So, how do you find fellow secular homeschoolers?
Finding fellow secular homeschoolers can be tricky depending on your area. Remember, those misconceptions many people have about homeschoolers being super religious and conservative still permeate throughout our country. Most homeschoolers who identify as secular homeschoolers are lying low by either keeping to themselves or quietly hanging out in the Christian homeschool groups.
The first step to finding secular homeschoolers is to check out Facebook Groups.
I know, you probably cringe at the idea of joining Facebook Groups….but, that’s where people tend to hang out online. Search for Secular Homeschoolers (your area)…if something pops up you’re in luck! If nothing pops up…consider creating a group and making it open to search…you probably aren’t the only one searching for a secular homeschool group. Other terms to search for… Liberal Homeschoolers, Non-religious homeschoolers, SEA Homeschoolers (stands for Secular, Eclectic, Academic), Social Schooling, and Covid Safe Homeschoolers. You can also join my local group- Inclusive Homeschoolers.
The next step to finding secular homeschoolers is to get out there!
You’ll never find fellow secular homeschoolers unless you get out there and meet people. Don’t make any assumptions…just talk to everyone and see who you click with. Being an introvert myself, I know how difficult this can be for fellow introverts. But, I make myself get out there and connect with new people in hopes of enriching my children’s lives.
Check out your local library, museums, children’s theaters, parks and rec dept (both city and county) to see if they have any homeschool events. I have found some amazing classes for my kids this way. Then, as we’ve attended these events we’ve started seeing the same people over and over again.
The homeschool community is small but it’s growing. So you’ll run into the same people and you’ll get to know them….if nothing else you know you have at least one thing in common…homeschooling.
If these places don’t offer anything for homeschoolers, ask if they will create something. Libraries are the easiest place to start, they’re always looking for event ideas to draw people into the library. Plus, most homeschoolers already frequent the library so it’s most likely they’ll hear about and attend the event.
Our local library puts on amazing events for homeschoolers including art classes, STEAM classes, writing classes, and book clubs. These are all classes they offer after-school, they just made a mid-morning event and called it a homeschool class. Now they have to offer multiple homeschool classes because so many homeschoolers started attending.
The final step to finding secular homeschoolers is not to give up!
It may take some time for fellow secular homeschoolers to open up or show up…but the key is to just keep trying. With our current climate, new homeschoolers are popping up every day. It may feel like there’s no one like you…but they’ll come…you just have to give it time.
And if all else fails….start your own group.
I started a simple game day in my area and we’ve grown over just a few months. I simply created a Facebook event and called it “Secular Homeschool Game Day” and I instructed everyone to bring their favorite board game to share. We met up at a local park that had a shelter with picnic tables.
I’ll be honest, the first week it was just my kids and I playing games because no one showed up. But, the next week, one other family came. Then the following week two more families came. As word started getting out more people started showing up. So, if you build it, they will come!
