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how to be social or how to act in our society.

Even though our son went to school from Pre-K through Third Grade, it is our daughter who has the more outgoing personality and not our son; he is more the laid back slightly shy type of guy...but he still speaks to those he does not know whether other children or adults. Our daughter smiles and greets everyone and is quick to strike up conversations. You would not believe the plethora of compliments my husband and I have received on how respectful our children are, how they are good listeners, and good debaters...it continues to blow us both out of the water. Aren't those qualities of which home school naysayers concern themselves with? According to them, should not our children be able to do those things? You sure would think so, based on their opinions. Here is the kicker...unlike many other home schoolers, our children are not involved in any activities outside of meeting with our home school group (consisting of various races, Christians, Agnostics, Atheists, Deists, etc.) once a week and seeing their friends on a regular basis.

What have we done as their parents to cause such a *phenomenon* when it comes to enhancing their socialization skills? We have lived life just like people have been doing since humans came into existence thousands of years ago and long before compulsory schooling came into existence. Our children go places with us and/or with others. They see how we relate to everyone around in the world both in and outside of our home including neighbors, friends, strangers, and employees.

We do not *shelter* our children from the rest of society either. As I sit typing, our ten year-old daughter is over eight hours away at Disney World with her best friend and family having the time of her life. Last year our children flew to Michigan to visit their grandparents in the northern and central parts of the states...alone. Whilst up there, they made friends with children they have never even heard mention of before and my mother (who at one time had the same misconceptions of socialization and home schoolers) said that our children were usually the first ones to introduce themselves. Her friends could not believe that our children were home schooled because of their social skills...many pointed out their exemplary behavior as well.

Our daughter was born with one of her pinkie-toes shaped like a little heart (it looks as though the bone "split") and it is webbed to the fourth toe; we used to tell her that

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