Finding Homeschool Support is one of the most important components when homeschooling. It can also prove to be one of the hardest to do. Here we offer a collection of ideas for finding support along your homeschool journey!
Finding Homeschool Support
If you are just beginning to homeschool, you need to make it a priority to find outside support. There will be times when you will have questions or concerns that an experienced homeschooler can help you answer. Other times, you will need a listening ear or a shoulder to cry on. Be very careful sharing your struggles with friends and relatives who aren’t supportive of homeschooling. Even those who are well-meaning can hear your problems and use them as ammunition to encourage you to quit.
It’s great to have friends that are going through the same stages of homeschooling as you are. You can swap stories, compare curriculum choices, and fellowship. They can provide daily support and also times of fun for you and children together.
It is an even greater blessing to find someone who has graduated at least one of her children. I am blessed to know a lady in my church who was among the pioneer homeschoolers in our state. Recently, I was able to speak to her specifically about some discipline problems in my home, and she was able to encourage me.
One very specific way was to point to her oldest son and say that he used to act in a similar way! I can’t begin to express how happy that made me. This son is grown with 6 young children of his own. To know that he hadn’t been a “perfect” child made me feel like a weight had been lifted off of me. I was reminded that my hope should be in the Lord, not in my various methods.
So maybe you’re saying, “Thanks for the touching story, but I don’t know anybody else who homeschools. What about me? What should I do?
Where to Look for Homeschool Support
When beginning to look for homeschool support options, you have to broad choices: Locally and Online. We are blessed in this age of technology to be able to connect with homeschoolers that we wouldn’t have been able to 30 years ago.
1. Seek to find homeschool support locally
A good first place to look is at your church. If your church is large, it may even have its own support group. Ask around in your Sunday School class. Ask your children’s Sunday School teachers if they know of any homeschoolers. Call the church or ask the pastor. (Obviously, how to find homeschoolers at church is dependent on the size of the church. At a small church, you would probably already know who was homeschooling, if anyone.)
Ask your friends. Often after you tell people that you’re going to homeschool, they will mention that they know someone else who is homeschooling (unfortunately, it’s not always meant to complimentary). Rather than just nod, you can ask them who it is and whether they could introduce you.
Ask at various places that homeschoolers typically frequent. Ask your librarian if they have any programs for homeschoolers, or call a nearby science museum or YMCA. If they have special homeschooling programs, you can meet homeschoolers there by attending those events.
2. Seek to find homeschool support on-line
There are two different ways to use the internet to find homeschoolers.
First, it can aid you in your search for local homeschool groups. Try finding homeschool organizations for your state. They should be able to put you in touch with someone in your region. HSLDA is a good place to start, though you are more likely to find a state group than a local one at this site.
You can also find other homeschoolers on-line. There are numerous blogs that focus on homeschooling. (Like The Curriculum Choice of course!) Each of the writers here also has a personal homeschooling blog. You can “meet” other homeschoolers on FB, TikTok, and Instagram. Search for homeschool content and start following some like minded homeschoolers.
Though on-line support isn’t an exact substitute for local fellowship, it is amazing how wonderful friendships can develop with people you’ve never even seen in person. Sometimes, you can’t find a local person that you really connect with, but you can on-line. Of course the usual on-line warnings apply. Don’t divulge personal information where anyone could access it. It is also very easy to lose track of time on the computer, so be on your guard.
Finally, if you are a veteran homeschooler, seek to help others. Be accepting of new people at homeschool events. It’s wonderful to see our friends, but when we visit with our friends to the exclusion of others we may be giving a bad impression of homeschool families. I’ve seen way too many posts on-line about unfriendly homeschool groups!
More Homeschooling Help from Here at TCC
The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling – Everything you need for Grades K-12. Pull up a chair and grab a cup of coffee! We have a ton of resources to share in this Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling. Whether you are just starting out or are in the trenches already, we have TONS of reviews, resources, tips, and encouragement to help you along in your homeschool journey.
Homeschool Mom Helps – Homeschool moms wear many hats – teacher, mentor, planner, project coordinator, coach, organizer, and MORE! Each homeschool day brings new experiences and often new challenges. As homeschool moms ourselves, we understand that it can sometimes be hard to find information and answer to the many questions we face regarding homeschooling our family. Today we are focusing on MOM as we offer homeschool mom helps such as encouragement, ideas, tips, and suggestions we have learned over the years. Please take a few moments for you and check out our Homeschool Mom Helps!
New to Homeschooling – Are you new to homeschooling? Maybe considering homeschooling but aren’t sure where to begin? Or possibly having homeschooled for a bit but still aren’t quite sure of your path? If you are any of these things, then pull up a chair and follow along! I am going to give you all the goods to feel confident about your homeschool journey.
Help! I’m Homeschooling! Helpful Habits for the Heart of Homeschooling – Whether you have been homeschooling for 20 years, or 20 minutes, we can always use new ideas and encouraging words. That’s exactly what Help! I’m Homeschooling! has to offer us homeschooling moms.
~ Originally published October 2009, Written by Kristen, relaxed Classical mom of 4.
I especially like your last paragraph. Because that’s the season I am in and can relate to. I hate to see a lone woman standing in the background with a scared look on her face. I always want to run up and hug her! Good reminder, Kristen.
.-= Brenda´s last blog ..Our Shakespeare Unit =-.