Trying to Homeschool in Solitude

I know I've written about community being too important in one's home school journey or walk with the Lord, but like all things, we humans sure can take any idea too far. Home schooled children need real friends, and so do homeschooling moms. It is a unique  lifestyle and the place to get advice is from those who have done it successfully. Well-meaning family or friends who have never lived the home education life really can't speak to this issue, friends. There is really very little in common with sending your kids off to any school and being the person fully responsible for their education day in and day out.

When we were first starting our home education journey, I was alone in a church with great people but nearly all whom graduated college before my parents were born...The few families with young children had working moms or sent their kids to the Christian school our church sponsored. If not for the MOPS group I was involved with, we would have been quite lonely. Being set apart and separated for Christ doesn't mean refusing to share ourselves with others or refusing to have them share with us. Our children will learn a lot about love and life as they see us interact with our friends.

One benefit of home education is that our children can interact with many ages of kids, and where do these kids come from? Where are the opportunities? It is sometimes church, but often those friendships do not develop into something truly meaningful outside the four walls. Most of the people I know, including myself, have found our closest chums in home school groups, whether it be a co-op where everyone teaches or something like Classical Conversations where moms have to stay and be present in the classroom while a paid tutor leads the instruction. CC is a wonderful place to find friends; I can't imagine how lonely the road would be for us without it. It's also been a place to bless others who are entering the home school world.

If you really want to home school without any sort of organized group or co-op, it is advisable to proactively find opportunities for your kids to be with other home schooled children. Feeling like you are the 'only one' is tough, especially as kid's age. They need time with others walking a similar path, as much as their mom does.

Serving Christ and influencing others can happen in many places besides church. It is poor advice that tells a young mom entering home schooling to keep herself and her children at arm's length from others, unless she wants it to be a very short ride.