"What about their social skills?"

"Aren't you worried about their socialization skills?"  If I had a dollar for every time I had to confront that question, I would be rich right now! Why is that question never asked in regards to public school kids?  Just because they are in a room with other kids their age does not mean they have any more social skills than a homeschooled children.

I was asked that question one day and I responded with, "I don't have enough  time in the week for them to be any more social."  At that time, I took them to the after school programs at the library. They attended Adventure Club, an after school church program. They were involved in the community Easter play, the church Christmas play, two or three different sports throughout the year, church activities, and a Civil War re-enacting group in the summer. If they were involved with too much more I would not have had any time for their studies!  Their socialization skills were the least of my worries.

We were not any different than any other families. We taught our kids manners and how to interact with adults. We taught them to share when they were with other children.  Opportunities were always presenting themselves for teachable moments. We did not lock our children in a room and keep them sheltered from the community.

Now as teenagers, I am very thankful for the social skills my children possess.   They are able and WILLING to help at our Awana Club and on Sunday mornings with the younger children. They are able to round up work in the summertime because they know how to interact with adults and approach them. They are polite and perceptive as to when others need a helping hand.   I love that!  A lot of that I believe was knit into them, but it took some training as well.

I will admit, there are times that I have worried about how they will act in public.  My boys are not angels, by any means. They are teenage boys. They roughhouse and pick at each other, but they have never disrespected us as parents and they know the appropriate times and places for certain things. They know what is expected in mixed company. My aunt asked me one time, "JoEllen, are your boys always this well behaved?"  I laughed out loud at that as I pictured  doing dishes at home and nerf gun bullets would be landing in my dishwater and footballs were zinging past my head and the remote control was the cause of many wrestling matches on the living room floor.  "Um, no," would be the answer to my aunt's question.  I never felt the need to threaten them to be good or remind them to have manners when we were going out.   They are good boys and and I have been so thankful for the chance I have been given to be with them so much throughout the day!