Isn't this the case with the majority of home-schooled kids though? The whole point of home schooling seems to me to be to keep them away from outside influences (and perhaps much of the dog-eat-dog bullying that happens in public schools.)
That's been my observation, too. And a lot of those kids are awkward (albeit often quite nice and polite). But as you said, the co-op model and the 8 billion activities should invite some level of socializing.
So I'd always had the impression that most home-schooled kids were somewhat isolated. Often coming from large families they seem to rely in siblings for social support.
All that said, I've got no experience of any of it. This is just an impression I've drawn from watching/reading about the process, so I might be completely off-beam here. Of course, we know that the Rekieta kids aren't home-schooled properly and it's more of a cooperative approach that gives them contact with many more kids than home-schooled children would normally get. Which does make the lack of friends/play dates/etc. somewhat weird.
But if you're a parent who's children attend that 'cooperative' how comfortable would you be allowing your kids to go and hang out at the Rekieta house? Even prior to the Quover, if you've watched Nick's YouTube streams and you're the kind of parent that's home schooling because of your faith, I suspect you'd have huge reservations about your kids hanging out together. Shit, I'm a stone cold atheist I'd I'm never sending MY kids over there. I don't want them sitting on Uncle Drexel's knee while he tells them bedtime stories.
And yeah, nfw I'd let my kids go to that house, even not knowing what I know of them. Their parents are clearly perceived in certain ways in the community, and probably not positive ones. And the parents also clearly have never really socialized casually with others in the community.
And I keep coming back to no mention of ever doing family things that are local and casual. Or the kids running around outside. No taking the dog for a walk, grilling out, playing kickball or touch football on the flat expanse behind the home. No playground stuff on the property. No hikes on the 8 billion trails in Minnesota, no leaf-peeping up North, no canoeing or picnicking as a family, no camp-outs in the backyard...nothing.
Of course, not mentioning it doesn't mean it doesn't happen...but do you see Nick and Kayla doing any of that? They are indoor consumers. Their hobbies are sex and tattoos and fighting. They take the kids to a hotel off 494 to go on indoor water slides once a year, on the way to the airport. They drop the kids in Texas on the way to Jamaica. Sure, there's that once-a-year camp thing, but otherwise, what?
Their kids are growing up in a state with a lot to offer, and people spend a lot of time outdoors, for good reason. There are also world-class art museums (at least one of which regularly hosts events for kids, including a big all-day bash in the Spring), multiple science museums, and a massive theater scene in Minneapolis (the Children's Theater is one of the best in the country). There is a damn
art shanty festival every year. There are ice castles and a giant ice maze (world's biggest, I just read, though that can't be much competition...but still - fun and interesting) in the winter. There are tons of farms to visit, go berry, apple, pumpkin, etc., picking or get some unofficially offered raw milk. There are geological formations and underground caves to visit. There are the Boundary Waters way up by Canada, where you can portage or just canoe or kayak in total solitude and zero ambient light. An 8-hour drive (= number of hours the Rekietas totally really drive every single day) gets you to Chicago
, if for some reason you wanted to visit. Sure, they live in Bumfuck (by choice), but most families go on excursions with their kids -
for their kids. And in fact, good homeschoolers do some of these things (museums, theater) as part of the education itself.
Tl; dr: they suck.
