My crazy socialization poll - Page 3

[Openskyheart]

She says "We should invite (the child) to join (our homeschool co-op) so she can learn how to be a good friend."

What an awesome, and self confident response to a difficult situation

Laura

[Hera]

Thanks. My kid rocks, I don't know where she gets it! I was a fearfully shy little thing, when I was her age.

[slacker_mom]

I chose "other" because it varied by school. I was an "army brat" and moved around alot. I wouldn't say I was popular, but I wasn't unobstrusive. I participated in alot of activities (girl scouts, math league), several sports (track, capt. of cross country team), got elected to student govt. in high school, was editor-in-chief of my college paper. I would characterize myself as excrutiatingly shy though, so the participation wasn't easy. I was always the new girl. I often ended up as the new girlfriend to someone who was somewhat popular at the school, so I got included in some of the activites of the popular kids.

[HelloKitty]

I'm not quoting AM again because her head will get to big but yes I agree with her too.

I was pretty popular in school but academically school bored me. I got really good grades up until high school even though I never really studied and rarely paid attention in class. By the time I hit high school I really hated the academic portion of school - I felt like I wasn't learning anything of value and I just wanted to be out in the world experiencing life. It felt like my days were so wasted between being in school all day and then doing homework at night (or at least I was *supposed* to be doing homework at night :LOL ).

I really think I would have excelled in a homeschooling or unschooling environment.

[annettemarie]

Originally Posted by HelloKitty

I'm not quoting AM again because her head will get to big but yes I agree with her too.

[wonderactivist]

You know, I kinda disagree with the theory, not because it wasn't logical and worth while, but because it doesn't take into account the diversity within homeschooling.

I really wasn't the most popular kid, but I had friends & boyfriends, was invited to and had many parties, yearbook staff, newspaper, music/drama stuff, and one year of drill team. The fact is, though, that the school environment that I was in 20+ years ago no longer exists.

I think it is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that everyone who homeschools is much like ourselves , but homeschooling is REALLY broad...much broader than most religious homeschoolers realize, for example.

I think that the one thing we all have in common is that we're wanting something for our kids that we don't think the schools can provide, and we're not afraid to go out and create it.

Just my two cents,

Lucie at Wonder Ranch Homeschool
http://mysite.verizon.net/res2216j/wonder/

[joesmom]

I voted class punching bag, boo hoo, which was true for some years. But I think I'd homeschool anyway. I have a real good friend who HS's her 3 kids & she was pretty popular- drum major in the band, high achiever, etc... she did really well in school & still knew it was not a place she'd want her kids to be.

Interesting thread!

[majazama]

I voted for all, because I was a bit of each at certain points. BUT, my school years have definately led me down the "not wanting to do that to my kids" way of thinking. I had some very awful years, but some good ones in the later years (fond memories, actually, *sigh*)

[luv my 2 sweeties]

I haven't read every response, so I apologize if someone has already pointed this out, but I'm noticing a lot of folks using the concept of "cheerleader" as being equal to "popular". I was a cheerleader, but I voted unobtrusive. I was certainly not popular. I think being a cheerleader protected me somewhat from being openly ridiculed, but it only bought me grudging aquantaince status with the "in" crowd. Our squad was about evenly divided between the popular girls and those of us who were of average social standing but were very good cheerleadersn in the athletic sense -- loud voices, high jumpers, some gymnastic ability, etc. We all got along at practices and such, but during school we belonged to different social circles.

Just wanted to point out that stereotype -- like many stereotypes, it has some basis in truth (many cheerleaders are indeed popular), but it's not always true. And of course many popular girls are not cheerleaders.

[amyjeans]

everyone knew who I was so I wasn't one of the "invisibles"
however I never joined a clique and do not speak to anyone from school-on purpose. Most of those who I went to school with were flaky and superficial.
My fondest memory from school was where to get the drugs.

[Itlbokay]

Originally Posted by luv my 2 sweeties

Just wanted to point out that stereotype -- like many stereotypes, it has some basis in truth (many cheerleaders are indeed popular), but it's not always true. And of course many popular girls are not cheerleaders.

Good point.

I voted popular, but I wanted nothing to do with cheerleading in high school.

When I think of someone who was/is popular in school, it's not a cheerleader or football player I think of, it's the people who are friendly, polite and able to get along well with everyone. Like luv my 2 sweeties said, sometimes those people were cheerleaders, sometimes not.

I have never understood the social circle, or clique stuff that others speak of either. I never much paid attention or cared about that, then or now. I learned early on that those who try to create something negative like that are usually the ones with the least self confidence, excluding others makes them feel superior somehow. That's the type of behavior that it's best to ignore.

[RubyWild]

1-4, I didn't know what popular or unpolar was, then we moved...
5-6, I was an outcast, the new girl in the school and the girls hated me. The boys liked me, but I didn't like them.
7-8 I was fairly popular.
9-12 I had friends, but eschewed the popular crowd.

[warriorprincess]

Thanks for all these responses.

wonder, you have a good point. I have tended to assume that because school was hell for me, and I homeschool, most other homeschoolers had bad school experiences too. But then , my dh was "unobtrusive", anmd also has very different reasons than I for homeschooling.

[RubyWild]

Originally Posted by annettemarie

I wonder if a common denominator would be that we were all bright students who felt squashed by the school system.

That's definitely a major factor for my husband and me. School was so boring. We'd spend 6 weeks on a single book and hardly anything would be accomplished in that time... Ack, don't get me started!

[ryanne]

I was a very popular student in both highschool and college. That said, my little brother got picked on constantly. My oldest son got called fat and it broke his heart for 2 weeks when he was just in 2nd grade. Some people think I shouldnt shelter my kids from getting *tough* from these kind of experiences but in all reality I dont want them to experience the world's nastiness until they *need* to know about it to protect themselves. We dont plan to homeschool forever...we are thinking back to public school when they hit high school. I just want my kids to develop self confidence and sense for who they are before being influenced one way or the other on who they need to be. Anyway, I seem to be rambling but hopefully you will understand what I mean.

[Stevie]

Originally Posted by annettemarie
I wonder if a common denominator would be that we were all bright students who felt squashed by the school system.


I liked school and wasn't bright; had to truly work for my "c" average grades so once agian I'm left out :LOL