What About Socialization?

When people find out that we homeschool, this is a question that they often ask. Think about that question for a minute. What is the purpose of "school" supposed to be? Is it to provide an education or to provide a social setting for children? What kind of socialization exists in the school system, positive or negative? I would say that the majority of time it is negative. Children are thrown into groups of about 30 or so of the same age children with 1 adult present. There is teasing, bullying, bad language, drugs, and constant pressure to conform 40 hours a week. Is this the kind of "socialization" our children need?
The best kind of socialization for your children is their own family, learning and growing together. My children are each other's best friends. I enjoy greatly having them with me all day and being able to teach them. Having said that, this doesn't mean that we keep them locked in the house day and night without allowing them to be around other children. We do participate in a variety of activities that I have the honor of being with them during these times. We go to Sunday School every Sunday, Pioneer Club every Wednesday, and we have a playgroup ( with kids ages 1 month-14 years) that meets every Friday. We have a Homeschool Group that takes a field trip at least once a month and also has a Hands on Science class once a month. My children are involved with 4-H which meets 2-4 times per month. We also play soccer in the fall. As you can see, we are involved in quite a variety of activities that the children enjoy and provide more opportunities for them to learn and grow.

Proverbs 13:20 He who walks with the wise grows wise but a companion of fools suffers harm.