Charlotte Mason Homeschool

When I first decided to homeschool 5 years ago, I did what I thought was a ton of research. I spent loads of time looking at different curriculum, studying different philosophies, and searching for a like-minded homeschool group I could join. I didn't have much luck with the latter. Any group that I found was either geared toward older kids (Hattie was only in kindergarten at the time), or WAAAAAY on the other side of Milwaukee, and frankly not worth the drive. So I buckled down and did my own thing. I gratefully met Brittany, a fellow homeschooler, who became a great friend. We often had play dates together, but nothing terribly formal. As far as support went, outside of my husband and Brittany, I was pretty much on my own.

When we found out we were moving to Albuquerque, I considered sending the kids to public school for a year. It seemed like an easy way to give public school a trial run, since I’d be pulling them out after a year regardless. I chatted with a few members of a Facebook group who lived in Albuquerque and, oddly enough, they homeschooled. They put me in touch with a girl named Michelle, who had been homeschooling longer and knew more about the homeschool community in ABQ.

Turns out, Albuquerque has a lot of homeschoolers. The schools are pretty terrible, so lots of people opt for it. So, I decided to keeping doing the homeschool thing at least another year. I talked with Michelle and she told me about her Charlotte Mason homeschool group, about the activities they did, their homeschool philosophy, etc. It sounded amazing to be a part of something bigger than just me and my kids, with cooler activities than I could coordinate on my own.

In my first month after moving here, I attended a planning meeting and met the other mothers from the group. I was immediately attracted to it. Everyone seemed so amazing, inspired, confident, and diverse. They all loved learning, teaching, mothering. I immediately felt a connection to them and a desire to be a part of their group. And I loved the homeschool philosophy - get out into nature and experience learning.

Since September, every Wednesday we do something amazing. We’ve learned how to make chain mail, toured a popcorn factory, learned how a car engine worked, hike the fall colors in Santa Fe, visited Bosque del Apache, had a theatre workshop, hiked in the Sandias, had 2 book clubs, played at numerous parks, done Ninja gym twice a month, hiked Petroglyph National Monument, learned how to make bread, made packs to give to homeless people, given bird presentations, visited Coronado Historic Site, given family history presentations, gone ice skating, toured Whole Foods Grocery, done numerous art projects, and this week we toured the recycling center. All of these activities have been so enriching, whether from what we learn or from the time we spend with fellow homeschoolers.

And I have met some amazing women - strong women who love their children, love God, and sincerely seek to improve their families every day. We occasionally meet in the evening to discuss homeschooling topics, and I always leave so inspired, encouraged, and uplifted. Homeschooling definitely has its ups and downs, and doing it with these women makes it more empowering, more fun, more doable.

I’ll miss my Charlotte Mason group more than I can say. They have made this year in Albuquerque so rich and fulfilling, both for my kids and for me. I hope to be a part of something like this again.