Homeschooling ~Pt.2~

From WP 4/8/2010


Social concerns.

That was the first and foremost issue popped when abah and I talked about homeschooling.

Q: How will Amira develop her social skills if she were to be homeschooled?

A: I would like to address this question in a different angle. Are kids' social skills developed only when they go to a school? 

I have had the opportunity to experience being a Montessori teacher for 2 years, handling 4 yrs old kids. No children are the same , well it doesn’t take any experience to know that, but what I am trying to say is that these children came to school all ready with their characters built and attitudes rooted in them. Some may be friendly, others may be shy and quiet. We as teachers could only encourage or show them the right way to communicate and behave socially. This shows that parents or caretakers are the primary factors in children's development and it started way before they enter their nurseries or kindergartens. And so I believe that in developing social skills, responsibility falls on the parents' shoulders regardless the children will be going to school or not. We are the one who are supposed to show them the right way of communicating and behaving around people.


Loving and responsive parenting helps children to see the world in a positive way and to expect that relationships with others will be rewarding. Children who display high levels of social competence typically enjoy parent-child relationships characterized by positive and agreeable interactions, acceptance (Cohn, Patterson, & Christopoulous, 1991; Pettit & Mize, 1993; Putallaz, 1987)

Amira playing with her cousin

When we decided upon homeschooling our children, it means that we are ready and will undertake the full responsibility to provide them with the utmost suitable environment for them to develop all their skills, social included. Homeschooling does not mean confining our children at home without outdoor activities, but in fact being flexible will makes it much easier for us to do just that.

Sitting in a classroom of 30-40 students, does not actually prove that your children are socially competence. I mean how can you even communicate with your friends when you are expected to be silent at all times. How many of us are still keeping in touch with our primary school friends – just adding them up in FB doesn’t really count – and how many of our friends now are actually friends from school?

And anyway, greatly because of the SOCIAL problems that are widely heard and seen among students nowadays are reason enough for us to ‘keep’ our children at home. Though some of you may say that they have to experience and learn it on their own, I would rather it be ‘prevention is better than cure’.
This post is not directed to anyone but just as an assurance to our own self. And maybe IF this question is being popped to us we have the answer ready.  To each is own.