“What will the girls do for socialization?” or the similar “How will they make friends?” was probably the most common question we got when we decided to do cyber school.
This was not a concern for us at all. Our kids started in daycare when they were infants. By the time we made this change, they were entering the second and fourth grades, and were plenty well socialized.
Often, students are still able to participate in activities from their home school district. So they can still play sports or participate in other extra-curriculars. Our girls continued in their church group and Sunday School classes. And they have met new friends through their cyber school classes and field trips.
Our oldest, Claire, has always been on the timid side. It has been fascinating to see her really come out of her shell over the past year. Maybe it comes with the maturity of being in the double digits. But I think it has a lot to do with her exposure to a wider variety of people. It is one thing to be able to play well with other kids, who are approximately the same age and socio-economic background. It is another to be able to hold an intelligent conversation with children and adults from all different walks of life.
As long as we see the girls continue to thrive, “socialization” is not something I’m going put on my list of things to worry about.
