As homeschoolers, we all know the infamous stereotype: “You’re homeschooled, so you are not socialized.” People even go as far as to say that we don’t have friends! Well, it seems only fitting that homeschoolers be the ones to debunk that. 

There are many great perks of homeschooling: the freedom of schedule, the ability to learn and teach what you want, and the opportunity to grow as a child should. No child should be required to be away from family and sit at a desk all day, then expected to go home and focus on sports and homework. It is biologically wrong for young children. Homeschooling gives that freedom back, the traditional way of things. It is true that because homeschoolers usually aren’t able to play team sports or spend all day, every day with their friends, but this hardly debilitates us. If anything, it makes us into better people and teaches us life lessons. As homeschoolers, we know what it’s like to be the odd man out and be excluded, so when we are in social settings, we are very sensitive to that and can easily include someone who was previously excluded. We are also gifted with the unique ability to bring people together and create groups that would be unlikely to occur in a public school. We can easily bring together people of all ages to start a book club, organize a play, or even just attend Mass and Holy Hour together. Though the students of Mother of Divine Grace School have a little bit of luck in that department. 

One of the most amazing things about MODG is that it truly brings its students together. Not only do the online classes, with the open discussions and team debates, bring the kids closer, but also all of the extracurricular opportunities such as the student forum Discourse, the National Honor Society, the Art Contest, and many others. When you meet another MODG student (or as we have been termed; Modgers), regardless of whether you have been in the same class together, you automatically have a special connection. That can be said for a lot of homeschoolers, but most importantly to MODG students.  Not only can I speak from personal experience, but so can many others. Due to the wide range of students that live across the globe, it is very easy to unexpectedly meet someone from your grade at Catholic events, college tours, or sometimes even summer programs. The MODG forum may bring kids together, but the curriculum is what connects us. Our fond memories of earth science, our opinions on debates, and our shared love of teachers are what makes MODG truly different from any other homeschool curriculum. 

So in conclusion, homeschoolers are in fact not only “socialized” but we are also learning things that other students are not. We are not shut up in the house all day. We are in classes arguing for the existence of life in a virus or the innocence of Richard the Third, but most of all, we are living traditionally. We lead our lives with our family, learn with our friends, and live with God at the center of everyday life. Stereotype officially debunked!