Homeschooling Boys

All week long I have been blogging about the various aspects of raising a houseful of boys, with no girls to help tame the wild beasts!

First, I want to give a thank you to Bethany, over at Confessions of an Organized Homeschool Mom, and her post about "The Important of Community". It was reading this post at the beginning of the week that got me thinking about all this and inspired the week's blog topic! Thanks, Bethany!

Bethany nailed it right on the head talking about the absolute necessity of having friend time for moms when you homeschool. Especially having time with other homeschooling moms, who know what you face day-in-and-day-out.

I am not a very outgoing person. It is very difficult for me to make new friends and feel comfortable in group situations. I can get up and sing in front of 1,000 people, or give a workshop to a room full of attendees, but put me in a cozy, social situation, and I am like a caged cat. Well, I won't bite, but I might run for it at any moment.

It takes work for me to make friends. Yet, that is exactly what I have had to do. Without other adults, I am afraid my mind would melt into a tiny, itty-bitty puddle. It is close enough, just as it is!

Time with friends, both homeschoolers and non-homeschoolers, is essential to a homeschooling parent's well-being!

One last note about homeschooling only boys - it can be very difficult to find that social time for myself.

In my neck of the woods, in my homeschooling circle, there is a wonderful group for girls. It is really and truly cool. But almost all the girls are involved. They meet frequently, and have lots of fun. So, their moms meet frequently and have fun and at least some time together. And many of those girls have brothers, so the brothers get together while the girls get together, and they all have fun and are forming friendships.

As a family of only boys, we do not get to do this. A few people have suggested I start a similar group for boys. But it isn't the same. You get a group of boys together, and there is no fellowship for moms. You are too busy making sure they are not dueling with kitchen utensils (been there), or finding ways to get around the room via furniture without ever touching the floor (done that!)! Boy meetings are not restful!

I am doing one anyways. I am coaching my first ever First Lego League, where we are going to build motorized Lego things and compete. It will be fun, but not too much socializing.

So, I guess my point is this. Homeschooling only boys can make it much more difficult to find socializing times with other homeschooling moms. In fact, it rarely happens. Mostly, I have to do it after-hours - through moms groups and other things.

To quote Forest Gump - And that's all I have to say 'bout that.

It is Saturday! Enjoy!