I like you but should we do everything together?

People with similarities seem to find each other. We make a choice to live a certain way and then gravitate towards others who have chosen to live similarly.

Homeschooling is no different. We form co-ops, study groups, help sessions and other such academic gatherings.

That is not all. For instance my girls go to swim classes that have been set up for homeschooling families. The sessions are during the day and of course cheaper. Homeschooling families like cheap*.

My girls would like to take ballet next year. I told them they could if they learn how to swim this year. A tells me she can swim now. I asked her to show me. She put her face in the water and started to do a butterfly-ish type stroke, while walking around the pool. I told her swimming means that neither your feet or hands are touching the pool. They must be moving to propel you forwards or backwards. I think she still has some work to do :-)

Anyway, back to ballet. So we will probably start up ballet again. There is a homeschool ballet group just north of us. We are thinking about taking lessons from that teacher. This is where I pause and wonder what to do. I could join the group but then we are involved in another activity that only involves homeschoolers.

Many homeschoolers tend to be Christians. I know, I know that doesn't mean they all are but for the sake of making my point, bear with me. I pause wondering if I should only be involved in groups that are homeschooling Christian families. I wonder about the 'being in the world', 'go and make disciples' and the multitude of other verses talking about reaching others for the sake of the gospel. My question is, can I do this with the limited time I have when I am only involved in these groups? I want my kids to know that there are other homeschoolers out there. I want them to be around other Christians. I also want to reach out to the community around us, as a family. That is after all why we moved up here. My kids are the first field for sowing but then the community around me is the second. Am I missing the second by the types of groups I choose to participate in?

We can (and should) pray that God will bring us people that are hungry for the gospel. From all the Scripture I have read we need to be actively seeking them out. I feel that the Christian homeschooling community can at times be so inward focused, exclusive** that we forget about the job we have been given. In the world but not of the world.

We need to find a balance. That is why I pause. That is what I am wrestling with right now.






*I am not saying this is bad, I just see it as a defining characteristic of the homeschooling group. Mainly due to large families, one income and other convictions surrounding money.
**I am a second generation homeschooling parent. This is just a trend that I have noticed from my time in the homeschooling community.