Duck, Duck, GOOSE!

I love our little homeschool co-op. There are huge co-ops up and down the road thirty minutes in each direction from us....but we like it small. We have around 10 families with 25 or so kids involved in our co op. The kids range from toddler aged to 18.

We had our co-op Christmas party yesterday. We ate lunch together, played "that" game with Christmas ornaments. It was such beautiful weather here that all of the kids went outside to throw a football, visit, play. I thought I heard someone crying outside, peeked out the window, and what I saw really touched me. 21 kids, from preschoolers to 18 yr olds, were sitting in a huge circle together.....playing duck, duck, goose. No grown up made them do it. It just happened. They were laughing and having the best time!

The number one question homeschoolers are asked has to do with "socializing." Many don't understand that the question is moot and invalid for today's homeschooler. What defines socialization, anyway? Our kids may not have daily practice in sitting at a desk in a room with 20 other kids, raising their hand to talk, and walking in a straight line. That's not the true and pure definition of socializing. But they have opportunities to build relationships with kids of all ages...and playing duck, duck goose with the little kids is actually the "cool" thing to do.