Homeschooling or sending children to school at home often draws criticism. One of them is about developing children's socialization abilities, because homeschooling is considered to make children do not have as many friends in conventional schools. However, is that right?
Unlike children who go to school in general, homeschooling children spend more time at home with family, rather than surrounded by friends.
Socialization of Homeschooling Children
Research shows, homeschooling children still have the ability to socialize, which can be assessed from the behavior, the values of dignity they hold, and the motivation needed to play an active role as a member of the community. Even from these studies, the experience of homeschooling children is more than enough.
On the other hand, the study found that socialization that occurred at school did not necessarily guarantee that a child would have the ability to socialize as well as people generally thought. Good socialization should be supported by the development of positive behavior, such as respecting different opinions, sense of responsibility, ability to control oneself and cooperate.
Still based on research, it is possible homeshooling is more useful in developing social abilities in some children than conventional schools, based on the following indicators:
- Children experience quality friendships in childhood.
- Fewer problems or behavioral disorders during adolescence.
- Openness to new experiences at university.
- Involvement in society as an adult.
However, no less important is the role of parents in teaching socialization to homeschooling children. Compared to classroom teachers, parents can be more involved in becoming agents of socialization who are more familiar with the needs of children and can have reciprocal relationships with them.
Based on studies, it was found that social abilities of homeschooling children generally develop in spontaneous or unplanned moments. Parents, as the primary socialization agent for children, will make socialization simpler and more effective in the context of responsive and supportive relationships.
Homeschooling Children's Social Activities
Even though you don't meet with friends at school, there are still ways you can do to keep homeschooling children active, including:
- Homeschooling children can get direct experience interacting with objects or environments that are being studied, such as museums, public libraries, or they can also volunteer in certain communities according to the task or field they are studying.
- The virtual world allows children to continue to be able to interact with other children through electronic mail, short messages, video phones, and social media. In this case parental assistance is very necessary.
- Fellow parents who implement homeschooling can create groups, then bring their children together so they can play and learn together, such as in dancing, swimming, or outdoor activities.
- In social life, homeschooling children can also join in the local community in general, such as choirs, religious activities, or sports groups such as soccer clubs.
Socially, homeschooling can even be a solution for children who have been abused (bullying) at school, as well as free from peer group pressure or social groups that may make children uncomfortable.
Although it is known to have many benefits, parents should consider further before choosing homeschooling for children. If the child is old enough, involve the child before deciding. Both homeschooling or conventional schools, remember that parents still play an important role in educating children. To ensure the psychological condition of the child while undergoing homeschooling, you can take advantage of the psychological counseling services of children, at the nearest health service.
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