The world of home schooling can seem lonely at times. When other kids are getting on the bus for school, parents are sitting at the table figuring out what they will discuss that day as they tackle the job of being teacher to their children. But, there’s no need to feel separated from the world. Home schooling parents and the children they teach have a network of people what want to help. There may be others in your area who home school and you don’t even know it.
Home schooling parents and children are kept in the loop with an extensive network of online and community resources. Online, there are various websites like HomeEducator.com that provides links to state agencies for legal requirements, forums for discussing home school issues, online support groups, and curriculum websites. Everything a parent needs to get help is a click away.
Locally, there are probably more home schooling households than one might imagine. I have two friends who home school. It comes up in conversation but I never really thought about it. They have been home schooling for a few years so just with their knowledge alone, any parent new to home schooling would have access to a number of resources. Now imagine if there were 5 or 10 home schooling families in a community. The amount of tools, resources and support would be huge.
Check the local newspaper. Community meetings are listed so that others are made aware of what is going on around them. Check with the library system for any programs they have with home schoolers that allows them to check out more than the standard number of books and videos to be used for home study.
A support system is invaluable for home schooling. On a daily basis, all kinds of issues arise that need to be dealt with. Someone who has experienced the situation before prevents a lot of wasted time. Parents need a shoulder to cry or laugh on when the stress gets to be too much. A supportive group of men and women can protect your sanity.
If home schooling is a possible choice for the future, begin the networking process now. Current home schooling parents would love to share their experiences with you. Set up a social at your local church or community center as a community outreach to let people know all about home schooling and the benefits for children.
Never go it alone. We can accomplish more together than we ever could alone. For the sake of our children, we as parents come together to create a better educational system for them. By pooling our resources, an awesome network of support can be established in your city or town.
