Socialization

As a homeschooling mom, I keep hearing from others that my children need more social interaction. When I was in a traditional school, I was constantly told "You're not here to socialize." What do I do for socialization? I take them to the store. I take them to the mall. I take them to the park. I take them with me wherever I go. I constantly hear how well behaved they are in public, how impressed people are with how they act. At the same time, they are learning where they will use their education in real life.

For math and science this year, we learned how to cook and make soap. My oldest is learning how much money things cost. As I am getting ready for the day today, I am thinking about what today's lesson will be: the work that goes into earning an income. When I was a child, my dad always said my grades were the wages for my work at school. We haven't been doing this style of grading: we check the work, and if it's not done correctly, we re-teach the lesson, and they re-do the work. We continue this until the concept is learned. I have about 200 bars of handmade soap I need to sell, as well as a large inventory of hair accessories.

After we do bookwork this morning, I will be going through my inventory while the kids help their dad with yard work. At the end of the work done here at the house, we will have the excitement of walking to the park. We will get the interaction with other people that we all need, and take our school lessons with us, in the form of application.