Salon: Home-schooled and illiterate - for some kids it means isolation with little education

[Skelly]

28. 90% of your list

is on my own...."What my children learned BECAUSE they were home schooled".

'Home School' and 'raised in a vacuum' are not synonymous.

From the time my children were elementary age, they were able to hold a conversation with those younger, the same age, and older than themselves. They were able to do this because they were exposed to all age groups. (I once had the mother of my daughter's friend approach me say, "I always enjoy talking with Anna during dance class. She is a wonderful girl". Anna was 12 at the time.)

Peer pressure? Two of my other children each helped the save the life of other individuals (one was young girl who was drowning in the local pool while everyone watched, expecting someone else to do something. The other was an elderly gentleman who had fallen in his yard and while the other neighborhood kids were saying he was drunk and leave him alone, my oldest ran home to call 911...he had suffered a heart attack).

Back in the late 80's and early 90's, you can bet my kids were seen as 'different'. You do not have to be on a school playground to learn about bullying. When my child was teased because she wasn't wearing the latest fashion, she looked that public school mean girl in the eyes and said, "First, I wear clothes that are comfortable. Second, I don't remember asking your opinion", turned around and walked away.

I could go on with nearly every item on your list, but I think you get the idea. Again, 'home schooling' isn't the problem. Individual people are the problem.

I did not choose to home school my children to protect them from these experiences, I chose to do so because I wanted them to be able to think for themselves.