Mike Smith:
This week we have been discussing whether homeschool families are retreating from society.
One of the sources of criticism comes from within the church.
One reason is that many homeschool parents do not send their children to church youth groups.
The fact is, many homeschoolers participate in church youth groups, and some don't. Both of these choices should be respected. The church leadership should be able to respect a family's right to be different. As long as the family is not in violation of church rules or biblical mandates, they should not be judged for not participating in optional activities.
While not denigrating peer-to-peer relationships, many homeschool families see greater advantage in a broader mix of ages for a child's Christian as well as social development. Therefore, family-oriented activities are deemed to be the best form of socialization. In this way children will be able to learn important life skills from other adults rather than a set of the latest behaviors from other children.
Churches shouldn't push homeschoolers away by insisting that youth activities be segregated and families divided. Churches can conduct their youth programs, but they can also most effectively incorporate homeschool families by developing more family-oriented programs and involving more parents in the youth group.
And until next time, I'm Mike Smith.
How can the Home School Legal Defense Association help you? To find out, contact us and ask for a free copy of 
