There is still no treatment for social skills in school-aged kids that is approved by the FDA because there is no evidence that the treatments kid get in school make a difference long term. Schools provide interventions to kids who are annoying the teachers so they stop doing whatever is annoying.
When I first started homeschooling my biggest worry was friends. I have a very social son. He told me all the time that he needed more friends, and I spent a lot of time feeling guilty. Read more
This is a guest post from Sarah Faulkner. She is a homeschooling mom in Washington state. She has five kids, ages 13, 11, 9, 5, and 2.
Socialization. Most people think this means to opportunity to play with children outside the home. I do agree with playing with other children, but I do not think that is the definition for a homeschooler.
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I am getting fat. I was thin when I lived in LA and NY because people in those cities are thin. People in rural America are fat. Really fat. And I’m getting fat living with them. Read more
One of the myths of public school is that it’s a great melting pot and an expression of American diversity. The truth is that it’s a great way for immigrants to learn how to fit in with other American kids, and we value the feeling of fitting in. And it’s a great way for you to have your kids spend time with your neighbors, and we value having a tightly knit community. But our schools today aren’t helping knit that community. Read more
Danah Boyd is someone who has influenced me a lot over the past fifteen years.
For example she did research about ten years ago to show that given the way we present ourselves online, the best models for how to prepare for the workforce were not parents at home but celebrities in Hollywood. In 2008 that research gave me a lot of the gumption I needed to launch my last company, Brazen Careerist, which was predicated on the idea of using social media as a career tool. Read more
My oldest son has autism. So do I, which means I have very little empathy —common with autism—but I have a lot of empathy for him not wanting to be in social situations, because I don’t want to be there either.
When it comes to how happy you are, most of it you cannot control: 70% is what you’re born with. It’s a setpoint, sort of like your weight. You can diet, but you tend to go back to your usual weight sooner or later. It’s the same outcome even with trauma. If you lose an arm, you’ll be sad for a while but you’ll go back to your usual happiness setpoint sooner or later. Read more
When we talk about school being a place to socialize kids, let’s be clear that it’s a place to socialize kids who like school. If you’re an outcast, what you learn is that you don’t fit in and that it’s hopeless. Read more
The difference between extroverts and introverts is how they think. An introvert thinks silently, and when he has come up with an answer, he talks. An extrovert thinks out loud. The process of talking helps an extrovert think. Read more