Advantage of Homeschooling - Socialization By Randall Webster and Karen Webster

Homeschooling is an education option that is widely debated by comparing and contrasting it to public school. There are always two sides to every story, and there are many topics that always seem to come up in these discussions. This article will focus on one of the popular questions: socialization, by sharing our family's experience as it relates to this discussion.

Home school Kids Don't Have Socialization

This one pops up a lot. I find it hard to understand what people mean when they say this, or why it is usually the first thing they think of when the topic of homeschooling comes up. If they mean that sending your child to spend 8 hours a day with a bunch of kids their age in relatively unsupervised conditions is going to help develop their socialization skills, I am baffled even more.

Kids need much attention. When they are in a public setting, especially on their own, they feel the need for attention, but learn to seek it the way their peers do by example: whining, screaming, manipulation, hitting, etc. I'm not saying that my kids never whine, scream or hit, but we make it unfruitful for them to do so - they don't get what they want. To be consistent with denying their whining or screaming until they ask in a normal tone of voice or accept that no is your final answer may take 5 or even 15 minutes - for the immediate battle and a weeks to win the war. This requires a flexible environment that is rarely available in a public setting. Our experience is that being consistent in denying whining and screaming is that they quickly learn not to do it. Reinforcing this over time it then becomes a way of life.

In the public school setting kids are relatively unsupervised during activities such as lunch, recess, changing classes, gym class, bus trips, assemblies, etc. Anything goes to get what they want. They quickly learn that manipulation of various forms works to get the attention they seek. However, if they aren't one of the "group" they may suffer verbal and sometimes physical abuse that causes them to withdraw and not want to seek communication or relationship with anyone. It only brings pain. Kids can be so cruel to one another.

If you wanted your child to learn how to bowl would you send them to a group of kids their age, or would you seek a mentor who knew how to bowl? The skill of socialization is the same as any skill. They stand to learn a skill quicker and more complete when mentored by a few that are more mature in that skill. Kids learn more how to "survive" than how to properly socialize in a public school setting. They are more likely to get more loving, supportive attention at home than in a public setting. If you communicate with your kids in a truthful mature manner they will learn to get and receive attention the same way.

My wife and I both attended public schools growing up, and we have been enjoying the advantages of homeschooling our children for over 10 years. We understand that homeschooling is a choice, and that it is may not be for everyone. Hopefully this helped you see both sides more clearly. We hope to address some more of the debated questions in future articles by sharing more benefits to homeschooling.

Randall & Karen Webster have been enjoying the advantages of Homeschooling their 5 kids for over 10 years. For a FREE 5-part mini-course visit http://www.FrustrationFreeHomeschool.com

Homeschooling Kindergarten - What Do I Do All Day? By Heidi Johnson

Maybe you are just starting to think about homeschooling Kindergarten or maybe you just need some new ideas to keep from burning out on homeschooling or getting stale. If you realize that homeschooling is not rocket science, you can understand how to interact with your child in a simple and natural way and still help your child learn what he needs to know.

1. Reading and stories are always fun. If you don't have good books at home, a trip to the library always fuels a good amount of story time at our house. History is basically a collection of stories. Who says a Kindergartener can't learn about History from hearing stories in picture books? Adults can even learn a good bit about History from children's picture books.

2. Realize there are lots of ways to learn numbers and math. If you know your child's learning style or have some idea on how he learns best, you can use many fun methods to help your child enjoy math and still learn a ton. Some examples of learning about math could include: using flash cards, writing numbers, counting objects, playing with money, and playing games.

3. Learning how to read can be done many different ways. There are basically four phases of learning to read and your child might spend longer in one phase than another. Some programs work better for some children than others. Some children learn to read on their own with no program at all. Here again, learning style can play a role in how your child learns to read. If workbooks don't work, then sometimes flashcards or listening to CDs make reading click for some children.

4. Science is basically learning about how the world works. You can learn about Science by reading picture books, reading chapter books, doing experiments, cooking, taking a walk, and many other activities.

Stressing about getting a curriculum completed is not what homeschooling Kindergarten is all about. You know your child better than anyone. Think about how you have taught your child all the things you have taught him so far, and continue to apply that to Kindergarten homeschooling.

Check here for more ideas about Homeschooling Kindergarten.

For more tips on homeschooling, grab your free report "How to Homeschool using the Best Resources" at http://www.homeschool-how-to.com

Heidi Johnson specializes in helping families find resources to simplify and improve their lives.