Busting Homeschooling Myths #3

Myth: Homeschooling my kids will make them weird.

Truth: If you’ve spent any time with kids, you know they are all weird. (Psst - so are adults!)

The best way to dispel this myth for yourself is to hang around a variety of homeschoolers. My husband and I felt more confident homeschooling our kids, because we hung around several homeschooling families and we thought their kids were pretty great.

But I’m skirting around the real issue. The “S” word as it is commonly referred to in homeschooling circles… SOCIALIZATION. There is not a homeschooling family who has not been warned that their kids won’t know how to interact with other kids. I suppose there could be trouble in this area if you never let your kids leave the house, but all the homeschoolers I know have their kids involved in some sort of social groups: sports teams, dance classes, theatrical productions, bands and orchestras, play groups, religious organizations, scout troops, co-ops, and so forth.

There is one way homeschooled kids may come across as “weird,” because it is contrary to their peers who attend traditional school. Homeschooled kids tend to do a better job socially interacting with people who are not their own age. They tend to be more confident in speaking with adults and are more understanding and inclusive with younger kids. So maybe this is weird, but it’s a weird I’m happy to sign up for.