I saw Q and Kriston started a discussion on homeschooling and I thought I'd bring it up here.
Homeschooling groups of all kinds exist all over the country. There are groups exclusively for unschoolers, classical homeschoolers, Christians, gifted, etc.
I live in a rural community 45 minutes outside any major city. My group is not easy to locate, but we have small posters up at local libraries and have a contact listed on the state homeschool organization web site. There are about 200 families on our email list. We attract people from up to about 30 minutes away from our "hub". Most of our big events are in one particular town, in the community center building or a park.
It is impossible to say how important our group is to me and my family. It is an inclusive group, welcoming everyone who home educates their children, regardless of ethnicity, color, or creed. We have diehard unschoolers as well as strict classical homeschoolers, but most of us seem to be more relaxed and/or eclectic. We have friends who are Jewish, all flavors of Christian, Muslim, and Wiccan. Just this morning, the mother of the Wiccan family was telling me about how they celebrate Winter Solstice.
Regular events include the annual:
science fair, International Day, National Day, Spring Fling (Prom), and Family Fun Day, which is a fall kickoff BBQ and outdoor game day.
monthly: board game day, craft day, and two teen events
and short term classes arranged by members such as:
swimming, dance, art, gymnastics, science, drama, book club, and more
Naturally, we also have informal playdates as well, which can last for many hours or even a couple days! LOL, my husband likes to tease that homeschooling is a misnomer, as we are rarely home for a whole day.
I will say that I make social activities a priority. I feel that the social and emotional stuff is vital, and my kids are pretty well able to feed their heads without a lot of time or effort. I see my oldest with Asperger's, and he is SO smart, yet struggles with everyday interactions. I wish we could trade off IQ points for EQ points; I'd do it for him in a heartbeat.
Anyway, there are many groups out there, and if you don't find one that rings your bell, you should consider starting your own. All it takes is 3-4 families to get started.
