RE. socialization
kenyonbook
Thanks for all your insight regarding my children who do not have
much contact with other children.... The funny thing is, my
children (and I) are perfectly happy this way, playing with cousins
once or twice a month, and that's it.... However, *everyone* keeps
telling me, and I have even seen it here on this list, that I should
make sure my children have plently of contact with other kids. So,
of course, I start to wonder if I am harming my children in some
way! They have each other and thier pen-pals and e-mail pals and
they read and play for hours on end with each other, wander through
the fields, play with animals, etc.
I, personally, don't see close friends or even family even once a
week but have pen-pals and e-mail friends and love getting together
with my sisters and mom once or twice a month. In general, we are
homebodies, and happiest at home.
Mary from IA
much contact with other children.... The funny thing is, my
children (and I) are perfectly happy this way, playing with cousins
once or twice a month, and that's it.... However, *everyone* keeps
telling me, and I have even seen it here on this list, that I should
make sure my children have plently of contact with other kids. So,
of course, I start to wonder if I am harming my children in some
way! They have each other and thier pen-pals and e-mail pals and
they read and play for hours on end with each other, wander through
the fields, play with animals, etc.
I, personally, don't see close friends or even family even once a
week but have pen-pals and e-mail friends and love getting together
with my sisters and mom once or twice a month. In general, we are
homebodies, and happiest at home.
Mary from IA
Leslie Avery
Mary from IA,
I am a 4 year homeschooling Mom, we recently relocated
from Indiana to California, and during the last three
years the only people we see are occasionaly cousins
and its just been recently some friends we made
through a homeschooling group. I have to say that the
time when it was just us was a very happy time. I
think we really bonded as a family. As far as
harming your children in any way, BALONEY to that.
Actually I think it makes kids stronger in themselves
when they are alone or just with siblings. Think
about all of those children who traveled westward
during the pioneer years they seem to make it okay.
Listen to your gut and your kids.
Leslie
--- kenyonbook <kenyonbook@...> wrote:
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I am a 4 year homeschooling Mom, we recently relocated
from Indiana to California, and during the last three
years the only people we see are occasionaly cousins
and its just been recently some friends we made
through a homeschooling group. I have to say that the
time when it was just us was a very happy time. I
think we really bonded as a family. As far as
harming your children in any way, BALONEY to that.
Actually I think it makes kids stronger in themselves
when they are alone or just with siblings. Think
about all of those children who traveled westward
during the pioneer years they seem to make it okay.
Listen to your gut and your kids.
Leslie
--- kenyonbook <kenyonbook@...> wrote:
> Thanks for all your insight regarding my children__________________________________________________
> who do not have
> much contact with other children.... The funny
> thing is, my
> children (and I) are perfectly happy this way,
> playing with cousins
> once or twice a month, and that's it.... However,
> *everyone* keeps
> telling me, and I have even seen it here on this
> list, that I should
> make sure my children have plently of contact with
> other kids. So,
> of course, I start to wonder if I am harming my
> children in some
> way! They have each other and thier pen-pals and
> e-mail pals and
> they read and play for hours on end with each other,
> wander through
> the fields, play with animals, etc.
> I, personally, don't see close friends or even
> family even once a
> week but have pen-pals and e-mail friends and love
> getting together
> with my sisters and mom once or twice a month. In
> general, we are
> homebodies, and happiest at home.
> Mary from IA
>
>
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HotJobs - Search Thousands of New Jobs
http://www.hotjobs.com
Tia Leschke
>However, *everyone* keepsI think the important thing is that they have the *opportunity* to have
>telling me, and I have even seen it here on this list, that I should
>make sure my children have plently of contact with other kids. So,
>of course, I start to wonder if I am harming my children in some
>way!
plenty of contact with other kids. You don't have to force it on them. <g>
Tia
No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
Eleanor Roosevelt
*********************************************
Tia Leschke
leschke@...
On Vancouver Island
Liza Sabater
How old are your kids? Probably it does not matter. I live here in
NYC and isolation would be considered child abuse. I mean, there are
people EVERYWHERE. My kids, though, are natural born social
butterflies. All our neighbors, young and old, know us because they
know our kids. Even when they are sick as dogs they will find the
energy to scream --PLAYGROUND! And these kids are little (5, 2.5).
Sometimes my husband and I just look at them like their aliens from
Mars. Anyhow, we have to have a balance. There are days when all I
want to do is hangout and all the kids want is to go go go. Then we
go and in just a three block radius there are hundreds of little
happenings going on in our slice of the East Village. So "isolation"
is more of a practice for us but never a goal. Not for our family,
not in NYC.
Liza, in the big Apple
NYC and isolation would be considered child abuse. I mean, there are
people EVERYWHERE. My kids, though, are natural born social
butterflies. All our neighbors, young and old, know us because they
know our kids. Even when they are sick as dogs they will find the
energy to scream --PLAYGROUND! And these kids are little (5, 2.5).
Sometimes my husband and I just look at them like their aliens from
Mars. Anyhow, we have to have a balance. There are days when all I
want to do is hangout and all the kids want is to go go go. Then we
go and in just a three block radius there are hundreds of little
happenings going on in our slice of the East Village. So "isolation"
is more of a practice for us but never a goal. Not for our family,
not in NYC.
Liza, in the big Apple
>Thanks for all your insight regarding my children who do not have[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>much contact with other children.... The funny thing is, my
>children (and I) are perfectly happy this way, playing with cousins
>once or twice a month, and that's it.... However, *everyone* keeps
>telling me, and I have even seen it here on this list, that I should
>make sure my children have plently of contact with other kids. So,
>of course, I start to wonder if I am harming my children in some
>way! They have each other and thier pen-pals and e-mail pals and
>they read and play for hours on end with each other, wander through
>the fields, play with animals, etc.
>I, personally, don't see close friends or even family even once a
>week but have pen-pals and e-mail friends and love getting together
>with my sisters and mom once or twice a month. In general, we are
>homebodies, and happiest at home.
>Mary from IA
>
Fetteroll
on 8/16/02 11:52 PM, Tia Leschke at leschke@... wrote:
children are telling you through their actions and words. Schools teach us
to see what the experts tell us to see and ignore or doubt and not take
seriously anything that doesn't match with what we're taught.
Anyone saying kids need lots of friends or contact with people is wrong. But
saying kids *don't* need lots of friends is equally wrong. *Some* kids need
lots of kids. Some kids don't. Some kids need bursts of it. Some kids would
prefer spending every day on their own.
So what's important is learning to listen to what you kids are telling you.
Forget the experts. Your *kids* are the experts :-)
Joyce
> I think the important thing is that they have the *opportunity* to haveAnd the other most important thing :-) is learning to listen to what you're
> plenty of contact with other kids. You don't have to force it on them. <g>
children are telling you through their actions and words. Schools teach us
to see what the experts tell us to see and ignore or doubt and not take
seriously anything that doesn't match with what we're taught.
Anyone saying kids need lots of friends or contact with people is wrong. But
saying kids *don't* need lots of friends is equally wrong. *Some* kids need
lots of kids. Some kids don't. Some kids need bursts of it. Some kids would
prefer spending every day on their own.
So what's important is learning to listen to what you kids are telling you.
Forget the experts. Your *kids* are the experts :-)
Joyce
Gerard Westenberg
But
saying kids *don't* need lots of friends is equally wrong. *Some* kids need
lots of kids. Some kids don't. Some kids need bursts of it. Some kids would
prefer spending every day on their own.
Thanks, Joyce - you said clearly, what I had tried to say less clearly. :-) I think its important that we listen to our selves and our children to see what we and they need re social contacst ( and other things, of course! )...Leonie
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
saying kids *don't* need lots of friends is equally wrong. *Some* kids need
lots of kids. Some kids don't. Some kids need bursts of it. Some kids would
prefer spending every day on their own.
Thanks, Joyce - you said clearly, what I had tried to say less clearly. :-) I think its important that we listen to our selves and our children to see what we and they need re social contacst ( and other things, of course! )...Leonie
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]