Thinking about homeschooling

[Leanne81D]

Hello I am thinking about homeschooling my 10yr old from September and I'm looking for HE groups around Hertford, Bishops Stortford, Royston areas? We have done loads of research and we are pretty certain HE is the right course for us I just want to make sure I can fulfil my daughter's social needs aswel. She has always struggled with making friends at school and finds it very hard to socialised with large groups but when introduced slowly in smaller groups she is very social and happy to take part in things. I'm not on FB so finding HE groups we can meet up with in our area is proving difficult, if anyone knows of groups in this area or can point us in the right direction we would really appreciate it

I can't advise about home ed groups in your area, sorry - we're in the south west and also not on Facebook . People do think it odd when you say you're not on fb, and I get face from them regularly.

We haven't gone down that route with joining home ed groups, as there aren't any that wouldn't involve at least a 25 mile drive (we are a long way from big towns). The DC both belong to other things which give them contact with other children, eg DD goes to Guides, and several other sports classes during the week. She is also active on social media connecting with her friends and arranging to meet them when they get home from school. DS is younger and we make his arrangements for him. He also goes to Cubs and sports groups in the evenings 2-3 times a week.

So, I think what I'm trying to say, a bit clumsily, is home ed groups are not the only way to meet other children. Sports groups and shared interest groups also work because the DC have a ready made connection with the others who go.

But if you are looking still for a home ed group then I'm sure someone else will be able to help. Good luck with the home ed. After many hiccups at the start, we are finally getting into it and it's getting better. We have two approaches - DD is formal, working towards gcses and DS who is more or less unschooling.

Try looking on yahoo groups for home ed groups in your area but to be honest, facebook is the main place where events / meets are organised at the moment. Why can't you join facebook? You don't have to use it for anything other than home ed groups, unless you want to.

Thankyou that's all very helpful will look in to the Yahoo groups we have joined guides which my daughter loves and looking into other groups too, guess I'm just over thinking the social side as this is the main area people comment on when discussing the idea of home schooling.

You need to join facebook and use it JUST for the home ed groups, honestly, if you are against facebook. It's where pretty much everything is organised in our area.

www.facebook.com/groups/HomeEdHerts/ (1700 members)

www.facebook.com/groups/502602059944051/ (that's the Hertford specific group, 170 members)

www.facebook.com/groups/SWandBSHomeEducation/ (bishops stortford and saffron walden, 470 members)

see? There are LOADS of people home educating in your area, but facebook is the absolutely easiest way to make contact with them.

Normally with those groups, you click to join, and then you need to keep an eye on your "message requests" folder, because an admin from the group will send you a message to say "oy, are you real or are you a spammer?" and then you write back and explain who you are, and then they let you into the facebook group.

When I first started home ed I was very much against fb, and used the local Yahoo group to find activities. I soon signed up with an anonymous fb account as I realised that nearly everything was posted on fb, and it was a much easier way of finding out about local activities. A few years on, and no-one uses the yahoo group at all.

@cramptonhodnet im not on fb either. Not used it in six years. I m about to start home schooling and have no way to find home schooling groups without being on fb.