills sharp.
