It's okay to be the new kid

In a public school setting I can think of nothing more terrifying than being the new kid in class. Worrying about everyone staring at you while you stammer through an introduction and hoping that you don't say the wrong thing and your peers remember it for the rest of your school career. Being grouped into only the same age range and focusing on a set list of curricula is extremely limiting to all students. The idea that you can only learn by being with peers born within the same twelve-month period is a fallacy that makes public school not work for many children.

In homeschooling, being the new kid in a group is generally a lot less scary. For both the child and the parent. We have found that most homeschool activities will have general age ranges, but that they tend to follow a child's interests and preferred learning style. The beauty of learning at your child's pace and in line with their interests allows for interaction across a variety of age ranges and settings. Homeschooling families tend to also be more accepting of those children who may not fit into typical learning environments, as many of us came to homeschooling to better meet our own children's needs.

I am so thankful when we decided to come back to homeschooling last year that we had supportive local homeschool families that were able to help us navigate state requirements and curriculum options. Having an experienced friend help explain things to you and even show you options can really help make homeschooling seem less daunting. While we spent a lot of this last year de-schooling, we also focused on building our son's confidence that learning could be fun again. I'm glad he didn't have to worry about being the new kid in a new school and could be his authentic self and trust his own voice in determining how he wants to learn.

There are a wide variety of co-ops, classes, curriculum options, and social interactions with homeschooling. I encourage you to not worry so much about being the new kid in your homeschooling area but reach out and develop your support system in educating your children. Just like I have friends in multiple different interest areas as an adult, so too can your child. Don't worry too much about being too rigid as you find the right fit for homeschooling in your family. You are there to provide a safe space for your child to explore their full potential. You can do it!

-Homegrown Mama Blogger