what kinds of social things do your kids do? - Page 2

[mommy68]

-guitar class one afternoon per week with a group of kids his age
-basketball practice and games one day per week
-PE class at the local YMCA
-Sunday school at church

We have yet to go on any field trips with the homeschool group we are a part of. We just started homeschooling again in January so we haven't had a lot of time. We'll likely do more of that stuff next school year.

[TwinMom]

We are in an AWESOME group that really does have multiple things each day for various age groups. It's difficult to pick and choose, but we have to because my kids have so much other stuff going on. In addition to at least one or two scheduled field trips each month, here's what we do on a regular basis:

14-year old twins: one takes guitar lessons and art classes, both do Odyssey of the Mind, weekly Spanish lessons, co-op, Anime Club, Astronomy Club, Chemistry Club, and Book Club, plus we host a teen hangout at our house once a month where 25-35 kids come to just...hang out. Also there are sleepovers several times a month (or week) and parties a couple times a month. They also have discovered concerts, so they and their friends will all go to rock concerts together, though they haven't gone to any in a few months. I imagine this will pick up again in the summer.

6-year old: tae kwon do three times a week, homeschool P.E. class once a week, Book Club, co-op, and we host a monthly playdate for 3-7-year olds. Our group offers a Game Day, Art Day, and Science Club for his age group, but our schedule hasn't allowed us to attend those so far. There are several park days we can choose from that mostly have kids from 3-10, but we only make a couple each month.

3-year old: He does go to co-op classes, but mostly he just tags along with everyone else. We have playdates with friends who have small children, usually once a week. He really enjoys the times we make it to park day with our group, and probably he will start tae kwon do in the summer.

[speaking_of_faith]

My children take swimming lessons and the older one is in Cub Scouts. Both activities are great ways to meet families in the community.

[JeniferS]

I schedule playdates with friends (we have friends left over from Moms Club and my son has friends left over from his year at public school), they are both in activities (gymnastics, Religious Ed class, dance class, etc), we do a semi regular class at the science museum and we go to the park often. My kids (son especially) can find new friends anywhere! LOL

I think the key to finding socialization is to get your son into some activities and then once you see who he bonds with, be pro-active with scheduling playdates. Illness does happen (especially at this time of year) so just keep rescheduling! We just had a playdate yesterday that had to be rescheduled THREE times! It was almost rescheduled again yesterday but I went and picked the boy up so that it could happen!

[mom2kbeth]

I agree with the other posters who said be proactive --

-- start a new homeschool group
-- start a club for something your child is interested in
-- start a weekly sports game
-- plan some field trips and send the info to the local homeschool group you mentioned
-- start a coop - find a space and have parents all take turns teaching "classes" for the kids, ranging from karate from a parent or older child who is a black belt, to dance from a parent with that experience to astronomy from a parent who is an astronomy buff, to cooking from someone who loves to cook, etc. ..
-- put up a notice on your local library's community board to advertise park day get togethers for other homeschoolers
-- call karate studios or other places that give classes and see if they will offer homeschool classes, then send that info out to the local homeschool group to get people interested

I have found that basically, if you build it, they will come, lol. All it takes is one person with a great idea and a few connections - and you can be that person!

[mommy68]

Originally Posted by TwinMom

14-year old twins: one takes guitar lessons and art classes, both do Odyssey of the Mind, weekly Spanish lessons, co-op, Anime Club, Astronomy Club, Chemistry Club, and Book Club, plus we host a teen hangout at our house once a month where 25-35 kids come to just...hang out. Also there are sleepovers several times a month (or week) and parties a couple times a month. They also have discovered concerts, so they and their friends will all go to rock concerts together, though they haven't gone to any in a few months. I imagine this will pick up again in the summer.

How do you find the time to do everything?! I work at home - so there's no way we can fit in more than one class and one hobby per week outside the home. I always wonder how people do it. I'm extra pooped on the days of the week when I take our child JUST to PE class or guitar lessons.

[mommy68]

Originally Posted by mom2kbeth

-- put up a notice on your local library's community board to advertise park day get togethers for other homeschoolers

That's a great idea. I may try it now that it's getting warmer out.

[RedJen]

I'm thinking of doing a library post as well, once I check out the rules. My schedule is so strange, though, that it's sometimes hard to arrange things with other people. (I'm also a student, so I work, study, and do field work during the day and we homeschool in the evenings.)

We do Tae Kwon Do twice a week as a family (which I count as PE in my homeschool tracker!)

We also do Boy Scouts. I'm an assistant scoutmaster and DS's best friend is in the troop, so that's nice. His best friend goes to PS, so they don't get to see each other very much.

Those activities take up three nights a week and one weekend a month (camping).

DS plays with the kids on the street. We're fortunate to have about five or six kids age 10-14 within two blocks of us. Four boys and a girl. Plus one of the boys has various younger foster siblings to play with. I give him a lot of time for free play, because when I was a kid, I learned so much just from running around the neighborhood and exploring.

[BunnySlippers]

I find the riding lessons to be the most social. Kids that are into horses are real 'barn brats' meaning they love to hang around the barn and chat, do chores together and ride together. They talk before, during and after lessons lol.

Dd likes to pretend to be shy but really we can go anywhere and she will end up playing with kids. Which means she socialises at the park. Sometimes there are regulars there, sometimes new kids.

I have friends with kids who by default are her friends. We try to see each other once a week, but sometimes that gets too hectic with our increasingly busy lives.

DD is also in gymnastics, there is good interaction there.

And dance, the kids get quick moments to giggle during class and some of us hang around after to let the kids play and for us(adults) to finish up our conversations we have while the kids are in class.

Dd also wants to take swimming, but with everything else she takes, my two jobs(daycare full time, cleaning evenings and week-ends) and now baseball season almost upon us-plus I am playing in two leagues- I am not sure I want to fit in swimming lessons.

I also have daycare kids. So she has kids M-F which is not always a good thing as she has to go to her or my room to get some space. And daycare kids come wether she gets along with them or not. If I could survive without the daycare I would.

[heket]

Wow, I feel like I live in a void. Although there's 2 groups near us, I WOHM and dh goes to school. So it's hard to meet up with either group. I'd love to start a new one, but I honestly don't have the energy or time in a day...

[HikeYosemite]

There is a local HS mom here who found a local gaming store, I think, that will let her do group games there for homeschoolers. I think it brings in business for them. We also have library community rooms that you can reserve for free; check into places like that to meet. Even a fast food restaurant indoor playground, if the kids are not too old, can work as a meeting place for kids with lots of energy (you can find some healthy food, like milk and fruit and salad, at some of these!). Some malls have free play areas for kids, or climbing walls you can rent. Local rec centers sometimes have open gym or swim times, or they can be convinced to start an open gym time for homeschoolers if someone gives them the idea.

I can understand your reluctance to host things in your home, and you shouldn't feel guilty about it (though I sometimes do myself; why do we let ourselves feel guilty?). I've hosted events with young children in my home, despite my best intentions to be unstressed about it, but sometimes it got a bit stressful for me and/or my kids. It can be hard for children to have a bunch of other kids descend upon their toys that they've set up "just so," or color on a picture you drew, or break a toy, and I've found that some parents don't keep vigilant of their children to the degree that would make me comfortable. It can be less relaxing for you, certainly, if you're the one who has to get things for everyone, or if you have to keep an eye on things to make sure they don't get damaged, children don't get hurt, etc., while other moms are too busy talking to notice. I have found I'm more relaxed when we are on "neutral" ground (or at least take turns at different homes).

Originally Posted by MamaLisa1

It's not that I don't want kids in my house....a couple extra at a time, would be fine, especially once we'd get to know them. It's just the thought of like 6 or 8 kids that I haven't gotten to know coming here and running around like boys always seem to do, that would drive me bonkers.

[beanandpumpkin]

You've gotten some great suggestions!

We have a Bible study that has a homeschoolers class each week (then the moms and kids all go to the park afterwards for lunch and play), church (kids go to Sunday School and then a program after the service), homeschool PE, weekly homeschool park day, and usually at least one playdate per week. There are also field trips sponsored by our local homeschool group that we do, probably monthly. Also, there's a divorced dad who lives in the house behind ours who has his 7 year old son every other weekend, so my 7 year old plays with him when he's here.

Once you find some homeschoolers, chances are that you will have the problem of too much socialization rather than not enough. Good luck!