Homeschoolers in WA

[xzaviers_mama]

Do you know of any co-ops that are not religion based?  I don't know why I'm having such a hard time with this... I *think* that I messaged a group on meetup.com, but never heard back.  

Thanks!

Jaime

[425lisamarie]

ha funny!!  I was JUST having this conversation. I don't visit MDC often anymore but saw your post.  I"m in Mill creek area but belong to the TPA group on the eastside.  Most the meetups are on your end.  I'll be your friend LOL!  I have kinder and 2nd graders, girl/boy. 

I find it annoying that to the North EVERY single one is religious, maybe it's not just on this end!

[xzaviers_mama]

Originally Posted by 425lisamarie 

ha funny!!  I was JUST having this conversation. I don't visit MDC often anymore but saw your post.  I"m in Mill creek area but belong to the TPA group on the eastside.  Most the meetups are on your end.  I'll be your friend LOL!  I have kinder and 2nd graders, girl/boy. 

I find it annoying that to the North EVERY single one is religious, maybe it's not just on this end!

lol... I feel like there are some around here that are not religious... I just apparently suck at finding them.  

I have a second grader too!  And a 3.5yo, and a 2yo... and one more coming at the end of October.    How far is Mill Creek from the Bellevue area?  Not too bad, right?  Like... Bothell-ish?  I've lived here for 10 years, and I still don't know where I am half the time...lol!

[broodymama]

I'm across the Sound from you, but no luck in my area either.  All the ones I've heard about are very religious, which is definitely not a good fit for our family. 

[xzaviers_mama]

Originally Posted by Red Sonja 

I'm across the Sound from you, but no luck in my area either.  All the ones I've heard about are very religious, which is definitely not a good fit for our family. 

Blah.  So, do you guys do anything to get out of the house?  Play groups or anything like that...?  This is DS's first year of HSing, and I don't want him to miss being around kids his own age once in a while.  He plays with his 3.5yo brother all day long, and hasn't complained yet, but who knows.  

I did find one group that met up at a church, but the actual group didn't seem to be religion based at all.  It seemed that this was just the place they found that was willing to let them  use their space.  They had some really cool classes, that I think my son would love (LEGO building, for one), but there were a lot of "rules" that you had to follow.  Most of them would be no problem, but they had a requirement of you having a "job" there (totally understandable, since that's what makes a 'co-op' work).  This would be fine, except that I'm due in 5 weeks, and it seems very strict that once you commit to one job, you must stick with it.  You're allowed to find someone to cover your "shift", but that isn't something I'm ready to take on right now... Not to mention... who the heck will care for my other kids while I tend to my job there?  

I don't know... the classes they did seemed neat, but I got a bit overwhelmed.  I think I'm looking for more of a playgroup, where HS'd kids meet up, hang out, play at the park, have a picnic... whatever.  The extra classes I can find on my own for now.

[bookwormommy]

If driving to Seattle is an option for you, we have a large and wonderful homeschool group in Seattle that has weekly park days around the city.  Let me know if you want more info. 

[xzaviers_mama]

Originally Posted by bookwormommy 

If driving to Seattle is an option for you, we have a large and wonderful homeschool group in Seattle that has weekly park days around the city.  Let me know if you want more info. 

Definitely!  

[425lisamarie]

Yep bothell-ish.....we are in Bellevue sometimes for the lego store and build a bear LOL.  Or for whatever other reason.  It's not really far.  I just don't know what to do about the coops, because sometimes I don't really feel like getting politically involved if that makes sense, and I feel like an outcast from it.  Not that everyone/coop is this way, just my experience from the past year and I'm not avoiding more involvement, it's just that it complicates things for me.  Like we have the school down, i just want a network of people for friendships, ideas, a grown up to talk to on occassion LOL.

Ummm, I have a slightly disorganized home and plenty of toys/legos and fun stuff and we are happy to have little kids around! We have  big spring free trampoline too for the days you just don't feel like going to a park.  I know you are due, but if you like to get out you are welcome to come hang out sometime! 

[broodymama]

We ended up starting a secular homeschool Yahoo group for our area last September and it's been slowly growing.  We get together with the other families for park days (usually only once a month, adopt-a-park clean-up also), beachcombing days so we can see how the different area beaches change with the seasons, and occasionally field trips.  We went over to the Children's Museum in Seattle one day, planning one to a creamery on the Olympic Peninsula and a tour of a local CSA. 

The winter is the worst, when it's so rainy that we don't get out much and the kids have so much energy that I feel like I'm going to be over the edge before afternoon!

[pantufla]

Have you looked at this list here?

http://www.washhomeschool.org/homeschooling/support.html

[bookwormommy]

xzaviers_mama  did you see i pm'd you?

[Bel]

I just joined a Yahoo group called WASH for secular homeschoolers. We're not actually homeschooling right now, but we're heading that way I think.