Actively looking for social outlets for young HSers

[mrsfrenchy]

If you've homeschooled from the beginning, how old was your oldest DC when you started actively searching out 'friends' and such for them?  Especially friends who are also future/current homeschoolers?

Also, how old was your DC when you started explaining that they would be homeschooled?  There is so much talk of 'school' and such in books--that combined with the fact that Dh and I are both students (so we're constanly saying "mommy is going to school now...") that's its only natural for her to assume that she'll go to school one day too.  The other day, she asked if she could go to school with me instead of staying home with our nanny.  I said that she couldn't, and she replied "when I'm three, then I'll go to school just like you!"  How did you handle this sort of thing?

[nov05mama]

I would say around 3ish? We have always participated in play dates with our local 'mommy' group, so if you wanted to go that far, I guess you could say "birth" LOL! But as far as friends who are homeschooling and/or plan to homeschool, then around 3/4ish. We started participating in co-ops this past year (so age 4), so I guess that's the first 'seeking out' we did, if you could call it that.

The school thing came up here over the course of the past year for us. He had many friends who were older and heading off to Kindergarten, and he had other friends his age heading to preschool. I just explained that we do school at home instead. He actually tells other friends that as well now if they are talking about school. I think it's perfectly normal for those questions to come up though! No worries!

Originally Posted by mrsfrenchy 

If you've homeschooled from the beginning, how old was your oldest DC when you started actively searching out 'friends' and such for them?  Especially friends who are also future/current homeschoolers?

Also, how old was your DC when you started explaining that they would be homeschooled?  There is so much talk of 'school' and such in books--that combined with the fact that Dh and I are both students (so we're constanly saying "mommy is going to school now...") that's its only natural for her to assume that she'll go to school one day too.  The other day, she asked if she could go to school with me instead of staying home with our nanny.  I said that she couldn't, and she replied "when I'm three, then I'll go to school just like you!"  How did you handle this sort of thing?

[deditus]

Really this year, dd is 4. So many kids from playgroup disappeared to preschool. My dd has always said that she doesn't want to go to school, she wants to homeschool.

[MommaCrystal]

My oldest just turned 5.  I have been wanting to get involved with homeschoolers since he was at least 3.  At that time the closest groups to me pretty much told me they don't welcome you until your kid is school aged.  They said too many change their minds and it isn't worth their time to build the relationships before then.  Now my kid is school age and those groups have fallen apart! LOL!  I've heard the kids got too old and so they just disbanded.  Perhaps if they were more welcoming to the younger set it would have different?

I've run into other groups at the park and such.  I've driven a bit away from home to extra nice parks to see if I could run into any homeschoolers.  I have!  They've been awesome!  So friendly and chatty.  But then I can't seem to get an invite after that.  I've come out and said that I'm looking for a group to join.  I get lots of "Oh yeah, I remember when we were at that point.  It was hard to find a group... blah blah blah."  Then I'll ask about their group and I get vague half answers and no invite or details that would give me an in.  I have a close friend who is experiencing the same thing and she is just the nicest person who ever walked the earth.  So I don't really think it is me.  We've even forked over cash to join a state association that we THOUGHT would lead to regular group activities and meetings.  But the president moved out of state and that has sort of been the end of that!

All that to say, I'm still looking.

As far as talking to my son about homeschooling?  I just always told him that we'd be doing school at home.  That some kids go to big schools and other stay at home and do school with Mom and Dad.  The rare occassion he's expressed a desire to go I ask him why.  I can usually solve whatever his want is (a backpack, school supplies (crayon's etc), time to play on play structures, etc).  It doesn't last long.

[elus0814]

I haven't found any groups in the past year and a half of looking. The family who lives right behind us homeschools but are not the nicest people - the mom once came over really ticked because our daughter was 'crying near her back fence'. DD asked to play with them but they were planting a garden and said no then she started to cry, no big deal but that mom was MAD. DD was in the space between the fences which on a military base is a sort of 'no man's land', it's grass where lots of kids walk and play and doesn't 'belong' with any house. 

I did come across a pamphlet for a homeschool group at the on base library. I emailed and they emailed back with a statement of faith that both my husband and I were expected to sign before we would be allowed to attended their park days or anything else. The group was Christian and we are Catholic, which is Christian but we didn't agree with everything in their statement. It seemed odd to me to exclude people in that way, especially since it's really a group for children.

The only time I've ever met homeschoolers has been at the couple conferences I've attended and at homeschool days in Jamestown and Yorktown historical sites in Virginia. We don't live anywhere near Virginia or where the conferences were so nothing ever came of those meetings.

We've had food luck with girl scouts and on base sports. Now that my kids are finally old enough for the little seasonal sports they have on base we've been able to meet other families. All the sports for kids under 5 or 6 are parent and child (including swim lessons) so with four kids that just wasn't possible. Vacation bible school at church was another way to meet friends.

We never planned on homeschooling, it just happened because of moving and different age laws in our new state so we never talked to the kids about it until we were just about ready to start homeschooling. 

[Greenmama2]

I typed a big post and lost it. Basically started looking for groups (checking them out online and asking around) from 1 and attending from 2.5 years. DD is only 4.5 yet any non-home schooled kids her age are either in full-time preschool/daycare or going three days a week which means they are really hard to make friends with, and their lifestyles are already so different to ours.

[Stacey B]

I connected with the local AP board and through them I found a bunch of other families who are homeschooling. Ds 4 is already in one homeschooling co-op and most of his friends are hs. It took some effort to find but I am forever thankful, not only for his friends but the friends I have made too. It's a small group of five families with kids ranging in age 2-12. Also if you have a local food co-op they might have something posted. Or if you're brave you can post something, there or on yahoo groups.

[marimara]

I say 3 or 4.  Last year I found a homeschool coop and enrolled dd.  All of her little buddies went off to preschool starting at age 3.   Now the coop closed down so I'm just out and about scouting out other homeschoolers.  I've found 1 other family.  Dd is 4 now for reference.