When you begin homeschooling, you need some support and guidance, but where on EARTH will you find that? No one homeschools? At least that is what I thought until I met a few friends who were involved with a group in the county next to mine. There were over a hundred families there. (And I did not know any of them? Maybe they were a little 'underground' at the time??) They had a lot of kids....of all ages... There was a Facebook group, field trips, social time, moms' events, and play dates. I was in love. I had the best time meeting with these like-minded mothers.
Notes on homeschool groups:
1. Know what you want. Do you want social activities or classes or both? Do you want a particular religion to be a part of the group or do you want religion excluded? Do you want the interaction to be an hour away or less for driving purposes. Would a Facebook presence be sufficient? What age range would meet your needs? AND, most importantly, know how will you contribute to the group? Most homeschool groups need moms to help out periodically with tasks. I've done everything from write a newspaper article to monitor a bathroom entrance during a class.
2. Cliques. Yes, they exist. They exist in the homeschool community. It is sad but true. I find that the problem, at times, is that there are new members at a particular event and other new members at a the event. Both families are waiting to be greeted, but no one is introducing anyone around. So, just be aware and attempt to be kind to all members as you make friends and find friends for your child to invest time into. That is how I see groups. They are a great way to meet others and invest your time into, so your child (and you) can find like-minded people to share the homeschool journey with.
3. Looking for a group can be daunting. There are few links and I've seen posts by people on Facebook asking for advice on homeschooling...then a name pops up. Someone familiar, or a friend of a friend, can help you find support locally. Here are the links to get started.
What types of groups exist?
Social - ones that let children (and moms) socialize
Academic - ones that provide classes and courses that have academic value
Community - groups that meet once a week and children learn together with the same curriculum
Online - specific needs or exist to disseminate information for a physical group.
Mixed - any combination thereof
Decide what type of group you are looking for and why you feel that group would meet your needs. Post a comment with your thoughts.