We all need community, a place to belong and people to lean on. Many homeschool families find that community in a co-op, but that is far from the only place to find it. It doesn’t even have to directly relate to homeschooling. Where else can you look to find connections, encouragement, and relationships that encourage growth?
Everyday Life
The search for community can begin right where you are in your everyday life. The best advice I’ve heard for building new relationships is to become a regular. Maybe it’s Thursday mornings at the neighborhood park – and discovering a couple of other moms that are also Thursday morning regulars. Familiar faces can gradually become friends.
Do you know many families in your neighborhood? Maybe it’s time to get acquainted, and start a monthly potluck. Or reach out to a senior center nearby to begin a routine of spending time with their residents. What precious relationships could be formed over a weekly game of chess, helping out with a crafty activity, or making pen pals, as my friend’s family has done. Her children drop off letters or cards they make and the recipients write back to them. They’ve developed relationships that are mutually beneficial and show the joy that can be found in unexpected places.
Common Interests
Shared interests are perhaps the most common way to form a community. What are your or your kids favorite hobbies or activities? (Don’t forget, you need community as much as your kiddos do!) Many friendships have been forged on the sidelines at sporting events, around the circle at book club, or through shared experiences such as art shows, music concerts, or theater productions.
Intention Connections
Many times, all that’s needed to form the start of a strong community is taking the first step to form intentional connections. Invite a few families over for Saturday afternoon board games – hey, we’re homeschoolers, why wait for Saturday! A mentorship/apprenticeship for your child with local artists, craftspeople, business owners, and community leaders can offer older students valuable relationships and learning opportunities. This could go beyond friendship to career exploration and acquiring helpful skills for their future employment.
Shared Purpose
Another rich source of community is shared purpose or service. What starts as serving at a soup kitchen, joining a community garden, or helping with a litter project can offer many opportunities to get to know other families as you work together toward a common goal. In addition to a weekly liturgical service or Bible study, churches or faith organizations often have exercise or financial planning classes, sports teams, and outreach projects for their members.
The community we build with others has countless benefits and we become richer human beings through the relationships we build. We gain a sense of identity and purpose as we develop the feeling of “belonging”. Human beings have an innate need to feel seen, valued, and accepted by others. We weren’t designed to navigate life alone; we need the fellowship of other people to support us through the trials of life, celebrate our joys with us, and share a laugh over an inside joke. Interaction with others outside of our family provides opportunity for growth in essential interpersonal skills such as conflict resolution, effective communication, cooperation, and compassion for others. We open our hearts to a deeper understanding of others when we interact with people of varying ages and backgrounds.
Homeschooling allows us more freedom in our time and schedule to seek out the company of others. We can be less structured and find more opportunities for friendship outside of the classroom. Our children experience life alongside us, learn from our interactions, and model our approach to meeting both strangers and friends. One of my favorite benefits of homeschooling is being able to more purposefully cultivate our family’s relationships and intentionally build community. Comment below to share where you have community!
