I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: building your homeschool community is so important!

But how do you make connections when you start homeschooling? Follow along for some advice!

I was at the playground last week with our Wild + Free group. We were chatting about finishing our school year and another mom overheard us. She asked if we were all homeschool families and joined our chatty circle of moms. We learned that the mom is hoping to homeschool her kids in the fall but isn’t sure where to start. She was interested in joining a co-op to meet other homeschool families. With this in mind, we encouraged her. We shared information about our Wild + Free group and a wonderful local co-op.

Before she left, she asked how she could learn more about the co-op. It took me a second to consider her question. It turns out, she was already talking to the best resource – other homeschool moms! A lot of homeschool groups and co-ops don’t have active social media accounts or thorough websites. They don’t advertise. They grow by word of mouth. To learn more about them, you have to connect with a real person! 

As you’ll find out, connecting with other homeschool moms is essential in your homeschool journey, for many reasons!

Why build your homeschool community?

Connecting with your local homeschool community will enrich your homeschool experience!

• Support: It’s important to have people you can learn from and lean on! Other homeschool parents will understand your homeschool journey better than anyone else. They’ll know the joys and challenges of home education and can offer encouragement and advice. They’ll be able to provide practical advice and emotional support. Additionally, they’ll be there to help you through your struggles and celebrate your successes. 
• Shared knowledge: The homeschool community will amaze you with its depth and breadth of knowledge! Parents that choose to homeschool come from all walks of life, educational backgrounds, careers, and lifestyles. They’ll be able to recommend educational resources, extracurricular activities, local opportunities, and more. Some homeschool moms even offer tutoring or lessons to other students. You will learn so much from other homeschool parents. 
• Socialization: We wouldn’t want our children to be weird unsocialized homeschool kids, now would we? All jokes aside, socialization is very important for kids and mums! Meeting other homeschool moms will provide your family with opportunities to socialize via playdates, fieldtrips, and other group activities.
• Networking: Having more connections can lead to more opportunities. You will learn about word-of-mouth opportunities by talking to other homeschool moms. We’ve gotten wonderful recommendations for everything from affordable family photography to chess lessons, just by asking. As noted, a lot of homeschool opportunities are not widely advertised, so knowing the right people is helpful.
• Personal Growth: Connecting with others will allow you to learn about different homeschool styles, approaches, and philosophies. As you expand your knowledge of home education, you’ll be able to grow your skills and knowledge to better serve your family. 
• Friendship: It’s a struggle to make new friends as an adult. Building your homeschool community goes beyond finding ‘socialization opportunities.’ You’ll be able to make lasting friendships for yourself and your kiddos. 

As you can see, meeting other homeschool families offers many benefits! Because of this, I recommend building your community before you start homeschooling. If you’re considering homeschooling, but not quite ready to make the leap, getting an insider perspective can help you make a sound decision.  Talking to others will give you a better idea of what you may want to do and how to do it. Not only that, but having support, advice, and encouragement is essential to navigating something new. Remember, the homeschool community is diverse so don’t be discouraged if it takes time to ‘find your people.’ Building relationships takes time.

So how do you meet other homeschool moms to build your community? 

ONLINE COMMUNITIES

First, the easiest place to look is on social media. Search your city, town, or state with “homeschool” on Facebook to find online communities. From there, browse the posts and get to know the group. You’ll find that some online homeschool groups operate simply as a question-and-answer format. Others are vibrant communities that meet regularly. Even so, don’t be afraid to reach out and ask questions! If you’re looking for in-person opportunities (as you should!) ask for recommendations of co-ops and homeschool groups in your area. I am a part of a few Facebook groups and get plenty of meet-up and field trip invitations from other homeschool moms. Without a doubt, social media is a great low-pressure way to connect with others.

IN-PERSON EVENTS

There are some awesome online homeschool communities (and Instagram pages 😉) but nothing beats real life interactions. Connect with other homeschool moms by attending homeschool programming and events. Many libraries, community centers, local businesses, and children’s museums will host special programs for homeschool families. There are also homeschool conventions and resource swaps. Check out some of the opportunities that interest you and your kids. When you’re there, don’t be afraid to chat with other parents. In my experience, homeschool moms are very welcoming.  With this in mind, if you’re not getting good vibes from a group of moms, move on to the next opportunity. 

JOIN HOMESCHOOL GROUPS

Connect with other homeschool parents by joining co-ops or homeschool groups. Find opportunities that suit you and your children’s interest. You have to ‘put yourself out there’ to find the right people. There are religious, secular, special interest, field trip, athletic, and special needs homeschool groups. Some operate formally as co-ops that have registrations, parental obligations, and fees. Others are more casual meetups. I recommend that you find a group that meets regularly so that you can really get to know the other families. We currently attend a nature group and a book club and love them both! 

AND OF COURSE.. 

If you see a mom with school-aged kids at the park or library during the afternoon, don’t be afraid to ask the age-old question “do you homeschool?”! You’d be surprised how many homeschoolers we’ve met at the playground! 

To conclude, there truly is nothing more helpful than talking to other homeschool moms. You can ask questions about curriculum, learning styles, extracurricular activities, cool community events, behavioral issues, or finding balance! No matter what it is, there are moms out there who have experienced it, learned some lessons, and can offer solid advice. Don’t start your homeschooling journey alone. Without a doubt, there’s a vibrant homeschool community ready to meet you!