Local Homeschool Groups

by Mommy N
My husband and I attended a homeschool leadership meeting, Saturday, Jan.31. It was very informative and worth the time. I know this seems kind of lengthy, but our right to homeschool is under attack and a lot of homeschoolers don't even know it.

Like some of you I was preparing myself for homeschooling my young children, 3 years and 10 months, for when the time was right. I knew I didn't need to register them with the state until they turned 7. I still had a few years, but I think learning from others experience is vital to having less stress, so I joined a local support group. What I didn't know was that God was using what I thought was preparation for my own children's education to actually be preparation to teach junior high and high school levels with very little notice (two weeks). In December, my husband and I got custody over two of my teenage nieces, 15 and 12. I went from reading young children's books, doing crafts, playing blocks, and racing cars to teaching an actual Bible study and relearning and teaching Algebra, Biology, Literature, World History, World Geography, Spanish, English, Home Ec., and Physical Science. It's been a very fun and interesting month.

Had I not joined our local group last year, I would not have had any idea what curriculum I was going to use, because I wouldn't have had the advice or knowledge from experienced homeschoolers. I would not have had any clue where to start, much less how to start.

The support you have as an individual homeschool mom is important. Please make sure it's support and advice from those that have experience, not just from those that are in the same place as you.

Our local support group has a variety of people that are different in appearance, but like-minded in their purpose to teach their children about Christ. If you haven't joined a local support group because your children don't have to be registered with the state yet, or because you have enough socialization, I would recommend, join anyway. The support and ideas you can and will get (if you want them) or give will be well worth it to you or to someone else. Although joining a local support group is not vital to homeschool success, it can be very helpful in times you never would have imagined, and informative in things you never would have thought.

Also,If you are not a member of http://www.parentalrights.org/ or haven't signed their petition, I would suggest looking into it. The last thing we need as a parent, whether we homeschool or not, is for our children to be able to make adult decisions for themselves because the government says they have the right to and that the parent doesn't have that right over their child. If you really want to get involved go to http://www.10and2.org/ for more information about how you can be proactive in amending the U.S. Constitution.



God entrusted each one of us with the children He created through us, not through the government.