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<blockquote data-quote="Hypno" data-source="post: 1369270" data-attributes="member: 12416">Co-ops exist but more commonly in a different form than you suggest.At the elementary age, you can usually find a support group for homeschoolers.&nbsp; Its a convenient way to share ideas, arrange playdates and other activities like field trips.&nbsp; We belonged to one in our area, and a second that was stronger in the next town over. Be warned that these are very cliquish, and it took some time getting into the second group.Next, be warned that people homeschool for lot of different reasoans, and they will be different from yours.&nbsp; We had one family in our Christian group who didn&#039;t want their kids going to school with Mexicans. A lot of moms who were slackers or busybodies.&nbsp; Several who homeschooled because their kids had learning disabiliities, which is a good reason for them but means you kid might not be on the same level as them.My wife actually found a group of Wiccan&#039;s who had a strong, open group that had an excellent chess program.&nbsp; My son played chess with them, lol.In the middle school and high school years, you might be in the same group or move to a larger group.&nbsp; There coop makes more sense.&nbsp; You have people who can specilaize and teach deeper subjects to more kidss.&nbsp; Its not 4-8 families but 40-80 families.The other thing that is a challeng is finding other kids for your kid to play with.&nbsp; If you have 4-8 families, their kids will be all different ages.&nbsp; You might have a boy, they might have girls.&nbsp; Finding kids from familieis with compatible values that are on your kids level - age, emotional, academic - is very challenging and you&#039;ll need to pull from a large group.Start looking for homeschool groups now.&nbsp; Go to homeschool conventions (trade shows).&nbsp; Homeschooling is really a full time gig and something you mostly do youreself, at least through 5th grade.In the early years, homeschooling is something you definitely are capable of yourselves, although you don&#039;t realize it.&nbsp; The later years are a bit more challenging and is where you&#039;ll need to supplement.Not sure why you don&#039;t think you can do this now.&nbsp; Is your wife working?&nbsp; If the 8K is a deal breaker, then its not for you.&nbsp; A modestly ambitious person these days could make $20 per hour.&nbsp; If they work just 40 hours a week, that is $800.&nbsp; Over the course of a year, they could make 5 times that $8,000 tuition.&nbsp; Homeschooling rarely makes sense from an economic perspective.&nbsp; If you have 4 kids and 4 tuitions, maybe.&nbsp; (BTW, $8000 is on the low side for private school tuition - thats a bargain.)To make this work, you really have to understand why you are doing it.&nbsp; Typically, you need to find non-economic reasons that make it worthwhile.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Hypno, post: 1369270, member: 12416"] Co-ops exist but more commonly in a different form than you suggest. At the elementary age, you can usually find a support group for homeschoolers. Its a convenient way to share ideas, arrange playdates and other activities like field trips. We belonged to one in our area, and a second that was stronger in the next town over. Be warned that these are very cliquish, and it took some time getting into the second group. Next, be warned that people homeschool for lot of different reasoans, and they will be different from yours. We had one family in our Christian group who didn't want their kids going to school with Mexicans. A lot of moms who were slackers or busybodies. Several who homeschooled because their kids had learning disabiliities, which is a good reason for them but means you kid might not be on the same level as them. My wife actually found a group of Wiccan's who had a strong, open group that had an excellent chess program. My son played chess with them, lol. In the middle school and high school years, you might be in the same group or move to a larger group. There coop makes more sense. You have people who can specilaize and teach deeper subjects to more kidss. Its not 4-8 families but 40-80 families. The other thing that is a challeng is finding other kids for your kid to play with. If you have 4-8 families, their kids will be all different ages. You might have a boy, they might have girls. Finding kids from familieis with compatible values that are on your kids level - age, emotional, academic - is very challenging and you'll need to pull from a large group. Start looking for homeschool groups now. Go to homeschool conventions (trade shows). Homeschooling is really a full time gig and something you mostly do youreself, at least through 5th grade. In the early years, homeschooling is something you definitely are capable of yourselves, although you don't realize it. The later years are a bit more challenging and is where you'll need to supplement. Not sure why you don't think you can do this now. Is your wife working? If the 8K is a deal breaker, then its not for you. A modestly ambitious person these days could make $20 per hour. If they work just 40 hours a week, that is $800. Over the course of a year, they could make 5 times that $8,000 tuition. Homeschooling rarely makes sense from an economic perspective. If you have 4 kids and 4 tuitions, maybe. (BTW, $8000 is on the low side for private school tuition - thats a bargain.) To make this work, you really have to understand why you are doing it. Typically, you need to find non-economic reasons that make it worthwhile. [/QUOTE]

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