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This has been our first year homeschooling. We were invited to join a co-op with our friend's group but we knew we would be moving at sometime during the year plus I was working so we didn't....

NOW, we have moved...lots of homeschoolers around here. Just went to the HS convention last weekend. There is a co-op I am very interested in joining for in the Fall. It meets once a week for 4 hrs in the afternoon which sounds like a lot but they have programs for all 4 of my kids....my 1st & 2nd graders would be doing Apologia Zoology for Science, Drawing with Children, Early American history (going right along with Beyond!) plus PE and Music. There is 10-16 per class. Parents must stay and help AND it is only $150 per family for the year

So, this sounds like a good way to meet other homeschool families. The church we attend here is quite small. However, I realize that there may be drawbacks to co-ops too, so I am asking for a broader perspective from those who have much more experience that me!

I found it very helpful to join a co-op especially when I first started homeschooling. I really needed the support from veteren hs moms. Then we moved and, like you I thought it would be a great way to meet other homeschoolers and it was. Before the co-op my kids felt really isolated, as our church is very small too. They love being with other kids and I thought that it was really nice for them to get another perspective from a different teacher/class.
Hope that helps. Good luck!
Kirsten

The co op you described sounds really wonderful, and I think it's nice to have one day where you can get out and be with other adults.

We just finished up our first year in a co-op. I highly recommend it, as it gave my kids opportunities to be with other kids for a one day a week, plus they had formal music, PE, and Art classes, plus my ds9 had topical studies throughout the year (history, science, and lit). Dd6 was in the K class so that was mostly play, reading, and crafts. We pay $31/mo and I just can't get a better deal than that - plus it's a Christian group of families, I got to spend some time with other HSing Moms, my kids have made good friends, etc. I highly recommend it, but realize it may not be for everyone. Our co-op met the first three Wednesdays of the month, so for the most part we were doing school at home on a 4-day schedule. Also, the parents at our co-op are the ones doing the teaching, so at some point we all have to prepare a unit and teach, which can add to your load.

We've done a Friday AM co-op for 4 years, and it's a very good one (Charlotte Mason flavored, strong Christian families). I'll point out some pros and cons:

Pros:

*It is nice for all of us to have one morning where we are out of the house, with friends, learning in a different way.

*Great to have special once a year activities that include the whole family, like a medieval feast or a Civil War reenactment.

*It can be beneficial and confidence-building to participate in end-of-the-year programs with singing, a play, etc.

*Good chance for an occasional oral report.

*Backpacks and lunchboxes...my kids get really excited about these things:)

Cons:

*No matter what, when you separate kids by age you get some less than perfect peer dynamics (gossiping, cliques, some kids being more exposed than others and sharing words or knowledge). This seems to steadily increase as kids get older.

*It can be hard to fit all academics into 4 days, especially subjects that are better being slow and steady like grammar and math

*It can affect your curriculum choices when things like history time periods don't fit in nicely.

*Teaching responsibilities for co-op take time away from other responsibilities, and often I'm up too late on Thursday evening and then very tired.

*We have to drive 40 minutes, but that varies.


I'll add some more later, as we're currently weighing out the pros/cons for continuing next year. Pray hard about this important decision, and the Lord will certainly direct your steps.

I have been a part of a co-op much like the one you're describing for 2 years. The first year was wonderful. The 2nd, not so much, and we won't be going back next year. But that's just my situation. My co-op was infant-12th grade and about 100 families.

Pros: Someone else doing science experiments, "peer pressure" to get schoolwork done, electives that you wouldn't teach at home (my dd learned how to read music in her recorder class, and my ds took a very messy art class!), a good compromise if you're children are begging to go to school, and teaching a class was very rewarding to me (I had 21 sewing students).

Cons: You get sick more, not all of the moms are great teachers, if your child has any problems in class or special needs they aren't always as qualified to deal with it, you cannot always "move at your own speed" with your children because you have to keep up. But, this was the deal breaker for me: I didn't match every parenting method, political belief, and slight nuance of doctrine as the "ring leaders," and I was made to feel very much the outcast. Sadly, I think this can be the nature of large groups of women. That's not saying that it's always that way, but that was my experience.

Just one other heads up. Don't make co-op be where the fun is and save the drudgery subjects for home. It seems with ours that the fun science, drama, art, and cool stuff is offered by co-op, but when it comes time to learn spelling, grammar and math, the yucky stuff is at home. They'll associate fun with going out and home with being a drag.

Also consider that it can be hard to leave a co-op once your kids are entrenched there, not unlike pulling kids out of school, which of course can be done but it can take awhile for things to settle down.

Another thing to consider is your support structure. Do you have extended family in the area? Other close friends? Strong church with at least a few other like-minded families? If we had these things outside of a co-op we would be much less likely to participate in a co-op, knowing some of the downsides.

Lots of good thoughts on this post. But it really does take time away from your "plan," If the co-op doesn't fit your plan. As much as my children would enjoy a guaranteed weekly dose of kids at a coop, I still find it most rewarding, beneficial, and balanced to create my own plan, field trips, play dates and invite others to join us. For example, a nature study group that you meet with once a month, a short-term art class for 6 weeks, a couple of field trips that you invie others to join you for, etc.

Hi! I know that this question was about a co-op, but have you thought about joining a homeschool group instead? There are both co-ops and homeschool groups in our area. I feel like HOD had us totally covered academically, but we still needed to make some friends (we are living in a different state than our family and friends too ). We joined a local homeschool group, which has worked out great for us. We meet once a week for Park Day for 2 hours and then we also have field trips, parties, play dates, etc. We only attend the events that fit into our schedule and that are fun for the kiddos. No commitments and no cost (except for costs associated with things like going to the zoo, getting into the movies, taking food for a potluck, etc.). Just an idea I wanted to throw out

Christy

I have not been to a large scale co-op for many of the same reasons mentioned above by some ladies.
I started my HOD journey together with one of my best friends. Our oldest children are about the same age. Her ds 7, dd of 6 and my ds of 7. We started LHTH at the same time and decided to do our own co-op. We have taken turns teaching and watching the kiddo's. Now her sister-in-law (and also my good friend) and another friend from our church have joined our co-op (they started off for socialization for their young ones and are now going to be HOD lovers).

We have the 3 older ones in Bigger, 3 in LHTH with 1 tag-along. Come January we are moving the ones in LHTH to LHFHG and starting again with the now tag-a-long and my dd of 2 LHTH, and my friends ds of 3.

We follow our HOD plans and just consult with one another what will be covered during co-op! During or so called brakes we sometimes do lapbooks if we continue to get together. The kids love to do co-op and enjoy getting together once a week to do their school and it's only fun enhanced, because there are friends, but we do dictation, Enlgish, always art, sometimes science, sometimes history.
This has not only kept us motivated even when she was pregnant with morning sickness! She did what she could to keep the guide going, while I took over older kids co-op and her sister-in-law the younger ones, but it keeps us accountable and on track. Soon when I have surgery the roles will be reversed!

The way it is structured is that we take turns teaching and the one friend who's oldest is the tag-a-long this year has joined does not teach yet, but is observing so that next year when her son turns 4 she will join in the rotation of teaching!

Now, not everyone has the privilege to have a friend doing the exact curriculum at the exact same time, but the Lord knows your needs and He will provide for you the right co-op, the right group of Mom's to come and stay alongside you to encourage you! My prayer is that the Lord opens the door for you in this situation.
May His grace be sufficient for you during this time.

Thanks so much!! This is why I asked on here! DH's cousin is wanting to start a music and PE co-op once a month and we will join in that even if we join this other one. WE have already talked about doing some field trips, etc together. I don't really know where to find a HS group really without meeting other HS moms....don't know any other HS families here except for DH's cousin either. We are attending their church, very small (we have 4 kids, she has 4 kids, her brother has 2, and there is one other boy! )

The peer pressure and stuff does bother me. I think we will be invited to some summer park play dates with the co-op group so I will hopefully be able to get a feel of the "likemindedness" although I am a bit shy and have a hard time just putting myself out there! The neighborhood here seems nice but not where I would be sending my kids out to play....just broke up a fight between a neighbor boy and his little sister tonight...they were in front of our house.... He was pulling her hair and cussing....she was hitting him.... We have a 6 mth lease here and are hoping to buy something a bit more in the country with a bit of land.

I guess we will pray about the co-op and see what works out.

Moedertje-sounds like you have an ideal situation!