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Archives for July 2019

The Many UNEXPECTED BENEFITS of a Homeschool Co-op {One: BRATS and BULLIES}

July 29, 2019 by Katherine Wolfe 29 Comments

Participating in a co-op is a hotly debated topic within the homeschool community and for good reason. It would seem that there are as many different styles of co-ops as there are curricula choices. Some are ultra-selective with strict rules and guidelines. Some are uber loose with barely a plan in place. Some are taught by nothing other than moms while others use paid professionals to teach classes. Some are taught in homes and others rent out classrooms. As the details vary, the pros and cons will too. 

But, this series, The Many Unexpected Benefits of a Homeschool Co-Op, goes beyond those differences and finds some of the unifying and unexpected benefits of homeschool co-ops. 

If  you are trying to decide whether to participate in a homeschool co-op this year and have been diligently making a list of pros/cons, don’t forget my favorite, yet rarely discussed, unexpected benefit of participating in a co-op:

EXPOSING YOUR KIDS to BRATS and BULLIES!

I know this sounds extreme but think about it.

As homeschool parents, we get to pick and choose nearly every aspect of our kids’ lives.

Where they go.

When they play.

What they learn.  

With whom they hang.

And, as the loving, supportive parents that we are, we try to always make the best choices for them.

We feed them healthy snacks.

We cater to their learning styles.

We keep them in safe environments.

We arrange playdates with kind, respectful kids.

But, as much as we may want to create a perfect world for our babes, we can’t.  But, more importantly, we shouldn’t.  Why? Because real life isn’t perfect. Without robbing them of a happy childhood or scarring them for life, I think it’s imperative that our kids understand that life is not perfect. 

It’s not perfect when they are nine years old and it won’t be perfect when they are twenty-nine. Not only are they are imperfect themselves, their lives will forever be filled with various imperfections. 

And one of life’s most prominent and persistent imperfections is people.

Untrustworthy people.

Annoying people.

Ignorant people.

Hurtful people.

Selfish people.

Rude people.

Do we want  our kids to experience anything other than wonderful, loving, supportive people? No, of course not.

But, are they going to experience bad people, despite our best wishes and fiercest intentions? Yes, for sure. 

So, they  might as well be introduced first to these types of people under our direct supervision and loving control. 

Blessedly, our babes don’t need to experience BRATS and BULLIES in the public school classroom or, worse yet, on the playground with overworked teachers and underpaid playground supervisors. 

Our kids can experience the BRATS and BULLIES of the world with their fiercest defenders at their sides…us!

What better way to first expose our kids to the BRATS and BULLIES of the world than with  us observing the interactions, guiding their responses and protecting the results? 

I’ll admit that the first time our son experienced his first BRAT at co-op, I was sad. We were new to town and excited to make friends at co-op. Unfortunately, it turned out that there was a real BRAT in his co-op class. Ya know, the kid who is rude to both adults and kids, makes everything a competition and then pouts when he doesn’t get his way.

As disheartening as that was, I was glad I was there to watch the BRAT emerge and observe my child’s reaction. We were then able to discuss the situation after and formulate a plan for future encounters. We remained in that co-op but we did not seek any sort of friendship outside with that particular child. My child learned that not every kid in his class models good behavior and is friend material. As simple as this lesson sounds, my sweet, loving kid had never met a peer that he did not consider an instant friend until this situation arose.

And a few years later when he encountered his first BULLY at co-op, I was simultaneously very angry about this kid’s behavior and strangely peaceful about it too. This kid was an emotional bully who belittled my child by creating an “inner circle” of cool kids and purposely excluding my son from interactions. This kid was definitely the Alpha of the entire group and all of the boys wanted to be his friends, including my son. Sadly.

My son tried for weeks. And was rejected each time. He wasn’t the only one on the outside of the BULLY’S inner circle. There were others on the receiving end of the “just kidding” jokes and shunned looks. There were others not invited to the birthday parties and left out of the secret handshakes. But because this BULLY was also smart, he behaved when most adults were watching, which meant my son was sometimes accepted into the group but then figuratively kicked out again when the BULLY thought no adult eyes were on him. 

But I was watching. After all, that’s my job and since I was at Co-Op with my son, I was able to watch! I watched it all take place and then I gently discussed it with my son after co-op each week. It took loads of rejections, lots of prayer, too many tears and countless discussions for my son to decide on his own that he didn’t want to be friends with the BULLY anyhow. He decided that the BULLY was not somebody worth the angst and agony he had caused week in and week out. He came to this conclusion on his own. And once he did, he was happy. He was free to pursue other friendships at co-op. He broke down the social order that the BULLY tried so hard to force on everybody by simple saying, “Nope! Not gonna play that dumb game.” 

And I could not have been more proud of my son, and grateful to that BULLY.

Why? Because he taught my kid a very valuable lesson at a young age

A lesson that many public school kids struggle to realize is being forced on them every day in the classroom and on the playground.  But one of which the teachers simply don’t have the time to be aware.  And, by the time these kids get home from school, they’re too exhausted and numb from trying to handle life on their own. It’s not even that they choose not to discuss their feelings with their parents; they don’t have the maturity to understand that something needs to be discussed. 

Thanks to that BULLY, my son learned a lesson at nine that some adults still have not learned. 

Because, let’s face it,  life is filled with BRATS and BULLIES. At work, In college. Next door. Even at church. Sadly, even in our own extended families. 

No matter the path your child will take as he meanders into adulthood, he is going to encounter both BRATS and BULLIES. Participating in a homeschool co-op could very well equip him to be ready to handle those issues with confidence and grace.


Click here for the next installment in this series, The Many Unexpected Benefits of a Homeschool Co-op: FAILURES and FRUSTRATIONS


Want some help teaching your kids how to identify and be a good friend? Check out my Friendship and Virtues Lesson Plan Pack! It’s PERFECT for a Co-Op class!


Filed Under: Co-op, SUGGESTIONS Tagged With: Benefits of Homeschool Co-Op, Co-ops, Homeschool, Homeschool co-ops, life lessons, Socialization

Learn the Anatomy of a Great White

July 24, 2019 by Katherine Wolfe 1 Comment

Know your shark anatomy before SHARK WEEK 2019 starts! 

And, if you want to bring SHARK WEEK to life in your house, snag this  super cool 3D model of a Great White Shark! Your kids will love putting it together {it takes no tools or expertise whatsoever} and they’ll learn something new too!

Looking for more Shark Week ideas? Check out SHARK WEEK: Three Things It Can Do For Your Family!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Educational Tools, Great White, Homeschool, Shark Anatomy, Shark Week

ZOO REVIEW 4- Aquarium of the Bay

July 22, 2019 by Katherine Wolfe 2 Comments

Animals are our son’s passion and at 12-years-old, he insists he wants to be a professional zookeeper when he grows up. In addition to driving him to his position as a volunteer animal caretaker at the local museum multiple times each week, my husband and I enjoy taking him to zoos, aquariums, sanctuaries, etc. Besides making memories for our little family, each experience provides new educational opportunities for our son and seems to cement his career choice even further. My professor-by-trade husband calls it “research”. I just call it fun!

We visited this aquarium on a recent vacation to California. We had three days scheduled in San Francisco and I had other things planned for us to do. But my husband and son argued for it and I’m really glad we made it work. We actually managed to thoroughly explore the aquarium and still make it to the SF Giants baseball game in one day. 

LOCATION: San Francisco, CA {at Pier 39 aka: Fisherman’s Wharf}

HOURS: 10am-6pm, every day

ADMISSION RATES: {​Adult Admission} $28.25; {Seniors 65+} $23.25; {Children 4-12} $18.25; {Children 0-3} FREE; There is a Family of Four Discount as well as coupons on their website. 

DESCRIPTION: The Aquarium of the Bay is home to more than 20,000 local marine animals. It is divided into four sections: Discover the Bay, Touch the Bay, Under the Bay and North American River Otters. They have over 50 sharks plus otters, skates, bat rays, eels, an octopus, jellies galore, and several types of of fun fish. They also have several reptiles and amphibians too!

SIZE: The building is made up of two floors and and unknown number of square feet {seriously! I could not find that info anywhere.} In my opinion, I would consider it a medium-sized aquarium. 

ACCESS: If you have not purchased tickets, you need to buy them at the outside kiosk before taking the stairs {or elevator} to the entrance on the second floor. Once inside, you basically just follow the flow and don’t really have choices as where to go and when, which we considered helpful because then you don’t wonder if you missed anything. Strangely enough, you start by immediately taking the inside elevator down a level to start with their Under the Bay exhibits. Then you take the elevator back up for the other exhibits, gift shop and exit.  Everything is wheelchair and stroller accessible and it’s all inside so the temperature is perfect. 

PARKING: They do not have a designated parking lot but claim there is ample street parking close by. We actually left our rental car at the hotel and  took a taxi because we did not want to deal with parking. I doubt we paid much more for the taxi than we would’ve for street parking AND the taxi dropped us off right by the entrance. 

GIFT SHOP: The gift shop seemed just right for the size of the aquarium and they {oh so} conveniently ushered you through it on your way out. My son chose a sea otter to commemorate his particular enjoyment of this silly and clever animal. My husband and I selected a beautiful glass sculpture of a jelly fish and a Christmas ornament. 

SPECIAL EXPERIENCE: {California Sea Lions} Okay, the California Sea Lions really aren’t a part of the Aquarium of the Bay but there is no way we could pass up the opportunity to show our son this classic SF attraction {THIS was always on my itinerary!} And because they are also down at Pier 39, I included them here. This attraction is free because they’re not part of any exhibit or structure. They’re just living their lives out on the docks by Pier 39. You can observe them on the sea level viewing area or you can take the stairs/elevator up one level and watch them from above. We opted for the latter because it was far less congested {people-wise} but it was cooooooooooooooold and windy! But, we thoroughly enjoyed just standing there watching the hefty sea mammals laze around, haul out on the docks, bark at one another, slip back into the water and repeat. They really are funny animals that  have always called SF Bay home. But after the 1989 San Francisco earthquake, they discovered that the docks are easier to haul out on than rocky shorelines and that they didn’t have to move when the tides rose and fell. And, since the new location was less exposed to predators and provided easy access to food in the Bay, the docks became a thriving sea lion haunt and a very popular visitor attraction. You definitely need to check them out! 

ENJOYMENT RATING: ♥♥♥♥♥ This aquarium was fun for each of us and I would gladly do it again. My favorite was the octopus…I consider them to be very intelligent and interesting animals. My son’s favorite was, by far, the otters and I will agree that they hold the highest entertainment value found in the Aquarium of the Bay. Considering the location and the number of things you might want to see while in SF {and even just down at Pier 39,} it’s actually a plus that it only takes about 90 minutes to get through the entire aquarium. Plus, due to the temperature control and relative safe layout, it’s not an exhausting choice for families with little kids or elderly family members. 

EDUCATION RATING: ♥♥♥_ _  During our visit, we saw no attempt for any “keepers” or staff to engage with the guests. It might’ve just been an off day or a weird hour that we were there but there was definitely some slight “business” vibe going on. The animals all seemed well taken care of and content but I kinda got the feeling that the aquarium was more of a money-maker than an educational opportunity or conservation pursuit. 

ENCLOSURE RATING: ♥♥♥♥♥ It’s amazing what they have done inside this building!  1.The 300 feet of acrylic tunnels found in the Under the Bay section  is spectacular and allowed us to get as close to sharks and rays as I would probably ever want. And, not that I am an expert in fish behavior, but everybody seemed to be content in their homes as evidenced by their peaceful swimming and calm demeanor. 2. In the Touch the Bay section, the rays were all clustered in the corner in, what seemed to be,  an attempt to not be touched much. The enclosure was designed in a way that if they  altogether. They also could hide out in places where it made it difficult to be touched unless you were the size of an adult. There were some parents trying to hold their toddlers over the area and help them reach the rays but the staff quickly put a stop to that. Too bad for the curious toddlers but great for the rays! 3.The otters have this really large and fun play area complete with water {of course,} rocks and a waterfall! While we were there, a couple of them kept running/swimming this giant loop while playing with one another. It was highly entertaining for us to watch and I’m sure they were having loads of fun too! {NOT that you can tell in this picture. It was nearly impossible to get a picture of the otters because they were so fast! But, somehow I managed to get a shot of this guy standing still…but he seems so grumpy, doesn’t he?}

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS: If you’re expecting Baby Beluga or Shamu, this is not the place for you. But if you want to get up close and personal with some of the ocean’s coolest creatures without spending all day at a giant theme park of sorts, this is a great alternative. It might be a bit pricey in relation to the size but our small family certainly thought it was worth the money. 

CONTACT INFO: www.aquariumofthebay.org ~ 415-623-5300 ~ Pier 39 Embarcadero & Beach Street, San Francisco, CA 94133 ~ info@bayecotarium.org

Filed Under: REVIEWS, Zoos Tagged With: Aquarium, Aquarium of the Bay, family activities, Summer Fun, Zoo Review

SHARK WEEK: Three Things It Can Do For Your Family

July 15, 2019 by Katherine Wolfe 73 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our Disclosure Policy for details.

SHARK WEEK 2020 airs August 9-August 16 on the Discovery Channel 

Whether you are a homeschool mom who tries to never let a learning opportunity pass, a public school dad looking for ways to get your kids to stop staring at their electronic devices or a grandma trying to entertain the littles for a week away, SHARK WEEK is the answer to your problem! 

Revered in entertainment circles due to its THIRTY-TWO years on the air, SHARK WEEK is also considered a staple among many average households. Chores are put on hold, beach vacations are avoided and memes abound as boatloads of families gather around the TV to enjoy viewing multiple hours of shark-infested waters together. 

If your family is not one of them, you need to put your aversions to sharp teeth and killer jaws aside and jump in! “But why,” you might ask,  “What can SHARK WEEK do for my family?”

Read on to find out! 

ONE: SHARK WEEK Is FUN for the Whole Family!

Even if you don’t consider watching Great Whites and Hammerheads to be a FUN way to spend an evening, there are loads of other ways to turn SHARK WEEK into FUN for everyone!

 

Singing songs doo-doo-doo-doo-doo!

Break out an old version of the campfire song or find a hip new video version on You Tube! Either way, the song Baby Shark  is not only about  an entire family of sharks, it is FUN for the Whole Family and will surely make everybody want to dance and sing!

 

Making shark-shaped quesadillas!

If you were crafty prior to the advent of Pinterest, you can probably come up with some awesome ways to eat your way through SHARK WEEK without any help. But if you’re not naturally crafty {like me}, you can find these uber cute shark quesadillas over at  Food Network.  You can also find shark cookies, shark pudding cups, shark banana pops, shark cupcakes and a fruit & cheese display with a shark-shaped watermelon. That sure sounds like some yummy FUN for the Whole Family to me!

 

Wearing shark-themed jammies!

Nothing says FUN for the Whole Family quite like a pajama party! But, not just any pajama party; it needs to be a shark-themed pajama party! Whether you get a classic set from Lands End or a set of full-on shark themed onesie pajamas, there’s a size and style for everyone! Sleep not required!

 

TWO: SHARK WEEK Is EDUCATIONAL for All Ages!

Some families send their kids to educational camps and academic tutors because they worry about the “summer slide” causing their kids to lose whatever skills they acquired during the school year. Other families aren’t quite as regimented and like to “sneak in” learning opportunities by making available clever toys and games and hoping their kids take the bait. And some families don’t even think twice about learning over the summer and believe that a simple read aloud at night fits the bill. Whatever style of parenting you rock,  you should know that SHARK WEEK offers an amazing variety of  opportunities that are EDUCATIONAL for All Ages!

 

Creating shark art projects! 

Pinterest abounds with ideas for shark-themed art projects. From rock painting and flip flop wreaths to paper plate pictures and sensory bottles, there truly is something for everyone that I would file under “art EDUCATION“.  You can fairly easily paint, draw, cut out and mold sharks because their body form is so simple in design. But, if you have family members that are more advanced and adventurous, Pinterest has loads of ideas including paper mache, watercolor, nail art and more that you can find here.

 

Building shark models!

As is practically mandatory with all boy households, we have a gazillion Legos in our home that we use for several EDUCATIONAL purposes.  I’m sure we’d be able to construct a shark fairly easily with those fun, colorful bricks but making a 3D model that includes an awesome view of a shark’s inner workings brings that EDUCATIONAL benefit to a whole new level! This particular Great White Shark Anatomy Model includes more than 20 separate, easily identifiable body parts and is way less expensive than your typical Lego set. 

 

Learning the science of sharks!

Learning about the science of sharks is not only EDUCATIONAL,  it is also fun! Sharks are super cool creatures with really interesting features as this  Super Sharks Fact Pack explains {which you can get right here on my site.}  You can also snag a  Super Sharks Coloring Pack that’s perfect for little ones! If informational text, writing prompts and coloring pages isn’t your idea of EDUCATIONAL fun, you can also find several science projects online including how to make your very own Sharknado and learning how sharks float. Between those three options, there is something EDUCATIONAL for All Ages and abilities! 

 

THREE: SHARK WEEK Is a BONDING Experience!

BONDING over sharp toothed eating machines might seem like an odd suggestion but research shows that the average family spends less than 40 minutes participating in any sort of BONDING EXPERIENCE together each day.  So, if cartilage-infused predators is what brings the whole family together, go for it! Your kids won’t forget it and they’ll learn a thing or two along the way. 

 

Reading shark books together!

Just a quick glance over at Amazon will show you that there are hundreds of shark books from which to choose, but when it comes to BONDING with kids, a book that combines facts AND humor is the way to go. We can always depend on The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library to teach our kids some amazing non-fiction facts through humor and rhyme. Where else can you read…

“We never find bones

because sharks don’t have those.

Sharks are made up of cartilage

just like your nose!

Cartilage helps sharks

to turn and to bend

and to move through the water

much faster, my friend!”

You can find Hark! A Shark!   here  on Amazon along with hundreds of other options. In addition to Amazon,  Usborne and More always has amazing non-fiction books that includes at least one shark title. 

 

Visiting an aquarium together!

This BONDING EXPERIENCE obviously requires more time, money and energy than most of our other suggestions. But visiting an aquarium can be a wonderful BONDING EXPERIENCE for all ages. Last year we visited the Aquarium of the Bay in San Francisco and had a lovely time observing sharks, octopuses, otters and more. Aquariums are usually smallish in size which make them much more feasible for small kids and elderly grandparents alike. Plus, they aren’t as exhausting as outdoor zoos and allow time in the same day for other BONDING EXPERIENCES like lunch, shopping or naps! {We actually managed to attend a SF Giants ball game after our aquarium experience.}

 

Watching SHARK WEEK together!

This suggestion is obviously not tech-free nor is it hands-on but watching SHARK WEEK together can be a fun BONDING EXPERIENCE nonetheless. Our family has found that when we choose to purposely sit down and watch something together, it can be as much of a BONDING EXPERIENCE as a trip to the zoo or dining out. The key is to not do it haphazardly but rather to be intentional about it. And, if you add in one or two of the above suggestions before/after/during one of the shows, the result will be a FUN, EDUCATIONAL and BONDING EXPERIENCE they’ll never forget! 

You can find the entire Shark Week schedule and loads of details here. 

SHARK WEEK 2020 airs August 9-August 16 on the Discovery Channel


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Filed Under: Holidays, SUGGESTIONS Tagged With: family activities, Homeschool, Shark Week, summer slide

Three MOST IMPORTANT Considerations to Help Decide Whether to HOMESCHOOL

July 1, 2019 by Katherine Wolfe 15 Comments

Making the decision to homeschool is one of the biggest parenting decisions  you will ever make. Some women know long before they even meet their prospective spouses that they intend on homeschooling their future children while others send their kids to public school for four years and then on the eve of a new school year, feel drawn to keep her kids home. And many moms are somewhere in the middle of that spectrum. No matter which mom you find yourself to be, deciding whether to homeschool is a HUGE decision and one that should not be taken lightly. There are seemingly 100 different things to consider when making the decision, and if you join a FB group of current homeschoolers, you’ll be faced with 1000 new considerations! In order to not get overwhelmed, try focusing on just these three for now…

ONE:  SOCIALIZATION

How will  your kids receive SOCIALIZATION?

This is such a “hot-button” issue between pro/anti homeschoolers that it seems like a crazy place to start but the reason it is a hot-button issue is because it’s an important one.  SOCIALIZATION {the process by which one acquires a personal identity and learns norms, values, behaviors and social skills} cannot be done in a vacuum or alone at home. Despite what many homeschoolers tend to argue, SOCIALIZATION is a legit concern. Most homeschoolers bristle when somebody {anybody!} asks about SOCIALIZATION for homeschoolers. Personally, the question does not bother me because I believe it is a fair question. Whether you move a child from public school to homeschool or a child’s education begins with homeschool from the start, the fact remains we are removing kids from the automatic, built-in day-to-day social setting that is found in the public school classroom. {Whether that is good or bad SOCIALIZATION, is a different question for another day.} And, unless you’re wanting to homeschool in order to keep your children literal captives at home, you would probably {hopefully!} agree that kids need some sort of SOCIALIZATION.  The GREAT news about homeschooling is that we get to CHOOSE with whom and how they socialize.  So allow yourself to ask the important question… how will your kids receive SOCIALIZATION?

Do your kids already have friends who are not based on their current school setting?

Do you have neighbors who homeschool?

Do you have neighbor kids at all {so your kids can play with them after school}?

Do your kids have cousins in the area?

Do you attend church where your kids have friends?

Do your kids participate in any {non-school related} sports or other activities?

Can you afford to add them to new/additional sports or activities?

Are there any co-ops in your town?

If so, check their rules and bylaws. Would any of those co-ops be a good fit for your family?

If not, would you consider yourself confident and capable enough to start your own co-op?

Does the local library offer any type of activities for HS kids?

If not, do they offer after school activities for all kids?

Do you already possess the necessary transportation to take your kids to/from activities/playdates/etc?

Do you have multiple kids?

If so, will you homeschool all of your kids? Do some of those kids need naps, have busy schedules or require special attention of some sort?

Are your multiple kids close in age? Do they get along? Do they enjoy being together?

Do your kids like loads of social interaction or do they just tend to have one close friend?

How do you feel about your kids having on-line friendships?

How you do feel about your kids being friends with younger kids? Older kids?

Every family will answer those questions somewhat differently. Every situation is unique but remember, the question isn’t “If I choose to homeschool my kids, will  they  receive any SOCIALIZATION?” The question is “How  will they receive that SOCIALIZATION?” I’m a wee bit different in the homeschool world because I only have one kid so any/all SOCIALIZATION occurs when I make plans with other people or take our son to an activity. So, believe me when I say,  if I can provide not just sufficient SOCIALIZATION but also meaningful  SOCIALIZATION for him, then you can too!

TWO: FINANCES

Can you afford to homeschool?

If you are already a SAHM with no income, then this is a much smaller piece of the decision-making puzzle for you. All you need to consider is if your FINANCES can handle buying curriculum and paying for potential outings? 

If you are NOT currently a SAHM, you do need to sit down and do the math on whether you can afford it. Things to consider when looking at your FINANCES…

How much do you make per year?

Can your family afford to lose your income?

Are there ways you can cut things from the budget?

Are you the provider through whom your family’s health insurance is offered?

Do you currently pay childcare while your kids are at work?

Do your kids have any included meals while at public school or childcare now? {because homeschool kids seem to EAT their way through the day!}

Can you afford to buy curriculum?

Can you afford field trips, memberships to museums and whatnot?

If you would still need to bring in some income, what could you do to make that happen?

Are you organized enough to work part time and teach from home too?

Are you focused enough to work from home with your kids doing lessons as well?

Are you driven enough to do it all? And to do it all well?

Only you and your husband can decide whether you can afford homeschooling or not. Asking other homeschool moms can be helpful in terms of identifying any “hidden costs” to homeschooling but, in the end, every situation varies greatly. As far as knowing how much curriculum can cost, you just need to know it can range from basically free to thousands per kid. The best suggestion is to decide how much you want to budget for curriculum, plus how much you want to spend on field trips, classes, etc and then throw in some more for unexpected things. If you decide to homeschool, use that number and stick to it. Adjust it for the next year if you need to. 

THREE:  SUPPORT

Who will SUPPORT you on this journey?

{The SUPPORT of your spouse is a given. If your spouse is not on board with the idea of homeschooling your children, you need to stop reading this and focus on that issue before anything else. Under no circumstances do I suggest that a mom should homeschool without the complete SUPPORT of her husband.}

So, assuming your husband is already on board, who ELSE will SUPPORT you? Because, believe me, you will need it.

Will your parents support you?

In-laws?

Close friends?

Church family?

Grown children?

Neighbors?

Old friends?

On-line friends?

I’ve been very blessed in the sense that our family and friends have been very supportive along our entire HS journey so far. But, I know that is not the case of many, many homeschoolers. I’ve heard of homeschool moms being verbally attacked by their own mothers for ruining their grandchildren. I know moms whose next-door neighbors have called CPS because they homeschool. Friendships have crumbled, families have become estranged and marriages have ended because some moms have opted to keep their kids home and provide their education. Stop now and think of the important people in your lives. If you care what they think, ask yourself if they are likely to SUPPORT your decision to homeschool. If you don’t care what they think, good for you! But, now ask yourself if you are okay doing this alone. {Of course you would have your husband’s SUPPORT but as any SAHM will tell you, you need more than just your man when it comes to the day-to-day grind of being home all day with kids.}

Now, ask yourself what type of SUPPORT will you need?

Do you just need the absence of random people verbally judging?

Or do you need actual phone calls from your mom saying,  “Yay, you! You are amazing and your kids will be fabulous adults some day!”

Do you need physical SUPPORT from friends taking your kids for a day so you can go to the MD, carpooling to activities or swapping subjects to teach one another’s kids?

Are you an introvert and have no desire to make new friends but would be more than happy to join a FB Group with 30, 000 other homeschool moms?

Do you need your old friends to SUPPORT you by validating your friendship through frequent girls-nights-out?

Just like with SOCIALIZATION and FINANCES, the answers to the SUPPORT questions will look different for you than me {or anybody else}. The important thing is that you are honest with yourself as you take each of these things into consideration. It’s a big decision but the time, effort and energy spent will be well worth it!

Filed Under: SUGGESTIONS, Tips Tagged With: Best education, Homeschool, Homeschool moms, Homeschool vs public school

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