Just like stepping onto the playground for the first time it can be daunting connecting with other home educators. "Will they like me?" "Will their kids like my kids?" "What if I make a bad first impression?" "What will we even talk about?" and the most important question of all..... "How do I find other home educating families in the first place?". As home educators we unfortunately don't have the luxury of stepping onto a playground and knowing that it will be full of other parents in exactly the same situation as us. We have to be proactive in finding our tribe and a tribe for the tiny humans in our care. It's daunting and overwhelming and can seem like an impossible task.
Fear not! It's actually a lot easier to find other home educating families AND ones with similar interests to you can it might first seem! And the best part is (for an introvert like myself anyway) that it all starts remotely. Having been in the home educating world for over a year now these are the best ways I have found to build a community from the ground up.
Start With Social Media
This might sound crazy but social media is a wonderful tool for finding social circles (who'd have thought it ay?).
Facebook is a brilliant starting point. Not only will you find lots of groups for country wide/global home educators, educating styles and educating resources but there will more than likely be many groups of LOCAL home educators that you can connect with. These local groups will be full of events going on in the area, which co-ops are running and who runs them, important updates on any government/council support not to mention plenty of people posting that "we are just popping to such and such park tomorrow if anyone wants to join us". It really is a great resource to have at your fingertips!
Without even searching home education this is what comes up in my search bar!
Instagram is the perfect place for finding encouraging accounts in all walks of home education. Whether you're looking at traditional home schooling or think that a life of travel and world schooling would be a better fit, there will be an account that is tailored to this. Which ever style of education you choose it's always lovely to see the plethora of home educators not only surviving but thriving on Instagram to give a boost of "I can do this!".
A quick Instagram search gives so many home educators that you can connect with! @homebuilteducation is one of my favourites!
Join a co-op.
Joining a cooperative group will be one of the best decisions you make in terms of growing your own homeschooling tribe.
A home education cooperative is exactly what it sounds like, a group in which all members are involved to help with the running and execution of the group. This gives you a chance to meet other families and become proactive member of the homeschool community which in turn will open so many doors that you didn't even know existed!
Even if you don't feel confident to teach or run a session then there are still lots of ways that you can be proactive in a co-op. You can bring snacks, resources or help to plan group activities. Personally I don't excel at public speaking so in the groups I'm involved with I tend to err towards physical activity planning and execution rather than presenting information.
If you're not sure where to find information of joining a co-op, see the above information! (Facebook is my go to).
This week we made bird feeders at our outdoor co-op. After that the children ran and played whilst the grown ups got to relax by the fire!
Ask people to join you.
One of the best ways we've made friends is by simply posting that we are going to the park and asking if anyone would like to join us. We have the luxury of playgrounds to ourselves and the likelihood is that if you're feeling isolated then so are other home educators in your area.
If this seems too daunting then start by joining a few home ed groups in your area first. Start getting to know the different parents/carers within the group and see who you click with most and which of their children bond with theirs. Then you can approach them through a social media channel (or ask for their number if you're feeling old school) and make first contact that way.
The worst thing that can happen is that they will say no. It will almost certainly be because they're busy or inevitably their old children have come down with some lurgy or other (which you will no doubt soon get too if you haven't already had it). That's it!
Don't let that fear stop you from potentially making a great friend/ally in the home ed world!
AND don't forget that you CAN see people without the kids too! You need to have adult friends and spend time with them just as much as your kids need friends!
One of our good home ed friends asked us for an impromptu wander in the woods this week and we jumped at the opportunity!
Start your own group.
If you want something to happen or your child has a special interest then make it happen! Put feelers out for how many other people are interested and go from there. In the UK village halls are often used for indoor home ed groups or you can meet up at public spaces like playparks and libraries. If it's a group of friends you have already made why not take turns hosting at each others houses?
What better way to attract like minded people than by starting a group that you think will work well and fill a hole in your community?
I'm currently in the process of setting up a drop-in group with another home ed mum who, like me, feels there are a real lack of spaces that are accessible, affordable and welcoming to all in our area. Within it I'm hoping to set up a book club for different reading abilities (inspired by @little.fenders book club on Instagram) and I'm SO excited for it to happen! Considering that I'm a real introvert I can't believe how excited I am to be able to make this happen in my local home ed community. If you give it a try, you might just feel the same!
Don't be afraid.
Last but absolutely not least....
I HATED making friends with other homeschool parents. Not because they aren't all incredibly lovely and interesting people, but because it felt like the first day of secondary school all over again. Walking into rooms full of people you don't know but without the confidence you feel at the age of 4/5 that everyone is surely going to be your friend.... For most people this will be the feeling that you experience.... And it is normal to be nervous but don't be afraid to start a conversation or join in with one if you have something to say! You aren't going to be booed off the playground, no one is going to laugh at you (unless you're telling a joke) and remember;
In home school groups we're ALL the weird ones who have chosen a different path for our children!
You aren't alone. You aren't going to have to defend your decisions. You aren't going to have to answer a million questions about why you did it OR listen to anyone telling you how THEY could NEVER do it. You're amongst friends and we're all in the same boat.
*This message applies to the home ed men out there too! There are multiple "Dad only" home ed meet ups that take place local to us.
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