Do Homeschool Kids Get as Much Experience Conquering Fear of the Unknown

[Sebastian (a lady)]

We have some friends who've just arrived on base. I drove them to the schools this morning for the first day. I was standing around for the assembly by the flagpole where students met their teachers and classmates and then marched off to class.

 

I couldn't help reflect on how little anticipation there was at our house this morning. Yes, this is our "first day", but we only stopped doing school at the beginning of August. We're continuing on with mostly the same stuff that we were using last year.

 

There is no new teacher, no new classmates, no anxiety over learning locker combinations or moving up to a new school or making tons of new friends.

 

On one hand, I'm glad that my kids aren't having to rebuild their position on the pecking order ever few months. It is easier for my kids to not really care what their age peers think, because those peers don't rule their social environment. But I wonder too if there will come a point where not having had to cope with these mildly unsettling experiences will give them fewer skills when it comes to dealing with larger scale unknowns like going to college or starting a job.

 

This isn't really a question of socialization. I think homeschoolers can be wonderfully socialized or shy or awkward or overbearing, just like schooled kids can be. I was just watching the bit of ceremony this morning and thinking thoughts.

 

Of course every couple of years, we put everything we own into boxes, put the boxes into crates and send it across the oceans to a new home, while we live out of suitcases and in spare bedrooms and basements for a few months. So I probably need have few fears that I'm insufficiently unsettling my children.:willy_nilly:

[Haiku]

My kids play sports, so the experience new teammates. They go to sleep-away camp every August, so they meet new cabinmates. They take classes, so they meet new teachers. They volunteer, they go to social functions, they are not afraid to ask adults questions ... honestly, I think the diversity of our lifestyle gives them more opportunities to meet and master new situations.

 

Tara

[The Girls' Mom]

I really think it depends on the home environment. I'm sure there are some that do not get that experience regularly, but that definitely isn't the case here. We've moved to a new state, gone to many new churches, started new activities, met different HS groups, volunteered in new places. All with the very likely possibility of relocating again in the next few years. Even if we didn't move around, there would always be new opportunities for us if we chose to take them.

[Guest Dulcimeramy]

Of course every couple of years, we put everything we own into boxes, put the boxes into crates and send it across the oceans to a new home, while we live out of suitcases and in spare bedrooms and basements for a few months. So I probably need have few fears that I'm insufficiently unsettling my children.:willy_nilly:

 

Yes, I think you have answered your own question! :lol:

 

I think it evens out.

 

So do I.

 

I really think it depends on the home environment....Even if we didn't move around, there would always be new opportunities for us if we chose to take them.

 

:iagree:

[patchfire]

At least for us, the nature of the homeschooling community leads to more opportunities, not less. If dd attended a local public school, she'd be in the same building with most of the same classmates for six years, then down a few roads for three years, then across the street for four years. We drive past all three of these All The Time. On the other hand, if we had selected a local private school, her classmates would remain the same with even fewer changes from year to year, and she'd be at the same school for *13* years.

 

Instead, every year, she's been involved in at least one new-to-her group, meeting new people. In the activities that she's done for multiple years, her friends fluctuate. And, of course, this is just with regard to peers; it doesn't include all of her "out in the world" activities.

[In The Great White North]

So I probably need have few fears that I'm insufficiently unsettling my children.:willy_nilly:

 

:lol::lol::lol::lol: Yep, got that box checked. How many cultures have they moved into so far?

 

Really, this could be a problem if you stayed in your house all day, but no more than in some schools. The Waldorf school dc used to attend had the same class and teacher 1 - 8. No annual stranger anxiety there!

 

Homeschooling gives us the time and flexibility to try new things that we wouldn't have if they were in the local public school full time. That would be the school where the German teacher complained because we took dd out of his class to go to Germany during the school year! Can't face new challenges when you're in the same school all day every day.

[Laura Corin]

I'm not sure that you need too much of that in the early years. Watching Calvin start 'high school' last week, I was struck by how very confident he was in sorting out going to school, making mistakes, finding his way academically, socially and organisationally. When he was small he was very shy and hesitant, but he has grown into himself over time. It's true that we have done a couple of moves in his life and he has always participated in activities, but allowing longer for personal development before dealing with constant change has not been damaging.

 

Laura

[simka2]

Just gonna agree that I think it evens out. They may not get a certain type of new experience, but they get a lot of others!