Best of Both Worlds

WARNING: A little bit of a homeschool rant coming up....

I'm always a surprised that when people discover that we homeschool our children they ask two primary questions.
You would think the questions would have to do with the actual mechanics of doing school at home, but they don't. (I know. It's shocking to me, too.)

If you homeschool your kids, you know what's coming next:

"What about socialization?"
"What about the prom??"

The first question (with the dreaded "S" word) really shows a certain amount of ignorance. (I know. But I had to say it.) The Cultural Dictionary definition is as follows:

socialization
Learning the customs, attitudes, and values of a social group, community, or culture. Socialization is essential for the development of individuals who can participate and function within their societies, as well as for ensuring that a society's cultural features will be carried on through new generations.

If you've ever been to school (public or private) you know that their primary goal is to educate and that any kind of social interaction or talking (in classrooms, hallways, or assemblies) is discouraged. So kids are left to be "socialized" during unsupervised free periods with mostly immature peers. They are not "learning the customs and attitudes of ... culture" they are usually learning how the pecking order of popularity works.

Ah, but that's a rant for another day..... (For other posts on homeschooling and how exactly my kids are socialized - read my homeschooling archives - in which you'll read about and see them interacting with lots of people of all different ages and able to properly "... function within their societies..." - but that's not important right now.)

The second question is just as mind-boggling to me. "What about the prom?" Really?? Umm...what about prom?

I seriously hate to think that one high school dance (albeit with fabulous formal wear!) is the high water mark of anyone's high school experience, but let me go ahead and address that today...

... with photos of Lucy and her friends going to their prom.... ;-)

Held at the beautiful Disneyland Hotel, this is their one big dance of the year and because of the limited student body (who all know one another), the dance is open to both under and upperclassmen. There were about 100 kids in attendance and easily chaperoned.

They didn't go in couples (which I thought was great and age-appropriate. =D), so they skipped over the insecure, uncomfortable, dressed-up-and-trying-to-act-grown-up-and-impress-each-other part of the ritual.

Instead they went in groups and all danced together and laughed together and overall had a wonderful time.

The girls arrive early to do hair and make up.