Thank you for the clarification. Apparently I’m having one of those moments where my understanding of the term was sufficiently close as to get me through three decades of life without issue, but was ultimately wrong. I always took it to be synonymous with the inculcation of pro-social behaviors.

Upon reassessment I am further horrified then by my families recommendations. They aren’t suggesting, as I’d originally assumed, that my children won’t be taught to be pro-social, or that they will become anti-social, they’re out and out declaring my children must conform because conformity is good of itself.

Good God.

Once again, much obliged.

Jim,

I suppose that is an important distinction, though our conception of homeschooling is likely nearer to tutoring as we intend to shop out the learning of specific skill sets to knowledgeable parties for pay as the children get older.

I do know some families that still treat it like mass education.

Yup, it is the default baby sitter of the nation’s kids and allows both parents to escape raising children to do something meaningful or not.

Phileas Frogg,

Socialization means learning to conform.

High-achieving, intelligent parents are usually the worst. Their main priority is the class distinction education provides. They only care about rigor insofar as it keeps the distinction rarified; actual content knowledge is blasé and banal.

My own extended family is composed of practical-minded middle-class German professionals (in various fields ranging from law and medicine, to education and finance), and they are all boggled at my decision to homeschool my daughters. They’re always genuinely impressed by their vocabulary, thoughts, and general indicators of academic awareness at family get-togethers, but then turn around 5 minutes later and comment about the need for them to be “properly socialized” and ask, “Aren’t you worried they’ll be different?”

They don’t care about socialization, they don’t care about education, they don’t care about anyone’s immortal soul. They care about conformity, status, and public perception.

Most men-fathers will admit school is daycare.

If your kids are still in school… lol