Guest flowerpot701 Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 Hi, We are new to home education and are swimming in new information. Our dd has been in private school k-8 and will be taking classes through The Potter's School starting next year. She is very social and is an only child. Our main concern is providing a network of friends who are also doing home education. She is an equestrian, which does not provide a "team sport" of peers. Any suggestions for helping her find her social niche? We have a new church home and she plans to get plugged into the youth group. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katie Jean Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 First of all welcome to the world of homeschooling! I can understand your concerns with your dd being an only child. My dd is also an equestrian girl so I can relate to that type of circle. It's definitely a positive thing she will become involved in her youth group-that's a big bonus. How about 4-H? Also maybe look for some homeschool group network that provides field trips or events for her to hook up with other kids. My daughter has only just begun to step out of her shell and meet others. There are also online homeschool forums or chat places you can monitor her activity for. Does the school she will be a part of provide any sort of camaraderie for their students? The positive thing is you are mindful of her needs and best interests. You will find ways to meet those needs in time! Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nscribe Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 She is very social and is an only child. Thanks! Dd is also an "only" and very outgoing/social. I doubt we could long avoid helping Dd to have the opportunities to nourish her nature. She does need our help at this point in her life (transportation, communication with other parents, creating and locating opportunities). Clubs (4H, Scouts, Interest based organizations, Choirs, Bands, Sports, Volunteer Organizations, Honor Societies) are one way to find others and in our experience have been helpful. We have found it takes a bit more as well. Sometimes, even if a co-op or class isn't the best in an academic sense, it may be a great place to connect and worth the time for that reason alone. We are lucky because Dd is willing to try things that at first blush may not seemingly be her cup of tea. Doing so has yielded some great friendships and she has found interests she may have rejected out of hand otherwise. I am reluctant to say this but we have found a lot of kids are homeschooling in part because they are more introverted or shy. Dd has a lot of friends who don't care for parties, clubs... Respecting their nature and providing opportunities for one on one has been a great relationship builder for Dd. Meeting for a coffee, inviting them over for a movie or game, starting an email/text exchange...can be a great medium. Providing the means for that to happen is often where Mom and/or Dad make all the difference, especially by connecting with the parents of the other child. I found me starting or volunteering to assist in activities Dd is interested in especially helpful as a way to provide opportunities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest flowerpot701 Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Thank you for the advice, Nscribe and Katie Jean! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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