I sometimes wonder if my last words on this earth will be something like, ‘Oh, I knew this wouldn’t work.
At then end of this experiment we call Alice’s childhood, I imagine if she’s as eager to move ahead with her passions as the graduates I’d just met, and as fond of her family as these kids seemed to be of theirs, I’ll have my answer.
Homeschooling will certainly produce some socially awkward adults, but the odds are good they would have been just as quirky had they spent twelve years raising their hand for permission to go to the bathroom.
Most of the homeschooled children I know have about the same amount of after-school peer time as the rest of the population but, obviously, without that school day together, they do spend less time with their peers. Whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing is still open to debate.
All the homeschooling parents I know meet on a regular basis with other families. They organize field trips, cooking classes, reading clubs and Scout troops. Their children tend to be happy, confident and socially engaged.