I was recently watching an old episode of Criminal Minds where Matthew Gray Gubler’s character Dr. Spencer Reid blurts out something to the effect, “Do you know what lack of social interaction can do to child?”
I was annoyed and amused by the dialogue at the same time. In the story-line the psychopathic killer was *gasp* one of those scary anti-social homeschool types. I couldn’t believe I just sat through the whole absurd plot-line just to get to the actual gist of the show which was clearly to besmirch and scandalize homeschooling families.
I could laugh at the premise of the show simply because it is not true. But what made me angry is the certain fact that I know people watch fictional television and form their belief systems based on fiction. I know there are people who came away from watching that episode with a shiver going down their spines thinking about the scary homeschool family who lives down the street from them, wondering if one of those children might sneak into their home and murder them in their sleep. But what can you do? People will believe what they want to believe.
Meanwhile, there is homeschooling reality. I can’t speak for all homeschooling families but I know one family particularly well and that family is my own. While we live in a small town, my children did not grow up in a bubble devoid of social interaction. That is not the intent of any homeschool that I know of.
Here is what I do know about my children’s social interaction with the outside world. They have their own businesses in which they have regular social interaction with their clients. Their businesses are thriving because they are well liked by their clientele. They regularly receive compliments from their older clients who are amazed at how polite and professional they are given their youth since their clientele are not accustomed to such polite and professional treatment from my children’s peers.
Do you see what homeschool interaction can do to a child? Shocking isn’t it?
