Our Co-op

We belong to a great secular homeschooling co-op in Norfolk. One of the many reasons we chose Homeschooling Out of the Box as our co-op is that it is a stone's throw from our home. The kids get a real kick out of cycling or scootering to co-op each Tuesday.

Another is that the co-op members are a great bunch of women and children. I enjoy my Tuesdays. The kids get to do fun, enrichment classes and I get to hang out with intelligent women who speak about many topics, not just their children. Over the years I've learned to avoid women whose conversation are all about their children.

I'm always conflicted come Tuesday because while I thoroughly enjoy hanging out with these women, I am always exhausted at the end of the morning. The exhaustion is made worse by the fact that we spend the afternoon at music classes where I am again surrounded by people.

I know it is because I am a loner and an introvert (this doesn't mean I am a shrinking violet, it just means that people sap my energy and that I regenerate my energy by being on my own). I feel guilty that I am looking forward to the end of the month when we will have Tuesdays to ourselves again, but at the same time, I know that I'll miss these great women.

I enjoy listening to Cynthia's gentle take on the world, to Tina's experience having "grown up" two and a half children already, to Delbra's calm, competent, quiet advice on classical homeschooling and Melina's interesting take on life.

I enjoy seeing my children interact with their peers and seeing their excitement when they learn about pirates with Lydia or Colonial Williamsburg with Tina.

Above all, I enjoy the sense of community we've developed. Today we supported each other by having a swap session of children's clothing and donating our books for a fundraiser for the UU Church that hosts us.

Trisha and Colyn with their children.