In the realm of homeschooling, a notorious question haunts potential home educators like a pesky mosquito: “Oh, but what about socialization? Won’t your kids be doomed to social ineptitude if they dare to skip the conventional schooling experience?” Alas, our society, wrapped in its conventional cocoon, deems interaction with peers as the sole sacred path to acquiring respectable social skills, blatantly disregarding the crucial role of parents. But let me pose a thought-provoking inquiry: Could it be that this notion is nothing more than a fanciful fabrication, a whimsical tale spun by societal norms? Let’s venture forth into the depths of this matter, shall we?
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What is the Importance of Socialization in Child Development
Of course, socialization is incredibly important for child development. If you don’t get it, you could get:
- depressed and have less empathy
- lose your sense of reality (think of solitary confinement) and
- a decreased ability to learn
As a child, lack of socialization causes brain changes. Life Science said this:
They found that early institutionalization changed both the structure and the function of the brain. Any time spent in an institution shrunk the volume of gray matter, or brain cell bodies, in the brain. Kids who stayed in the orphanages instead of going to foster care also had less white matter, or the fat-covered tracts between brain cell bodies, than kids who, at a young age, moved in with families…children of nurturing mothers had hippocampus volumes 10 percent larger than children whose mothers were not as nurturing.
So, socialization is definitely important for child development – but who says socialization only goes on in a school or preschool? We should be asking the question, ‘Is school taking away the time we might spend socializing with our own children?’
Myth: ‘Socialization Only Happens in School’
Ah, the notorious fallacy that socialization exclusively unfolds within the hallowed halls of daycare or traditional schooling.
How delightfully untrue!
It is a wicked lie that engenders heartache and guilt among the loving, stay-at-home moms who yearn to homeschool or delay their little ones’ school journey.
The boldness of this untruth is quite remarkable! Its harmful influence is widespread and has led to painful ruptures in parental bonds, inflicting wounds upon both child and caregiver.
Emotional development, the delicate dance of growth, suffers at the hands of this misguided belief.
But wait, there’s more!
Enter the misconceptions surrounding resilience, those tantalizing tales that proclaim school as the sole catalyst for a child’s fortitude.
Alas, this too is but a falsehood wrapped in misguided notions.
Resilience, dear friends, entails more than mere endurance.
It beckons the child to grow stronger, to rise from adversity with grace and swiftness.
Yet, alas, many children simply carry scars, remnants of premature separation from their parents.
Their emotional wounds, though unseen, silently persist as they trudge forward.
So, let’s shed the cloak of deception that enshrouds these narratives, for they rob us of truth and shroud us in unnecessary pain.
Let’s embrace a broader understanding of socialization, one that acknowledges the power of loving homes and individualized journeys.
May we foster bonds, nurture emotional growth, and create resilient beings who emerge not merely scarred but triumphant.
Together, let us challenge the fabrications and weave a tapestry of truth, understanding, and compassion for the sake of our children’s well-being.
I definitely agree with the post! I have a four-year-old who is in pre-K and I’m starting to sense that God is putting it on my heart to homeschool her long term. Before I put her in school, she had no trouble socializing with other kids. She played at the local park, at church events, and with my neighbor’s daughter. She gets tantrums occasionally, but this is normal and with loving discipline, she’ll be okay. My family contends that she is shy because she needs to be around other kids at school and that there is too much togetherness between my daughter and I. This saddens me and I noticed how my daughter’s mood is when I pick her up at school. I don’t see the excitement on her face, even though she talks about how she likes school. But in my heart I know something isn’t quite right about her time there. She has had accidents there on a regular basis. I believe that our society is trying to separate young children from their parents at earlier ages and it’s not necessary in my opinion.
Thanks for your comment Thea.
My parents had the same struggle. They noticed we were really sunny, happy little kids before we went to school. Then, they said, we changed dramatically. No longer were we happy and content, but we were on edge and quite nervous. (I started behaving really badly, including stealing things from the local supermarket when I was five…I stole Barbie dolls because I was desperate to fit in with my peers who seemed so cool with their dolls).
When they began homeschooling us, they said this all changed and we became happy and content again.
My brother was always quieter at school, but he came out of his shell more when he was homeschooled. I think the ‘shy thing’ is often a result of personality more than the educational methods used. If you’re naturally shy, school or homeschool won’t bring about a change necessarily.
My friend also used to vomit constantly at school as she was so nervous. All this stopped when she was homeschooled. I’ll link her interview here. It talks about a few things you mention in your comment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOMstQCObsE&t=78s (sorry it’s in five parts!!!)