There's a young mom I know, who hasn't started homeschooling, but intends to. Numerous times she has commented, in a surprised manner, that all homeschoolers are different from each other. I find it intriguing that this is a surprise, because by it's very nature, homeschooling implies going one's own way and going against the social norm of putting your kids in public school or private school. Even though homeschooling has grown tremendously over the past 30 years, it is still not what most people are choosing for their families.
So if homeschoolers are unique, which they are, what is it that binds them or forges their friendships? I think what binds is the weight of responsibility for educating and training your children. Taking that on, 100%, as parents, gives a common ground that immediately makes you relate to each other. So we enjoy meeting and talking and being in groups together because of this load we're all carrying...but what makes us choose those select few to call 'friends'? It isn't doing school the same way or using the same materials, though having the same foundation can certainly aid that. Many of my closest friends in our homeschooling years were in the groups I was in and we all transitioned to other groups as well. That said, what helped those relationships grow and continue? Having similar parenting philosophies is a big one. Similar values about life. Are you doers or talkers? That is a big one. There are those who want to talk all day and night every day about everything. Then there are those who go and do, and they do a lot often.
People are different but there are commonalities that bind us to each other. Notice I'm not even discussing Christianity because to me, that is a given. Those who see the Lord and His word the same get a major in-road to who we are and how we operate, then we move into the lesser issues of education, philosophies and lowest on the list, curriculum.