Homeschooling?

[Highlander]

The only argument I have with what you said is that being home schooled probably didn't make them strange. Go to any public school and you will find strange children. Go to any public gathering of any type and you will find strange people.

Oh, I agree with you. When I wrote earlier I thought about clarifying the strange comment but didn't. One kid that I can think of is 17 and has a mom who treats him like a 5 year old.

You are very right. Homeschooling doesn't make kids strange. There are plenty of strange kids on public school as well.

 

[Highlander]

One thing nobody cares to discuss is the piss poor social behavior kids learn in public school. I can see it already with my daughter who now attends public middle school. Kids are brutal to each other, especially girls. It's amazing how much their world revolves around who's popular, who isn't etc.. Public schools are, in my opinion, not the bastion of learning for appropriate social skills.

I totally agree with everything you said. It used to drive me nuts to have people say "Yeah, but what about your kid's socialization?" I was ready every time someone asked that dumb question.

 

[Cowgirl]

I have to say unless you have done some sort of research and/or can cite some studies showing this to be true, it's a red herring. When I have to go to a public skool all I see are some of the most unsocialized kids. Most acting out in some sort of fantasy that their parents seem to ignore or condone not sure which. Have you ever noticed how many kids in high school have tattoos? I saw a JV basketball game recently where a kid had a large tattoo on his arm...JV. Piercings protruding from every part of the body....that is not very social. Not a good way to let jonny enter the real world with a hole in his nose and lip and sally with a tongue ring....in high skool.
Sally died her hair purple and javon let's his pants hang down to his thighs. Not to mention their little foul mouths and promiscuous sexual activities(some taking place in skool...did i say GMHS)...

Is this the type of proper social norms you want your kids to have?

All of the problems you're talking about (tattoos, piercings, clothes) are controlled by the parents. The parents are the ones letting their children act and dress that way, so how would home schooling help them? It wouldn't. If you don't want your kids dressing that way or getting tattoos, don't let them.

 

[Highlander]

All of the problems you're talking about (tattoos, piercings, clothes) are controlled by the parents. The parents are the ones letting their children act and dress that way, so how would home schooling help them? It wouldn't. If you don't want your kids dressing that way or getting tattoos, don't let them.

Well, as I see it, most of these things (tattoos, pericings, freaky clothes) are ideas kids get from the other kids in public school. You won't see these things in the homeschool environment. These kids who "express themselves" also have parents who would prefer to let the kids do what they want because it's easier. As long as the kids are out of their hair, let them do what they want.

 

[Cowgirl]

Well, as I see it, most of these things (tattoos, pericings, freaky clothes) are ideas kids get from the other kids in public school. You won't see these things in the homeschool environment. These kids who "express themselves" also have parents who would prefer to let the kids do what they want because it's easier. As long as the kids are out of their hair, let them do what they want.

Who cares where they get the ideas? They could be getting ideas from movies, tv, or the net. It's up to the parents to allow it or not.

Oh, and my parents allowed my brother to "express himself" by dying his hair different colors and spiking it up. They didn't let him get too extreme with his clothes. Oh, and it wasn't so he was "out of their hair." He was always on the honor roll and he was a very nice kid.

 

[libby]

I homeschool all of my children, although my oldest will be going into parochial high school this year. His academics are way above public or private school peers, probably based mainly on the program I used. Naturally, most of our friends are homeschooled, and all are quite normal and well adjusted. I do remember one slightly odd family, but they probably would've been that way no matter where they went to school.
Homeschooling is not what his football teammates seem to think, laying around all day in pj's and long, leisurely meals. I would put the rigor of our program up against anyone. It depends entirely on the personality of the parent, and some personalities probably shouldn't homeschool.
Legally, a parent has to be the primary educator, although you can bring in tutors. I am not allowed to take in other kids, nor send mine out.
I second the umbrella recommendation.