HomeSchooling: A Homeschooled Student Sticks Up for Herself

A Homeschooled Student Sticks Up for Herself

It’s time to visit the socialization issue once again. Some things bear repeating. Homeschooling does not stunt our students’ social development! To illustrate this point, I’m going to share with you a true story that I verified by phone shortly before sitting down to write this column. It happened to the daughter of one of my closest friends.

Amanda is twelve years old, a preteen with a style all her own. This talented young girl has been homeschooled all her life. She is also a past president of a local 4-H club.

Recently, her personal style was called into question. She was taking a voice class, and two other girls in that class (not homeschoolers) began to make fun of her outfit, saying it looked “stupid.” Isn’t that typical behavior in the traditional school setting? Then they asked, “Are all your friends as weird as you?”

Do you suppose that this sheltered, “unsocialized” girl burst into tears? Did she commit a social faux pas by physically attacking her tormentors? Did she run away? Did she crawl under a chair to hide in confusion?

She did none of those things. She answered the rude question simply and honestly. “No, but they’re sure a lot nicer than you!”

The story doesn’t end there. It just so happened that Amanda had come to class prepared to sing one of her favorite contemporary Christian songs. When it was her turn to sing, the vocal instructor started the music. Amazingly, the song seemed to address those two unkind girls.

“Who are you to tell me that I’m less than what I should be? Who are you?”

After she sang, the instructor (who may have overheard the earlier comments) told the class how appropriate he felt that Amanda’s song was; he approved. Her mother, who was also present, was so proud of the way Amanda handled the whole situation.

Those girls tried to steal Amanda’s self-confidence, but they failed. Years spent in the safe haven of homeschooling, free to become the person God created her to be, has given Amanda a self-assurance that many students lack. She has been nurtured and affirmed, and two spiteful girls in voice class aren’t going to have an impact on Amanda. It is more likely that she will have an impact on them. And isn’t that what we want for our children? Aren’t we training them to one day go out into the world as witnesses to God’s incredible grace? May we raise more Amandas for God’s glory!

Happy homeschooling!