Homeschooling Social Tips...?

Question

I'm considering homeschooling next year (next year i'll be in 8th grade) but i'm very social and don't want to not have any friends, even though at my small school it's not working out very well.

So, I want to join new activities and find new people that like some of the same things I like, etc.

I was considering finding like a homeschoolers group, suggestions or websites on how to find one?

I also thought of joining things like a kids (about my age) snowboarding group or something.

I live in upstate new york and I was really wondering for suggestions or approaches... or tips? Thanks a bunch.

Answer 1

Is there any way you could arrange to go into school for one or two days a week? That might work. You could also do extra-curricular stuff like sports, creative writing classes, drama etc. Maybe do volunteer work on a saturday or something.

Answer 2

Tip #1: Don't think that homeschooling will make you happy. It's how we choose to look at things and what we do with our lives that make us happy.

Tip #2: Search online for support groups. For example, let's pretend you live in Northville, NY. You would do a search for Northville homeschooling, Northville NY homeschooling and a separate one for New York homeschooling. See what comes up and go from there. I'd highly recommend looking in Yahoo Groups the same way. If you can't find anything specific for the city/town you live in, then in the larger state-based group, you can ask if there's anybody who homeschools where you live. If you are able to locate people who homeschool where you live, you can then also find out more about what may be going on for teens.

Tip #3: Don't restrict yourself to homeschoolers. Be aware of everything you can that goes on in your community--through the rec centre, Boys and Girls club, Scouts, city-sponsored things, community college (if there is one)... Everything. Swimming, snowboarding, bowling, clubs, volunteering, cooking classes...

Answer 3

The problem you mention is very real. My son was very social in school, and became much less social when we started to home school him.

Some answers. If they are available in your state, look into cyber schools. These provide you with regular classes, and you earn a regular diploma, but you learn many subjects at your own pace. Other subjects are just like school subjects, with a teacher and real-time virtual classroom. Your parents will be a big help as homeschool mentors. But they won't have to do everything. This has helped us a lot.

Many cyber schools have regular programs, field trips, outings, art classes, and other in-person, face to face extra-curricular activities. The school my son goes to PA cyber charter high school, has plenty of these.

If you go to www.meetup.com you will find activities in your area. If you are in a rural area you might not find much, though.

Of course you should keep up with friends from school. My son does; most of his friends are still friends from when he went to regular schools.

The person who said: just walk out of your door and start introducing yourself to people and soon you will be engaged in social life is right, but you will face some internal barriers and meet with some rejection. but taht's good: you'll face these issues young and learn to deal with them.

Answer 4

I'm 15 and have been home-educated all my life.

I have:

two volunteering jobs;

a regular seasonal job;

help out at swim camp;

help at a camp for disadvantaged city-kids;

compete at swimming, running and horse riding;

am learning to fly;

and belong to Venturers, Young Farmers and Air Force Cadets.

All in spite of living in a remote area and being, according to Centrelink, 'an isolated child'!

As a homeschooler, socialising is what you make it. There's absolutely no reason for any homeschooler to have 'zero fun' or 'zero social life' unless that is the way they want it. You've just got to get out of your front door, start meeting and introducing yourself to people and start participating in the everyday activities of your community. Once you start looking, you'll find the list of possible activities is pretty much endless!

If you're not sure of local homeschooling groups or what social activities are open to you locally, you can try searching for your town on 'google'; checking any community websites, notice boards, magazines, newspapers; asking at your local library, leisure and sport centre, church, volunteering centre etc etc.

Btw, don't feel you have to limit yourself to kids 'about your age'; you don't. Being home-educated means you're free to base your friendships on shared interests and goals rather than a shared age!

Answer 5

A homeschooled friend I know started snowboarding. By going to the mountain every week, she gets to know plenty of people.

Also, stay friends with your current friends. Hang out with them. Just because you don't go to the same school doesn't mean you can't be friends.

Answer 6

Although homeschooling does not provide the same kind of friends public/private/charter schools do (intense, you see them every day, they support you in schoolwork), it does allow you to have more freedom in what extra-curricular activities or supplementary programs to meet new people at. I would suggest teen programs at libraries (reading, writing), volunteering (Chabot Space and Science Center is great), starting your own project/organization, playing an instrument in a group, playing a team sport (being in snowboarding group sounds great), taking college classes (concurrent enrollment for high schoolers), and attending interesting summer programs (there are some really cool leadership and exchange programs out there). Also, religious groups may provide youth groups and social activities to meet new friends.

Homeschoolers groups can be great. I was never really active in one, but I have been a part of one before. My one best piece of advice is to pick and choose carefully. Some homeschooling groups just fool around and waste your time. But I've heard other people's experiences have been wonderful and that their friends at group have been an excellent support system. You'll have to see for yourself.

Good luck with everything!

Answer 7

hey im home schooling yr 8 you wouldnt want to

i have to go back to school in a month after doing 2 months

the socializing is 0% and the fun is 0% and the work is 0% fun

yeah you get the idea ! =)

Answer 8

Hey where in Ny do you live I could find something online for you to look at, since i live in upstate ny too! :]

Answer 9

Homeschooling can be whatever you make of it.  You should have a lot more time available for extra activities and groups, and instead of just mixing with people your age, you can be friends with anybody.  

Your local library may have posters or details of local homeschool groups, and other activities that might interest you.   There are bound to be local homeschool groups, too - just try searching for them online, if they're not listed at the library.  

You might want to try other things too - visiting someone elderly, for instance, or helping at a local playgroup, or volunteering somewhere that interest you for a few hours a week.  There are all kinds of ways of making friends and doing interesting things if you're not committed to 8 hours of school and 2 hours of homework every day!

Answer 10

Everyone has posted some great ideas.  I just thought I would add a few things that my kids and their friends have been involved in.

*Swim team, soccer, basketball, etc.  Many homeschool groups have teams that have been very successful.

*Art, music (chorus or instrumental), dance classes.

*Debate team   http://www.ncfca.org/

*Volunteering at your local hospital.  My daughters were assigned to help in the Human Resource department and the experience helped them get good jobs when they were older.

*Volunteering at your local museum.  My son helped a PHD develop a nature sanctuary and learned an enormous amount.

*Teen Pact is a group that teaches government in a fun way.  It has various camps and classes (some held at your state capital).  http://www.teenpact.com/

*FBLA- Future Business Leaders Of America is a club for teens that generally meets once a month.  If there is not one specifically for homeschoolers you may be able to join a private school's group. http://www.fbla-pbl.org/

*Mock Trial- I think this is for high schoolers but you will be there very soon, so I wanted to add it.  This is a team competition in which a fake trial is conducted.  Each team member plays a role, for example one half of the team will make up the defense attorneys and witnesses, the other half will take the role of prosecution attorneys etc.  Each team is coached by real attorneys in how to follow the rule of law etc.  At the end there is a regional competition and prizes are awarded.  My kids learned a great deal about the justice system and had a lot of fun doing it.  http://www.nationalmocktrial.org/index.c...

*4H It's not just farming.  It can encompass many things including science and technology while emphasizing leadership and life skills. We now have our own homeschool group but previously we met with a private school.  http://www.4-h.org/

This is really just scratching the surface.  There are so many things to do that we actually have to avoid getting over involved.