How To Keep Your Child Connected During Homeschooling

Homeschooling is one activity that tends to attract a lot of decisions and questions, most especially for parents; however, the most important question that parents seem to be concerned about is socialization. This concern is understandable because, unlike other kids learning in a school environment, how will your kids who are receiving their education at home be properly socialized?

Growing up, most of us were exposed to the more traditional educational setup, which involved being around other kids. In reality, social interaction is an essential aspect of our educational experience, but how can this experience be replicated if your kid is homeschooled. When asked, most parents whose wards are homeschooled will tell you that their kids have no problem socialization. This is because homeschooling is not restricted to the home and partly because homeschool parents take into upon themselves to introduce socialization into the process. How is this done? Keep reading to find out.

HOMESCHOOLING AND SOCIALIZATION: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

There is no denying that an essential aspect of child development is socialization, especially as your kid is advancing through the various stages in an education setting, e.g. elementary school years to secondary grades and above. While learning how to interact with adults like parents, teachers, and family members can be very beneficial, it is, however, vital for a child to play and interact with other children.

There are various things that socialization teaches your child, such as conflict resolution, cooperation, sharing, respect, and empathy. Children also learn some core values from school environments, like taking turns when speaking and how to follow directions, which don’t usually come naturally to young children. Now, this does not suggest that homeschooling is not a suitable option for a child.

While there is limited information about homeschoolers and socialization, research has actually shown that homeschooled children, apart from being academically bright, are also well socialized and properly adjusted. When asked, parents whose kids are homeschooled also report positive results about their wards socialization skills.

STEPS INVOLVED IN KEEPING YOUR HOMESCHOOLED CHILD SOCIALLY ENGAGED

Many homeschoolers, when asked, will tell you that only a small portion of homeschooling takes place at home. This is mainly because most homeschooled children are able to finish their academic work within a short amount of time, leaving them with free hours daily to engage in other activities that involve interacting with others.

In reality, many homeschooled children do a more significant part of their academic schooling with others. There are various ways to keep your homeschooled ward engaged with others, and all it requires is just a little planning ahead. Some of the most common ways that parents provide the opportunity for their homeschooled kids to socialize includes;

• Enrolling your child in extracurricular activities

Being homeschool doesn’t mean you can’t engage in weekend or afterschool activities with other kids who aren’t homeschooled. There are even some public schools that provide the opportunity for homeschool kids to engage in their extracurricular activities.

• Attending a summer camp

It is very common for homeschoolers to attend camps, and this can serve as an excellent opportunity for your homeschooled child to make long-lasting friendships as well as learn independence.

• Involve your homeschooled kid in sporting activities

If your kid seems sporty, then allow them to join a local sports team; this can serve as an excellent way to socialize your child. More importantly, sports teach children many essential skills like communication, teamwork; amongst others which can be useful in the long run.

• Allow your homeschooler spend time outside

It is vital for your homeschooler to spend quality time in the great outdoors. Homeschooled kids need to experience life beyond their backyard. Take them to the zoo, local parks more frequently. They are bound to run into other kids there and even make fast friends.

There was a time when homeschooling was a concept that was not as accepted and popular as it is today. With the advent of the pandemic, many parents are now considering homeschooling for their kids. It will definitely be different trying to socialize your virtually schooled or homeschooled kid due to the postponing of extracurricular activities; nevertheless, there are still various ways for your child to be socialized, like virtual activities that promote interaction between kids, and even social distanced play dates.

This proves that homeschooling your child is definitely not a stumbling block to a child’s overall social development, as there are various ways to ensure that your homeschooled child fosters a healthy and meaningful connection with others.