🔦 Community Spotlight

1. Ever wonder what real socializing looks like? It’s not short lunches or quiet lines—it’s real talk, laughter, and connection. (link)

2. Not every choice feels brave, some come with tears after school. Homeschooling means growing through small, gentle steps. (link)

3. Homeschooling isn’t just school at home, it’s time to explore, ask questions, and learn in ways no classroom can. (link)

4. School shouldn’t feel like a cage. Many kids feel trapped by walls and rules—real learning needs freedom, not fear.. (link)

🛠️ Tools & Resources

Land of Our Lady Series
1950s Catholic history, back and better than ever. The Land of Our Lady teaches elementary kids with Mary, missionaries, and unwavering Catholic truth.

Christ Centered Math
Even math can teach about God. Christ-Centered Math (PreK-1) builds number skills while pointing to the Creator—includes all the flashcards and tools you need.

10 Minutes a Day Foreign Language Courses
Start speaking French, German, Italian, or Spanish now. Quick 130-page workbooks teach real conversation for travel—colorful, practical, and actually fun.

Adventures of Rush Revere Book Series
Turn history time into their favorite subject. This engaging American history series is made for 5th graders but works perfectly for elementary through middle school.

Elemental Science 
Science made simple for busy homeschool parents. Everything you need to explore, read, and document—all the plans are done for you.

DEEP DIVE

Will My Child Miss Out? The Truth About Socialisation in Homeschooling

"But what about socialisation?"

If you've mentioned homeschooling to anyone, you've heard this question. Probably multiple times.

Your mother-in-law asks it. Your friends ask it. Even strangers at the grocery store feel entitled to ask it when they find out you homeschool (or are thinking about it).

It's the number one objection to homeschooling. The big concern that makes parents hesitate.

And I get it. You don't want your child to be lonely. You don't want them to be awkward. You don't want them to miss out on friendships and normal childhood experiences.

But here's what we need to talk about: what actually IS socialisation? And is school really providing the kind of socialisation we think it is?

Let's Be Honest About School Socialisation

Think back to your school days.

You sat in a classroom with 25-30 kids. All of them born within 12 months of you. You couldn't talk during lessons. You got maybe 20 minutes at lunch and some recess time if you were lucky.

If you were shy, you probably struggled to make friends in that environment. If you were different in any way, you might have been bullied. If you didn't fit into the right group, school could be lonely even with hundreds of kids around you.

Remember the kids who ate lunch alone? Remember the ones who got picked last for teams? Remember the anxiety of finding someone to sit with on the bus?

Was that good socialisation?

Here's what school actually taught many of us about socialisation:

• Stay quiet most of the day

• Only interact with people your exact age

• Fit in or be excluded

• Your worth is determined by popularity

• Asking for help is weakness

• Being different is bad

Is this what we want for our kids?

I'm not saying school is all bad. Some kids thrive there. Some make great friends and have wonderful experiences.

But let's stop pretending that putting 30 kids in a room together automatically equals healthy socialisation.

What Real Socialisation Actually Looks Like

In the real world, how do humans socialise?

You interact with people of all ages. Your colleagues aren't all born in the same year. Your neighbors include kids, teenagers, adults, elderly people. When you go to community events, you talk to whoever is there.

You choose who you spend time with based on shared interests, values, and personality. Not because you happen to be the same age and live in the same school district.

You have conversations. You collaborate on projects. You help each other. You learn from people who know more than you and teach people who know less.

This is socialisation. And homeschooling actually provides more opportunities for this than traditional school does.

Homeschooled kids interact with their siblings throughout the day (if they have them). They talk to the librarian, the cashier, the elderly neighbor. They take classes with mixed age groups. They join clubs based on interest, not age.

They learn to socialize in the real world, not in an artificial age-segregated environment.

"But My Child Needs Friends Their Own Age"

Yes, they do. And they'll have them.

But here's the thing: friendship happens through shared experiences and time together. Not through forced proximity.

Your child doesn't need to be in a classroom with 30 kids to make friends. They need opportunities to regularly interact with kids who share their interests.

That's actually easier to arrange than you think.

10 Easy Ways to Build Social Opportunities

Let me give you practical ideas. These aren't theoretical. Homeschool families actually do these things:

1. Join a homeschool co-op These are groups where homeschool families meet regularly. Kids take classes together, parents share teaching, everyone socializes. Most cities have several.

2. Sports teams Your kid can join soccer, basketball, swimming, martial arts, whatever interests them. They'll see the same kids every week. Friendships happen naturally.

3. Community classes Art classes at the local studio. Music lessons. Coding classes. Drama club. These bring together kids who share an interest.

4. Volunteer work Libraries, animal shelters, community gardens, food banks. Kids learn to interact with people of all ages while doing something meaningful.

5. Religious or community groups Youth groups, scouts, community centers. Regular meetups with the same group of kids.

6. Online communities For kids interested in gaming, coding, art, writing. They connect with others who share their passion. Yes, online friendships are real friendships.

7. Neighborhood play Just go outside. Kids in your neighborhood who are home after school. Sometimes the simplest option is the best one.

8. Library programs Book clubs, reading challenges, craft days. Libraries run tons of programs for kids and they're usually free.

9. Special interest clubs Chess club, Lego club, nature explorers, 4-H. Whatever weird specific thing your kid is into, there's probably a group for it.

10. Regular playdates Connect with other homeschool families or families with flexible schedules. Set up recurring meetups so kids see each other consistently.

The key isn't doing all of these. The key is doing 2-3 regularly so your child has consistent social interaction with the same people.

What About My Shy Child?

Some kids are naturally introverted or shy. They find large groups overwhelming.

You know what helps shy kids? Smaller, more controlled social environments where they can build confidence gradually.

You know what's hard for shy kids? Being thrown into a classroom of 30 kids and expected to figure it out.

With homeschooling, you can tailor social opportunities to your child's personality. Start small. Build gradually. Let them develop friendships at their own pace.

My friend's daughter is shy. In school, she was anxious and struggled to make friends. After they started homeschooling, she joined a small art class with 6 kids. She made two close friends there. That was enough for her. She's happy.

Not every kid needs to be surrounded by people all day. Some kids need depth, not breadth.

The Quality vs Quantity Question

School provides lots of social exposure. But is it quality socialisation?

Being around 30 kids doesn't mean you have 30 friends. For many kids, it means surface-level interactions and a lot of anxiety about fitting in.

Homeschooling often provides fewer social interactions but deeper, more meaningful ones. Your child might have 4 close friends instead of 20 acquaintances. They might spend time with those friends doing things they actually enjoy instead of just sitting in the same classroom.

What matters more? The number of kids around your child, or the quality of their relationships?

Your Child Won't Miss Out

Here's what I want you to understand: your homeschooled child will have friends. They will have social experiences. They will learn how to interact with people.

They just won't learn it the way you did.

And honestly? That might be a good thing.

They'll learn to build friendships based on genuine connection, not forced proximity. They'll learn to interact with people of all ages, not just their year group. They'll learn that being different is okay, because they won't be surrounded by the pressure to conform every single day.

Will they miss some experiences? Sure. They won't experience the specific social dynamics of a school cafeteria or the drama of high school relationships.

But they won't miss what actually matters: connection, friendship, belonging, and learning how to be a good human.

I'd Love to Hear From You

I've shared what I know about homeschool socialisation. But every family is different, and I'd really like to hear your thoughts.

If you're already homeschooling: I'd love to hear one way your kids socialise that's working well. Real examples help other parents see what's actually possible.

If you're considering homeschooling: What's your specific concern about socialisation? I'd like to address the real worries parents have, not just the generic ones.

If you're just exploring: What questions do you have? I'm happy to share more about how this works in actual everyday life.

I read every response, and honestly, your questions help me understand what would be most helpful to talk about.

The socialisation question is valid. Your child's social development matters. You should think about it carefully.

I just don't want fear of something that isn't actually a problem to stop you from exploring an option that might work better for your child.

If you want to talk about it, just hit reply. I'm here to help.