We had the annual planning meeting for our homeschool group last night. This group has been in existence for 20+ years and is still going, despite the usual turnover in members. Most of the original families have "graduated" but new families come along every year to fill in the gaps and add in their own experience and talents.
Last night we had a nice mix of us "veterans" as well as new families with young children. Oh how it was such a short time ago that it was me who was asking all those questions instead of answering them!!
One of the keys to a long standing homeschool group is new families who join and start doing things, taking the proverbial reigns as it were, whether or not us veteran families join in. We went through a period where the new moms would get frustrated when they would plan an activity and no older families would be able to make it. Yes it is frustrating, but unfortunately that is the way it is when your kids get older. We still try to participate in as much as we can, but it is often hard to make it to everything. A successful group will have new families who keep building on the foundations that have already been laid.
Our homeschool group, while not perfect, has been an indispensable part of our homeschooling journey. I think not having any kind of support group would make the job that much more stressful. If you are looking for a homeschool group in your area try asking around at your parish for other homeschoolers. You can search for groups on the internet; most will have some kind of web presence and contact information. Here is one example of a great place to start. If you just cannot find any kind of group, consider finding a few other families and starting your own!
No matter what, a good support system really makes homeschooling so much easier. If you already belong to a good group, Praise the Lord. If you don't, I pray that you are able to find the camaraderie and help that comes with a good, Catholic support group.
God Bless!
