How much socialization is adequate?

I’ve heard good things about playing an instrument being linked to better grades. I think that’s because it takes routine and try try again power. They said 4.5 activities per year, not per week. Softball is in the summer, swim classes can be in the winter, they could participate in a local play and be in 4H, and even be learning an instrument. That’s still only 2 activities at a time. And usually they only meet once a week. It’s not about finding a “hard” number or doing what everyone else is doing, it’s doing what works for your family. But we have to make sure we reach a little bit out of our comfort zone. We may be home bodies, but our kids may be itching to be in a certain club. It does get a bit more crazy once you add more kids into the mix, but I think that just encourages us to become more organized. Try to be finished with school work by a certain time each day, school on certain days with chores on the alternate days, things like that.

I would even include church activities as a “socializing” activity. You can do it. Just don’t worry about fitting into what you/others think the “image” of homeschooling should be.

I don’t think 4.5 a week is over doing it. That could be one thing per day. I was in dance, brownies, gymnastics, tennis, and youth group all in the same week. I wasn’t homeschooled…and it was alot of money but there are things they can be involved in that don’t cost money that is good for them like volunteering. It all depends on your child and how much they can do without feeling over whelmed…and what they’re interested in.

I missunderstood. I thought it was 4.5 per yr. 4.5 per week does sound like a lot to me. I have a friend who has kids in Brownies, softball, swimming, ballet, soccer. On those days the kids don’t get to bed until after 9pm. And Mom is at her wits end! I was only ever in 2 activities at a time, and I was in public school. I had church youth group once a week, church camp in the summer, softball in the summer, and I was in band all year round.

I saw a super nanny episode the other day where she sat the family down and figured out all the extra activities they were scheduling their children in, and she had them get rid of some of the activities. The children weren’t getting to bed until 10 or 11 pm., just to get up at 6am the next day and do it all over. That’s too much for anyone, let alone small children.

I think between 2 or 3 “activities per week is plenty. But like I said before, I consider band practice, plays, church and sports all extra activities.

To be honest, I find the question annoying–not that you asked it–but the premise. First of all, socialization is the process where by we learn cultural nuances and the way the world works. If someone needs a fancy definition I’ll find one. But the point is, cultural nuances, how to act etc. is MUCH better learned from home. If it makes someone think my son is socially awkward bc he gives up his seat on a subway for a woman–so be it. All that to say, before we talk about “socialization” let’s get the definition correct.

Now if we’re referring to socialization in terms of friends–well I guess 4.5 activities is fine. Considering that many homeschoolers do co-op or farm out certain classes like art, music, gym activities or higher level math–then 4.5 doesn’t really seem that much.

Now if you’re asking the question whether or not it’s necessary to do all that for the purpose of making sure they get their “socialization”–well no and to think it is is foolish, IMO. I don’t believe in socialization, I wish people would get the word right and understand it’s definition properly and until someone can explain how my five year old is supposed to learn that it’s impolite to pick her nose from a bunch of other five year olds who pick their noses–I could care less whether or not my children are socialized “enough.”

Yes–I was thinking along those lines too. The definition of “extra-curricular” is not necessarily clear. However, as far as affordability–I am finding lots of free and or cheap things in my area. My children will get to do tons of stuff once we move.
I would tend to agree that if the pressure is put on to have your kids in all this stuff, then it is worth questioning. But that pressure is there in public and private schools too. That is one reason why I balk at the idea that there is a number of ‘adequate’ activities.

We try to be out every day. The kids enjoy it and I enjoy it. My kids choose classes and activities that they love and one of my children has developed a real passion for ballet. Ballet training is intense and we’ve made it very clear that she may drop out at any time (LOL–well, at the end of a semester). Now someone who hears she’s practicing about three to five hours per week next year might think that’s too much (she’s 9) but it’s what she really wants to do. OTOH, ballet is not a social activity. (Neither is school for that matter–I can guarantee you there are teachers all over the country that say these words: “We’re not here to socialize. . .we’re here to learn.”

I think merely throwing out a 4.5 number is a little too vague honestly.

When mine were little we had a board to record their activities.
A. had math club once a month, drill team (JROTC) every Saturday, Girl Scouts once a week, Latin Club once a week & Church Youth Group once a week. That is five activities for her. JROTC was 4 hours long but the others were only 45 minutes to an hour. My oldest was in High School & even when her Math Club met she was only spending 8 hours a week in extracurricular activities.
D. had Cub scouts 1x week, Soccer 4 hours per week, Bible quizzing 3-4 hours per week. My son spent 9 hours weekly but he was only doing 3 activities.
J. had Girl scouts 1x week, Cheerleading 3-5 hours per week.
They joined what they wanted. Yes, I did have to drop off someone early or a few minutes late or at a friends house. They got to everything though.

This is an interesting thread to me because I was just sorting out how many activities I want to enroll my kids in. Right now, my oldest is only 7, so I do want to keep it simple. Our HS group has one meeting and one field trip a month, she is in Girl Scouts, and I am trying to decide when to start her on piano lessons (now or after the holidays). And of course we are at church every week, but only have an activity about once every three months, so that’s not quite stressful. I think I want to slip in one “revolving” one, like swim lessons, etc. Still, looking at that – and with four kids – I get tired! Of course, I’m generally worn out by the end of the day, anyway – that is my biggest problem.