Wild Roots Co-op

 "But how will you socialize them?" is the question that all homeschoolers get when out and about, but surprisingly I haven't really run into that one. The biggest questions I get about our homeschooling endeavors are about our co-op- how it runs, how it started, what we do, etc. And to be fair, it's such a cool thing that I would probably have questions too. I thought I'd share the details here so the next time someone asks me about our group, I'll send them this post. And because it's something so very special to our family and I love to share that part of our life.

Our group started with a desperate mama that wanted a homeschooling community. That mama was me :) The only homeschooling friends we had were moving out of state and in a panic I realized all our other friends were going to be starting preschool in the fall and we were going to be alone doing this homeschooling thing. I looked and looked for a community that we could join, but because Isla wasn't kindergarten age yet, we were not able to join any of the co-ops in town. That same friend that was moving away encouraged me to form my own little group since I couldn't find what we were looking for. So I put out a message in a few facebook groups, like our hospital birthing center group and other Illinois homeschooling groups. The response was great and I created a facebook group to cater to local homeschooling families, specifically with early learners (the before-kindergarten ages). That group grew quickly; last I checked it had hundreds of families in it. From there I set up playdates at parks to meet the other families. After a month or so I put out a post asking those interested in forming a co-op to join me for a conversation. So one night in August a group of 10 or so moms met and formed a little co-op of our own. We discussed what we wanted, what it could look like, and how we wanted to do this. 

That was 4 years ago! A lot has changed or been tweaked over the years. We had 13 families, but now have 12 (and that could change again soon). We started with 22 children and have since added 10 whole humans to our group (and counting!). We decided to have a weekly co-op consisting of different types of activities. Really the one and only requirement is that each family hosts/leads/arranges a co-op date every semester. This is to ensure everyone is actively involved and that the burden of planning is distributed amongst us. 

Our original design has remained the same. Each month we have 4 different kinds of weekly meetings. We don't have to do them in the same order every month, but we do aim to fill each spot with the type of weeks we've designed. We have a shared google doc where we "sign up" for the one or more events we plan on leading. Then the designated leader creates a facebook event for that co-op day with the details needed for the event. It's a pretty great system and so far, everyone has done such a great job of contributing. 

Our 4 kinds of weeks are:

Field Trip Week: This is a trip somewhere local or further away that involves some kind of learning experience. Sometimes there is a cost, sometimes it's free. The main purpose of this week is to be a part of the greater community, to learn from others, and to experience something new with each other. Field trips that we have taken have included multiple zoos, nature preserves, tours of farms/maple syrup groves/facilities, museums, theatres, and even a grocery store!

Teacher Week: This is a more academic-focused day that includes a lesson or theme that is being taught. The "teacher" could be a fellow mom in the group or a local expert on the subject. The content of the lesson usually relates to something everyone is interested in or something that specific mom feels passionate about. This might take place at that mom's home, the library community room, a park, or somewhere else we can gather. Teacher weeks we have enjoyed have been "rock day" with a local geologist, a lesson on how vaccuums work by a vaccuum expert, music lessons with a music therapist, and mama-led lessons about all sorts of things- ancient Egypt, outer space, gardening, apples, Thanksgiving, Dr. Seuss, dental hygiene, yoga, etc. 

Specials Week: This is for those special days or celebrations during the year that we love. All the things about public education that we wish our kids could participate in are included here. This normally takes place at someone's home, a church, or the library. Special weeks have included holiday parties (Halloween, Easter egg hunt, Spring Equinox), book celebrations like Little House on the Prairie and Magic Treehouse, field day, and family cookouts.

Playdate Week: Play is very important to our group. It helps us ward off those socialization worries everyone is so concerned about with homeschoolers ;) Playdates are typically free play somewhere fun like the park or nature preserve, but sometimes they are a little more elaborate like a day at the pool, a hike somewhere cool, or a coffee shop or gym. Sometimes the person leading it will also incorporate something exciting like flying kites, tug-of-war, or bug collecting.

Sometimes the activity costs money and whoever is running that week will handle collecting that or asking for that. Everyone is quick to help out, bring things, or facilitate as needed. Some moms even team up to co-lead events. We are starting year 4 and while we do have some traditions (the Easter egg hunt, the maple syrup tour, family cookouts), we have also discovered new things each semester. It's amazing what you can come up with as a community. 

We've had a couple hiccups along the way like deciding we were a closed group (we just got too big) or reminding people the importance of RSVPing, but for the most part it's run very smoothly from the get go. And somewhere along the way these women turned into some of my dearest friends. We have even started vacationing together! What started as a group for our children's education has turned into a true village. I can think of so many times where someone needed help and many group members stepped up. When a friend was moving and we were all willing to help move boxes, when an entire family was extremely sick for a whole month and friends dropped off groceries and medicine, whenever someone has a baby and the whole group brings dinners, when someone loses a loved one and we all mourn together, when everyone offers to watch someone's children because they don't have family to rely on. It's what I imagine a village is supposed to look like. And the crazy thing is we are all so different. There are different political beliefs, religious beliefs, ways of parenting and homeschooling, senses of humor, likes and dislikes... and yet, we all get along. Maybe not always and not everyone is best friends, but it's enough of a community that we respect and care for one another. And that is so rare and so cool to be a part of. And the best gift of all is that we have each other as we homeschool. There are long days and hard days. Homeschooling is not always fun, easy, or rosy. Having each other to share concerns, vent frustrations, cry on shoulders, laugh out loud, and discuss our days with is vital. We are different kinds of mothers who have chosen this weird thing called homeschooling, so even though we're all different, we share that one common practice that we can all relate to and understand about each other.

I love our co-op and I'm so grateful for it. My children have made their best friends from the group and have been given a richer education because of this group. I'm so glad that one friend encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone to create what I wanted because without this group homeschooling would be a lot different and a lot harder. 

One of our traditions is our annual meeting. Just like the first meeting in August 2022, we meet together every August to discuss the year ahead. We go over housekeeping, rules, ideas, concerns, and joys. We share what our days/schedules will look like this year. Everyone does such different things- some people are traditional learners, some look more like Montessori or Waldorf educations, some travel for their education, and we even have an unschooler amongst us ;) So we enjoy listening to what everyone is doing for the upcoming year and sharing our personal curriculum finds. We discuss upcoming events and bounce ideas off each other. We share our highs and lows and any life updates. We all leave excited for the year ahead and grateful for our group.

This year was a trip to Italy with pasta, salad, and bread. It helps to have mamas that know how to make delicous homemade foccacia bread and italian ricotta cake. There was italian music and sangria. Each mama was gifted homemade tea from the garden and a tree charm for our matching necklaces (yes, we are that weird). The charm was representative of our name- Wild Roots Co-op.

This last year we finally all agreed on a name. I love the meaning behind it. 

Wild: a self- directed, free education 

Roots: through stability and connection, we find nourishment to thrive

Trees can literally communicate with one another through their root system. Through this network they are able to share needed resources. Similarly, we feel that we can support, encourage, and help each other through our own little wild root system. We might be cheesy, but that's ok. It's a pretty special thing to have a whole village to be cheesy with :)

I wish for everyone that they could find a village where their children are supported and loved, where the mamas are blessed with friendship, and where you're free to be your true self. And I guess the moral of the story is, if you don't have that, make it yourself. It worked for me :)