When you decide to homeschool, you realize you are giving up a lot of resources. No district is giving you a budget to spend, no professionals are obligated to help you, no lobbyists will influence opinions on your behalf.

Of course, you gain a lot, too. Besides the memories and the irreplaceable time with your child…besides all that, you also gain membership into a close-knit sisterhood of women working together to see to the education and well-being of their children. You see, being a homeschooling mom isn’t a solo journey. There are heroic partners all along the way.

As we are graduating our third child from homeschool, I want to salute the many homeschooling moms who have created a culture of excellence and camaraderie for our family:

THE CO-OP PRESIDENT AND BOARD who do everything from making sure the church is cleaned after class to recruiting teachers to managing membership (and so much more!).
THE CO-OP TEACHER who shares her special area of knowledge to the benefit of all.
THE TEAM ORGANIZER who knows every gym, every stadium, and the phone number for every athletic director in the state. Because of her hard work, the team has a schedule full of games.
THE CHRISTMAS PARTY PLANNER with her tub of decorations and games that she brings out year after year.
THE YEARBOOK DESIGNER who collects precious memories from the families and organizes them so the kids will have a souvenir for years to come.
THE BAND ASSISTANT who knows where you can get used instruments for cheap…and her kids teach private lessons, too!
THE CHEER SPONSOR who is always sore from practice because she believes in leading by example.
THE HOME SCHOOL VETERAN who had so many people asking for copies of her lessons, that she organized them and published them so families can learn from her even after she’s retired.
THE FIELD TRIP MAVEN who knows exactly how many participants are needed for that coveted group rate.
THE ROBOTICS CAPTAIN that comes home after work and donates his time and a lot of equipment (don’t tell his wife) so the kids can compete on a national level.
THE NETWORKER who listens when you mention a concern, and then comes up with a specialist, a program, an opportunity that fits your need.
THE PIONEER that hears of people doing something somewhere, and asks, “Why don’t we have one of those groups in our area?”
THE HOME SCHOOL RESCUE TEAM who step in when illness strikes to make sure meals and transportation are handled while Mom is down, and then come to help Grandma get through the lessons.

Being a homeschooling family means being a part of a network, having a bond akin to comrades at arms. Together we faced fears of inadequacy, challenges when resources were scarce, and the frustrations that come when we can’t blame someone else for our child’s failure. Together we pooled our talents and our strengths to fill the gaps and smooth the road in our children’s education. Together we celebrated their successes.

So, I’m celebrating you. Homeschooling has many benefits for the child, but one of the greatest rewards for me has been the quality of women I’ve been privileged to learn with, laugh with, and love.

Thank you!