What About Prom?

If you're unschooling, your children are going to miss out on so much!

I get that a lot. People fear that by my children missing out on "normal" growing up experiences, they're somehow going to be harmed, or incomplete, or something. 

Questions abound. What about learning to stand in line, take turns, and relate to their peers? What about learning to meet deadlines, memorize, take tests? What about graduation? What about prom? 

We stand in checkout lines and ticket lines and many other lines. We have five children who have friends. Taking turns happens all day long. Not only can my children relate to their peers, they can relate to people of all ages, because they spend time with people of all ages - a wonderful skill to have as an adult. 

Ask Haley about meeting deadlines and memorization. For the upcoming mainstage production she's in, she's had to memorize all her lines, entrances, exits, where she needs to be on stage, and all of that by a deadline. Our other children have been involved in other theatrical productions, projects, and events that have taught them to meet deadlines, memorization, and myriad other skills. There are tests in other aspects of life. 

But prom? Prom has been on the minds of many families with teens lately, and I get asked often how I could let my children miss such a milestone? Considering I never once went to a prom - I had "we're not going to the prom" parties at home with friends, food, movies, and a hot tub instead - I don't see prom as that big a deal. But never fear - Homeschool Prom is here! Yes - there is prom for homeschoolers, and I just got back from bringing Zachary to Laila's house, where we took pictures of our way-too-grown-up-looking children before they were off to Homeschool Prom for the evening. My husband will pick them up at 10:30pm and take Laila home. I'll be excited to hear how it all went, although I have a feeling that will be days from now, as we all need sleep before getting up early for the Robin Hood Springtime Festival tomorrow. 

I'm not worried about prom, or tests, or any of it. Unschooling provides plenty of valuable life experiences for my children to prepare them for the real world. If you talk to them, they worry about schooled children missing out on all the things we get to do. Prom or no prom, my homeschooled children don't miss out on life.