The Importance of Homeschooling Community

I asked myself recently why mainstream culture is so bent on handing responsibility over to others. We give our power to doctors, pharmaceutical companies, teachers and schools, banks and so many more entities and institutions. We have learned as a culture to not trust our intuition, healing ability, bodies, or ability to learn and be curious. Those who do trust themselves are accused of not trusting anyone else, as in the case of homeschooling, for instance. Why is there such a fear of taking responsibility? I think this is because in our current society, we see either/or: either the responsibility is ALL on my shoulders, or others will be my parents and take care of me. We want to be taken care of. The world is overwhelming and scary. I want someone to hold my hand. Who doesn't?

The greater culture has become so attached to giving responsibility to others that we can't even see that a middle ground is possible: I can check with my doctor, then take herbs. I can homeschool and hire tutors. I can grow a garden and shop at the grocery store. I can earn a living and ask for help when I need it. Doing both is not shameful nor disrespectful.

The problem is, our society is set up in such a way that we can only see one or the other: homemade herbal remedy or antibiotics and other drugs. School or homeschool. Order or anarchy.

Truth is, there is a middle ground, and it neither means giving away power nor taking all the responsibility on my own shoulders. This "middle ground" is called community. The doctor becomes a member of your tribe, with knowledge and access we can tap into. The child learns from the parents, a tutor, gymnastics instructor, other parents, her friends... and so on.

As homeschoolers we can help shift the paradigm of either/or to the circle. The dance. The flow.

So let me ask you: What would the ideal homeschool community look like? Where do you need help? What do you have to offer others that supports your soul work while supporting others?

Comments

  1. AmyJune 24, 2012 at 11:57 AM

    Ideal for me would include people living near enough to walk to their house in five minutes, who are at least an occasional friend, a person to do things with for myself or their children for my very socially oriented teen daughter.

    As someone who has homeschooled for over 20 years, this has yet to happen, but I still hope for it.

    And as a Catholic, I would be glad if this nearby family were Catholic, too, although that is not as much of a requirement as I used to think...now it's more unschooling which would allow for flexible visiting times and activities.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Clea DanaanJuly 10, 2012 at 4:31 PM

    Amy, that names some of our struggles, as well. We don't connect with anyone in the neighborhood socially, spiritually, or as homeschoolers. So our community is a little more spread out. We've a funny problem that should go away in a few years, which is that all our homeschooling/unschooling friends (myself included) have babies or toddlers that nap at all different times! Like the scheduling thing, it makes it hard to find a time that works for everyone.

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