If you've homeschooled for any length of time you have probaby been confronted with the question, "What about socialization?" While there's a whole lot to say on that issue, today's link-up at the Homeschool Village has to do with social networks for moms!
Living in the country creates its own set of social challenges for me. When I'm in town I'm usually driving kids to various activities and making trips to the library, hardware and grocery store. Finding time to socialize irl is challenging at best and one done most often with the other moms at co-op or Tutoring Center. Because of that on-line communities have been a life saver for me.
The Well Trained Mind boards is my Teacher's Lounge. Started by Susan Wise Bauer, co-author of The Well Trained Mind and Story of the World, is a large, active community with a classical bent (though there are many with neo or no leanings towards classical ed) with lively discussion, several forums, social groups, weekly challenges, and bloggers! Weekly blogging memes include Wordless Wednesday, 52 Books in a Year Challenge, Weekly Review and much more. I have a whole list of gals from TWTM boards who have strengthend and encouraged my homeschooling through their posts and humor from all across the world: Tina, Jen, Nan, Rosie, Robin, Kathy, and so many, many more! Some of the activities have really been great in keeping me accountable- like Robin of My Two Blessings 52 Books in a Year challenge, or the Weekly Review. Good stuff. Great people from all walks of life, from all over the world!
The Homeschool Village is a new community that has great weekly link-ups and panel (I'm one = ) , fun challenges, and a host of resources, facebook and more. Another growing community and a great week to meet up with bloggers and a host of other homeschoolers! The community grows by the week. Homeschoolers unite!
Facebook and Twitter are also fun social outlets and I've re-discovered old friends, made new ones and broadened my abilites by the challenge of both. I joined Twitter because of a Twitter Party at the Homeschool Village (thanks for the push, gals! = ) and I've recently linked up to the LibraryThing community. Ohmy. If you are a bibliophile, a whole new world awaits!
Blogging and reading others blogs has been my hobby, therapy and creative outlet for the past 2 years. The Blog world is vast and fascinating and cheaper than the stickers and paper that scrapbooking demands! There are homeschooling blogs, political blogs, photo blogs, decorating blogs, theological blogs and more, more, more. If you are an info junkie the blog world could easily consume you! I've made some great friends through blogging and have had some wonderful correspondence across the country with like-minded bloggers, both via email and through comments. It's a blast to know that what I've written has been meaningful to someone else or to find encouragement and inspiration, and even my faith strengthened by someone else's photo or words. Two or better than one!
Which leads me to my final point. I am so grateful for the myriad social networks available on-line and spend time daily going through my "route." But it's also something that I have to manage because one link leads to another, one Facebook friend leads to another, one blog post leads to another click through and before you know it hours of your day have been consumed by a one dimensional social life. While I love the technology it doesn't beat sitting down to coffee irl with a friend or snuggling on the couch with one's kiddos reading a book. Speaking of which, I have kids to teach. Fractions and decimals, here we come!
Don't forget to link up at The Homeschool Village.
Living in the country creates its own set of social challenges for me. When I'm in town I'm usually driving kids to various activities and making trips to the library, hardware and grocery store. Finding time to socialize irl is challenging at best and one done most often with the other moms at co-op or Tutoring Center. Because of that on-line communities have been a life saver for me.
The Well Trained Mind boards is my Teacher's Lounge. Started by Susan Wise Bauer, co-author of The Well Trained Mind and Story of the World, is a large, active community with a classical bent (though there are many with neo or no leanings towards classical ed) with lively discussion, several forums, social groups, weekly challenges, and bloggers! Weekly blogging memes include Wordless Wednesday, 52 Books in a Year Challenge, Weekly Review and much more. I have a whole list of gals from TWTM boards who have strengthend and encouraged my homeschooling through their posts and humor from all across the world: Tina, Jen, Nan, Rosie, Robin, Kathy, and so many, many more! Some of the activities have really been great in keeping me accountable- like Robin of My Two Blessings 52 Books in a Year challenge, or the Weekly Review. Good stuff. Great people from all walks of life, from all over the world!
The Homeschool Village is a new community that has great weekly link-ups and panel (I'm one = ) , fun challenges, and a host of resources, facebook and more. Another growing community and a great week to meet up with bloggers and a host of other homeschoolers! The community grows by the week. Homeschoolers unite!
Facebook and Twitter are also fun social outlets and I've re-discovered old friends, made new ones and broadened my abilites by the challenge of both. I joined Twitter because of a Twitter Party at the Homeschool Village (thanks for the push, gals! = ) and I've recently linked up to the LibraryThing community. Ohmy. If you are a bibliophile, a whole new world awaits!
Blogging and reading others blogs has been my hobby, therapy and creative outlet for the past 2 years. The Blog world is vast and fascinating and cheaper than the stickers and paper that scrapbooking demands! There are homeschooling blogs, political blogs, photo blogs, decorating blogs, theological blogs and more, more, more. If you are an info junkie the blog world could easily consume you! I've made some great friends through blogging and have had some wonderful correspondence across the country with like-minded bloggers, both via email and through comments. It's a blast to know that what I've written has been meaningful to someone else or to find encouragement and inspiration, and even my faith strengthened by someone else's photo or words. Two or better than one!
Which leads me to my final point. I am so grateful for the myriad social networks available on-line and spend time daily going through my "route." But it's also something that I have to manage because one link leads to another, one Facebook friend leads to another, one blog post leads to another click through and before you know it hours of your day have been consumed by a one dimensional social life. While I love the technology it doesn't beat sitting down to coffee irl with a friend or snuggling on the couch with one's kiddos reading a book. Speaking of which, I have kids to teach. Fractions and decimals, here we come!
Don't forget to link up at The Homeschool Village.
3 comments:
Thanks for the great links! And your last paragraph sums it up – it’s all about finding the right balance! I’m glad to meet you through Homeschool Village!
http://LivingMontessoriNow.com
Sometimes a little on line socialization is just the thing ;)
I enjoyed your post very much! I need to head over to The Well Trained Mind boards, as we are leaning a lot more that way in our homeschool than I originally thought we would.
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