Homeschooling can lend itself to becoming isolated. I remember once when the boys were young I was desperate for another adult voice. Anyone. Would. Do. I have never been a fan of recorded messages, but I remember vividly the one that began, “Hello! This is Bob from Hollywood!” I was so happy to hear his voice, even though it was a recording and he really didn’t call me to chat. I realized then that I needed to find other women who had chosen to homeschool. I don’t think I would have done very well had I not found others in whom I could confide and be encouraged.

I consider homeschooling to be a profession, a calling, and a lifestyle and not always an easy thing to do. As we embark on this school year I am encouraging you to find others who you can talk with, who you can share about your struggles and your victories. You need a cheerleader who can rejoice with you as you tell them about listening to your son read a book on their own, watching your daughter divide 3,978 by 32, or helping your son write a story.

Maybe you are thinking, “That’s all good for you to say, Lisa, but how do I do that?” I am glad you asked! I do not have an exhaustive list, but I pray that these ideas can happen for you or give you ideas to help.

Invite a family over for a play date.  You don’t want to mess up the house or them to see your mess? That was my case, the house was a mess and I just wanted to get out for a while.  You could meet at a park for PE, share a picnic lunch, give the children a chance to meet others, and burn off some steam.

Join a homeschool support group. There are Facebook groups of homeschoolers and you could see if there is a group that meets in your area. If there is not, would you be willing to create a group? You can meet at a park, library, or a coffee shop. I was thrust into being the leader of a group, but I loved it and that group was a lynchpin for me throughout my years of homeschooling.

Listen to podcasts about homeschooling. Here is one that has all sorts of topics; I am sure you will find something to encourage you. This can help you not feel so isolated.  Homeschool Snapshots 

Call a friend or family member who is homeschool friendly and ask them if you can get together regularly. They don’t have to be homeschooling themselves, but that would be a bonus!

Talk to your husband. If you are married and your husband is supportive of you homeschooling, talk to him. I would start off with the good things that happened today and then discuss any difficulties you are having. There were many days where all I could think of that was positive is we went to school. 🙂  I did find it very helpful to just have a listening ear. Dale couldn’t solve the problems, but he could give me his time, which I really appreciated. I also realized that if he somewhat “knew”  what was happening he felt more involved in our school.

Find a mentor. I can’t thank the ladies who helped me enough when I homeschooled. I was scared I was going to mess up my children, forget to teach them something vital (like their name), or wonder why I was doing this. The women who had been homeschooling longer than me were a Godsend to encourage and help me. If you don’t have anyone local, you can still meet online and share concerns over a cup of coffee or a soda.

Have a great week! Find some people to encourage and support you and be a blessing to them too!

By the way, The picture at the beginning of my post made me laugh and I hope it brings a smile to your face.

– Lisa-