Question for homeschoolers?

[MommyToAshley]

Just curious...

When you homeschool, do you set up playdates or other activities so that your kids have a chance to interact with other kids? I see this as the only draw-back to homeschooling and I was just wondering how you handle this?

TIA

[5littleladies]

I was worried about this when we decided to homeschool Maddie but we decided she would be fine. She sees her friends at church and we set up times for them to play during the week. She is also involved with a kids club that she goes to every week. Later this year we might put her in gymnastics (she would rather do ballet though so that wouldn't be until next year). The only disappointment she has so far is not getting to ride on the bus.

There are so many ways for kids to meet other kids-sports, Girl/Boy scouts, playgroups. You just have to get out there and find ways.

[A&A'smommy]

In Alabama you have to have a covering (like a church or a actual school) and a lot of the time you can join a group that has a covering and get together with those families.The group i was a member of ALWAYS had something going on they got so big they had to split up into groups. In the end they got back together for graduation every year and had a ceremony for all those students together. And of course its not always going to be that way but you can get your children invovled in other things like church or dance or gymnastics ect... I was never interested in doing those things because i had friends and other things going on I did graduate with them though and it was kinda nice to see i wasnt the only teenager there that was pregnant or had a baby! Church is a great way for children to make friends I always had a easier time at church than i did anywhere else!

This post has been edited by Jessyann on Sep 12 2003, 08:56 PM

[5littleladies]

I'm Minnesota they have a group called MACHE (Minnesota Association of Christian Home Educators). My brother was a part of that and they would go on big group outings and they had a graduation ceremony at the end of the year for the seniors. My brothers "class" had over 100 people in it. Our main place for "socializing" is church though (of course it is for alot more than that ) Anyways-homeschoolers are by no means "socoally outcast". lol There are many, many ways for them to interact with other kids.



This post has been edited by 3littleladies on Sep 13 2003, 07:42 AM

[raysnroof]

My kids have had all sorts of activities through the years. Between all my kids, there has been involvement in our community theater, a church choir, chess club, AWANA Club, (it is like scouts) nursing home ministry, home school educational events, home school social events, home school field trips, and park play days, to name just a few. Home school children actually have MORE time for social involvement. How many times in school did you hear your teacher tell you or another student that school was NOT for socializing and they needed to be quiet? LOL! I am the president of our home school group this year. We have well over 50 family memberships and the field trip co-ordinator's trips sometimes fill up so fast that she has a long waiting list! Next year my oldest will go to a co-op to study Greek with other home schoolers. Home schooling is in such a boom that the opportunities for involvement only grow every year.

[atlantamomof2]

Going through the same thing, here! There are quite a few things in our community, though, so I'm hopeful. Maggie is 4 1/2 and she's in Gymnastics once a week and a storytime at our library for 4 & 5 year olds once a week also. I try to plan playdates at parks as often as other people can make it. The schooling part is a breeze for us, it's the other stuff that gets a little hairy! I'm sure the longer one has been home schooling the easier it is to find a groove in everything. Good luck!

Valerie, Maggie(04-10-00), Joshua(12-24-03)