In Haystack Full of Needles: A Catholic Home Educator's Guide to Socialization, I devote a chapter to explaining the lessons of the Catechism of the Catholic Church on socialization for each individual child. Our Catechism calls the family "the original cell of social life," emphasizing that "[t]he family is the community in which, from childhood, one can learn moral values, begin to honor God, and make good use of freedom." [CCC 2207.] It goes on to teach that "[t]he home is the natural environment for initiating a human being into solidarity and communal responsibilities," and emphasizing that "[p]arents should teach children to avoid the compromising and degrading influences which threaten human societies." [CCC 2224.]
In other words, far from promoting the conventional wisdom that traditional school is a necessary introduction to society, our Church teaches that home is the most important and irreplaceable place for learning how to relate to others. Perhaps most importantly, all parents--whether home educating or not--are called to vigilance in maintaining our children's faith and purity. [Just to be clear, I do not mean to imply that the Catechism is saying children should never be sent to school, but only pointing out that it is surely not saying they must be sent to school to become properly "socialized."]
Our wonderful Pope Benedict XVI made this point even more strongly in a video-linked talk to crowds attending The Sixth World Meeting of Families in Mexico this past weekend. The Holy Father stated that the family:
"occupies a primary place in the education of the person . . . [and] is a true school of humanity and perennial values. No one has given being to himself. We have received life from others, which is developed and matured with the truths and values that we learn in relation and communion with the rest. In this sense, the family founded on the indissoluble matrimony between a man and a woman expresses this relational, filial and communitarian dimension, and is the realm where man can be born with dignity, grow and develop in an integral way."
Interestingly, the theme of the five-day event in Mexico City was "The Family as Educator in Human and Christian Virtues." Wish we all could have been there!
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The more I learn about the Church (of which I've been a part since birth) the more I love it.
Posted by: Jennifer | January 20, 2009 at 09:18 AM
Hello Alice!
I have really been enjoying HAYSTACK and your "voice." Your sweetness and goodness pervades it in the book's tone.
At a recent meeting of my homeschool group it was not surprising to hear how many of the ladies were reading your book or had read it and all of them came with ideas to implement from HAYSTACK! The example of your blessings and club experiences have lit our imaginations. You make it all seem doable AND grace-filled!
I believe a nature club will happen this spring for our group.
Thank you for your inspirational presence in the Catholic homeschooling community.
Posted by: +JMJ+ @ TotusTuusFamily | January 23, 2009 at 07:11 PM