Anyone lonely?

Yes! I am! It seems like no matter where I go, everyone already has their group of friends and they aren’t interested in making new friends. My children have no friends (luckily there are 4 of them so they have each other). I have tried reaching out and get no response. I’ve even heard several other homeschooling moms say they do not want to spend time with other homeschoolers because “They’re weird.”

Another time I hosted our homeschool group’s Mother’s Meeting at my house and was insulted. I shared my homeschool routine (as did everyone else) and a little bit about Charlotte Mason and one of the ladies went into a big rant about how schedules “give [her] hives”, how she thinks the idea of keeping kids on a schedule is manipulative and coercive, and how big whoop my kid can read hard books but HER kids don’t know how to read at age 10 but they do know how to serve others and that is more important…she said this without knowing me or what I do to serve others (which I wouldn’t share anyway because in the Bible it says not to brag about your service). It was humiliating.

We were also going to a homeschool nature study meeting every week and no one ever talked to us there. Other local homeschool groups require signing a statement of faith and I’m LDS so can’t join. I don’t really feel welcome anywhere I go. 🙁

The more people get involved in “social” media, the less social they are. I don’t get it.

My heart goes out to you ladies! How do you feel about snail mail?  I know it doesn’t offer a solution for face-to-face contact, but it’s also not limited to, well, face-to-face contact, since we live in all different places.

I am an avid letter writer, if anyone would like a pen pal.  I live in Southern CA, have three daughters (24 and married, 19, 8.5), and have homeschooled since our oldest was in 2nd grade. I have always had CM leanings but have not always used CM methodology. If I had to choose a favorite “subject” within the CM realm, I’d probably choose nature study, but reading aloud has always been my favorite part of parenting, so the practice of learning from living ideas comes very naturally and delightedly to me.

My favorite things to do personally are writing of various kinds, being outside, creating collages with vintage found materials, cooking, listening to and sometimes making music, reading.

I am not the person in my avatar. That is my oldest daughter about 10 years ago and I can’t figure out how to change the photo. : p

If anyone would like a pen pal, either by snail or email, feel free to email me at salvete_amici@sbcglobal.net.

No pressure!

Ladies, this is something I’ve been dealing with for a looong time. My only child was in public school till 4th grade, and then we started homeschooling for middle school. Doing the CM method alone.

I’ve been ignored, led to believe that there would be some connections, and then the ball was dropped, you name it. I’ve cried, been depressed, confused, the list goes on. I’ve developed a thick skin after a while.

Just mostly focus on my relationship with my creator and my immediate family. We live in the city and we are down to one car now, so the pressure is even greater than ever to find others to connect with.

Never have given up on God and never will. Been in and out of co-ops, and church, and the sad thing is; most people now are truly “too busy” for real friendships, and for real commitments.

It’s sad really, but for those of us that suffer from isolation for one reason or another, we must realize that God does have a plan for us and He loves us. We can be thankful for our immediate families, and hopeful that God does have a bright future for us. Just might not be what “we” envision 😉

Stick to it! Don’t change for anyone else. Do your best to be a friend for someone else, even if you don’t receive it back. God’s promises are many for having a humble heart.

Matthew 5:3 AMP “Blessed [spiritually prosperous, happy, to be admired] are the poor in spirit [those devoid of spiritual arrogance, those who regard themselves as insignificant], for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [both now and forever].

So there’s my rant. I pray for all of us in this situation that God’s grace and mercy will be with us, and that he will fill all the “friendship” voids we have with his wisdom and spirit.

God bless 🙂

I so agree with Claire’s words about becoming “manic with stimulation.”  I live in Southern CA, so I see this or experience it indirectly on a daily basis. The culture here is one of speed and competition, and I’ve seen it change a lot, even among homeschoolers, in the seventeen years since we began. I could say a lot more on that, but I’ll stop there lest I take up too much space and soapbox time.

So, all of this relates to my “pen pal” commitment. I have always been a letter-writer, but I’m finding it even more delightful and practicala s the world speeds up. Not only because the writing of a letter by hand is a necessarily slow activity, but because letter writing seems to build relationships in a unique way and connect people who otherwise may never connect. I know several women whom I consider close friends, but we have never met in person. I have connected with them on various online venues, like forums or Etsy, or even in writing magazine ads back in the “old days,” and our relationships have grown solely through letter writing. I also have many friends who have moved away and we’ve kept our friendship up this way.  It sounds antiquated – let’s face it, “pen pal” sounds like two fifth-graders exchanging school pictures – but so be it. I feel it’s one of those ideas and practices that needs to loop back around again, something that people are taking up as if it were never here before but really it’s been here all along. Like making your own mustard and raising chickens.

I also email and text, but snail mail is my favorite. I know it’s not for everyone, and I know it doesn’t satisfy the legitimate need for face-to-face contact and connection that most people have. But I believe it’s better than loneliness.