Q&A: Homeschooled teens ?missing out? on teen life? | ADHK Kids Blog

Hi,I did the following:

Homeschooled teens ?missing out? on teen life?
This idea of homeschooled teens missing out on a ?normal life? or ?normal teen things? has popped up in a few answers.

But what is this supposed ?normal? teen life? And why should it be the way teens live? The whole idea of ?teenager? is relatively new. And certainly around the world there are plenty of cultures that don?t even classify their teens as teenagers?they are children or adults within their society and that?s it. If you look at it from an historical perspective, the ?normal? teen life today is quite ABNORMAL. And much of the socialization doesn?t reflect in any way what they will have to live as adults (although, one might argue that a growing number of adults aren?t really ?grown up?, still trying to live how they lived in high school and college).

Are homeschooled teens really missing out on any ?teen experiences? that are necessary, or even important, to their lives? And please don?t respond if your idea of homeschooling is that the kids stay home all day.
Oh, I?m not worry about what others think. I?m CURIOUS to know what others think.
Atheist, do you think all people who homeschool do as your cousin did?
I see part of it is also what is defined as ?teen life?? Some seem to think that unless you have a chance to sneak out and party, spend every lunch hour with friends, spend plenty of time gossiping, going to every school social function, that you?re missing out on teen life. On the other side is that a normal teen life does have music and friends and all kinds of stuff that can be had by both homeschooled and school alike.

Corona
I think homeschool is a fantastic idea if the parent that is teaching the child has the patience and knowledge to do what is best for their child AND the kids get to be around other kids their own age and have fun (and learn too). I had to homeschool my son for about a year and a half because of health reasons (severe food allergies) and I tried desperately to find a group to get involved with so that he would have other kids his own age to play with. We live in a small town with small adjoining towns and there were no groups near me, and the 2 that were about an hour away never bothered to email me back after SEVERAL attempts of contact. My son was lonely. He craved playing with other children. I had to make sure that he was old enough to understand the dangers of sharing food before I could let him go to school. I do believe in homeschooling and I do believe teens can have a totally ?normal?, and more importantly HAPPY life?.probably happier than those that are facing the pressure that public school kids put on other kids. Don?t worry about what others think. Believe me, it is trying to educate people on the dangers of deadly food allergies?either they care or they don?t, but you won?t change their minds.

Glee, lover of most hated
I don?t know where these ideas of ?normal? teens come from. I meet enough teens coming out of high school that hated their high school years and never fit in there to know that ?normal? is in the eye of the beholder. I?m even more baffled by the idea that a period of responsibility-free self indulgence during which you become estranged from your family, and are pressured to conform to an arbitrary norm as is a stepping stone to a normal adult life. People learn what they live. Public school teaching kids to be sociable adults is a presumption and one I disagree with. Here?s an example using my dog:
I wanted my pet to be a happy canine that could go out with me just about anywhere. I?d like her to be a therapy dog someday. To do that, she needs to know how to act in the human world. She needs to know the rules. To do this, I train her at home and in her daily life; show her which behavior is expected and condoned and which is not. I also make sure that she is introduced to strange animals; dogs, cats and even some birds. I make sure she is around old people, kids, babies, adults and people with special needs and disabilities. By doing so, I have helped her become accustom to many situations and people. Imagine instead of doing this, I just put her in the garage with several other dogs everyday. Some are friendly, some are mean. Some attack her. Some soil the floor. I have a trainer come in and break up any fights, but other than that, she is on her own. Would my dog be capable of behaving in public? No. So, why do people continue to act like that is the best way to ?socialize? our children and teach them to live in an adult world?

EDIT: Betcha $ 5 Hairy D is the product of public school socialization. Please report him btw. He regularly gets on YA and insults people with his limited vocabulary.

Melissa
I think you?re right. I mean, the term *adolescence* was not even in our language until the beginning of the 20th century, and primarily referred to the delayed maturity created by the new mandatory education ages.

And I also agree with the part of about adults not really being adults. Perhaps the reason they so vehemently support delayed maturation is because it supports their choice to remain adolescent.

IN any case?.I don?t think my preteen is really missing out on any sort of experiences. He is with friends several days a week, hangs out all Thursday night with his scout patrol, spends weeks camping in the summer with friends, and has two days at least that we travel to the city to hang out just with teens. He makes his own choices, and is capable of researching and filling out his own beliefs and choices.

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

from your own site.

Source: http://www.adhd-kids.info/archives/qa-homeschooled-teens-missing-out-on-teen-life.html

brewers julianne moore bikes dalai lama insanity