I'm not always quick to tell people that we homeschool until I feel comfortable about their viewpoints about educating children at home. However, recently when I have mentioned it to others I have noticed that there is a new twist on the homeschooler socialization question.
Instead of the expected: "Oh, what do you do about socialization?" question, I am now noticing that there is a new twist on this inquiry.
Today, while waiting for my daughters to start a dance performance, I struck up a conversation with one of the other mothers. Sure, we see each other every week at dance class. But, we never really talk long enough to find out about who the other one is and what we are all about.
The topic came up today because she asked what my husband did for a living. I told her that he is a musician. He teaches guitar lessons, and he also performs. This evolved into talking about odd schedules and how we never eat at a normal time, and we never go to bed at a normal time.
Since I had already stepped off the diving board and was headed for the deep end, I figured I might as well explain why I was ok with a odd bedtime. So, I threw it out there: "Oh, we also homeschool which works around my husband's schedule since we tour with him out of town as well."
What was her very next question?
No - It wasn't, "what do you do about socialization?" It was the new twist on this question:
Like many other inquisitive listeners of late, she asked:
"Are you part of any homeschool group, then?"
So, there you have it. It's a new subtle way to slip in what she really wanted to know, and that is whether or not my kids actually encounter other children their own age on a day-to-day basis during school.
I need to come up with an appropriate response, because this new twist on the socialization question sort of threw me off guard.
Have you encountered this new twist on the socialization question? How do you answer it?
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