I realize I must sound like a homeschool cheerleader, and I apologize for that. I just want to demonstrate that the social aspects of homeschooling can be quite rewarding. It seems that too many people have an idea of sitting alone with their children in the house day after day, and Mom or dad's brain turning to mush as it shrivels from lack of adult conversation. In reality, a homeschooler does not have to be on task form 8 am to 3 pm, as their learning tends to be much more efficient. There's no waiting for the teacher to answer their question, no standing by while a classmate is disciplined, no time staring out the window waiting for slower classmates to finish their work. So most homeschoolers have MORE time free to socialize or to pursue hobbies and special interests.
More on activities: Usually anyone can step forward and run an activity. If I see an opportunity my kids might enjoy, I call around or post a query to our group e-list.
Some activities are one time only. Last year, a mom organized this:
http://www.talklikeapirate.com/Some kids chose to dress like pirates; others displayed reports on famous pirates, both real and fictitious. It was a hoot!
My son ran a pokemon card game tourney a couple years ago. We had kids from age 8-14 take part.
There are also field trips to see maple syrup made, volunteer with Heifer International, attend the Nutcracker, view an IMAX film, spend a day at a historic village...
Have a great day!
