Homeschooling and Community: Here are 5 Ways Kids Benefit4 min read

Homeschooling and community may not seem words that go together at first glance. But as one of the fasted-growing educational institutions, the importance of external support for homeschooling parents and kids is quite important.

While many myths persist about homeschooling, one of the most prevalent ones is that it is a solitary task. The truth couldn’t be farther from this, especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

There are many reasons why parents choose to homeschool their kids, such as accessibility, flexibility, and control. But no matter what your reason is, you will need a community around you as you take on this endeavor.

Why Homeschooling is Catching On

Homeschooling is a growing movement that many people are turning towards to alleviate the stress of modern education. They come from all kinds of backgrounds and experiences.

Some people choose to homeschool because they want more communication with their kids and less separation from them, while others do it because they want to customize the curriculum for their children’s needs.

However, one of the biggest concerns parents have is whether homeschooled kids would have good interpersonal skills. The perceived lack of interaction with other kids may seem like a disadvantage.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

There are so many ways to find friends through homeschooling and other forms of the online community.

5 Reasons How Your Homeschooling Kid Will Grow Through Community

Better group learning

Having a homeschool community is a great way to promote group learning and a collaborative learning environment. This will be a great way to teach your kids skills such as waiting for their turn, raising their hand to speak, and more.

Group projects can also be a great way to help identify your kid’s role in that group. Do they lead the others effortlessly, or do they seem like the ones that everyone relies on to get the work done?

Based on the outcome, you could see where your kid needs help when it comes to interacting with others.

Better Socializing Skills

Let’s face it. Socializing is not a skill parents alone can teach. Knowing other homeschooling families could be a boon as you can become a part of this group to give your kid more opportunities to socialize.

More parents are considering homeschooling their kids and chances are, you’ll have plenty of company in your neighborhood. A homeschooling community will also give you the chance, as parents, to meet other parents and share your ideas and concerns.

Pooling Homeschooling Resources

While more parents are homeschooling their kids, it is no secret that many of the resources available out there are quite pricy. This could be textbooks, local classes, lab equipment, or even specialized tutors.

Having a community through which you can share these resources is a great way to reduce your spending, but it is also a great way to support other parents who would need these resources.

More Accountability

Kids respond far better to rules and deadlines when they do it as a group. There is nothing like healthy competition to get them inspired to give it their best shot.

Having a homeschooling community will help set shared deadlines. For one, these students can work together and help each other. Not only will this get the kids to be more accountable for their own work, but also to become better at working with others.

More Options

Let’s face it: though parents wish to be superheroes for their kids, it is more often than not, not possible. Having a homeschooling community is what helps us become what we need to be for our kids.

For instance, while you may be an expert in one field, you may need some help regarding another subject–and another parent in your homeschooling community could be just that.

Perhaps you’ve got excellent French skills but your math is a little rusty. This is where parents can come together and share their skills to help their kids grow.

On another note, should there be an occasion or an emergency where you might not be able to continue with your kid’s homeschooling schedule as planned, or this may happen to another parent in your community.

This is where the best of a homeschooling community comes–other parents will step in to help to make sure that the affected parent’s kid can continue their homeschooling while the parent deals with their emergency.

It may not even be an emergency. There may be some days where you just feel like you need a break. Again, this is where your community comes in.

Remember That…

Parenting is not easy. When parents take on homeschooling, it just gets that much more difficult. In the post-COVID world, the importance of self-care is evident.

Sometimes, we need time on our own. Sometimes, we need others to help. Sometimes, we just need to know that we aren’t alone in this.

To have a homeschooling community is to give yourself and your kids that support.