Ways To Develop Social Skills In A Homeschooled Child

​Some individuals or couples, when considering homeschooling their child, experience apprehension regarding their child's developing social skills. Frankly, it’s a myth that social skills in a homeschooled child will be stunted. Here is a fact, to combat that myth: Compared to traditional school goers, more diverse options and larger socialization opportunities can be enjoyed by homeschooled children. Why is that?

In traditional schools, your child is limited to their peers for interaction. (Remember, as well, not all "peers" are friends – some are bullies.) But, in a variety of settings, your homeschooled child can associate with people of numerous talents and ages. For your child's daily routine, how you incorporate socializing activities will have everything to do with your homeschooled child's social skills.
To assist with the development of good social skills in your homeschooled child, we've put together some ways to help them socialize.

You Count As a Parent and Teacher – Not As a Friend             

You are the parent and/or the teacher, not a member of your child's social circle. You cannot be their playmate, teacher, and classmate all at once. Can your child seek a friend in you? Of course. But where your kid’s socializing needs are concerned, don't try to fill in.

Get Rid of Deterring Factors

While helping your child socialize, some things should be lessened, curtailed, and/or controlled:

• Limiting themselves to only one pastime or hobby
• Too much online browsing
• Excessive TV watching

Encourage Extracurricular Learning

As both parent and teacher, don't take on too much by yourself. Consider choosing someone else for things like chess, piano, painting, etc. This way, your child gets to interact with an expert and develop their social skills.

What you can do as a parent:

• Multiple students can participate in video calls when you choose online study pods. Lectures are delivered by tutors.
• Utilize professional instruction to teach your child a new language, how to sketch, paint, play basketball, and other extracurricular activities.
• If you're trying to teach your child a subject that you, yourself, have trouble with, consider hiring a tutor for that topic or topics.

Here are some suggestions for which to hire a homeschool tutor:

• Painting
• Foreign language classes
• Writing and reading classes
• Sports
• Dance lessons
• Music lessons

A Calendar of Social Activities

To encourage healthy social life, homeschooled children can participate in numerous activities. Engage in some of the following activities with your homeschooled child:

• Inviting your child's circle of friends, hold small parties
• Set aside a time of day to visit a park or some other outdoor activity
• Enroll your child in a community class at a public library
• Encourage sports participation, contest participation, choir, etc.

Here are a few more suggestions for the parent of a homeschooled child:

• For weekends or longer, visit your extended family
• Book travel packages or group tours
• Take them to church with you or other types of social congregation
• Encourage them to be of assistance to strangers (safely)
• Form groups or clubs consisting of other school parents and their children

Need Information Regarding Homeschooling? We Recommend NFC Academy

At NFC Academy, we provide accredited home school programs for grades K through 12. For grades K through 5, we offer book homeschool programs, and for grades 3 through 12, online homeschool programs.
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Please feel free to call us at (888) 960-4624 or fill out our convenient online form to request information.