This week I spoke about the Wild and Free Community. It is a co-op of sorts, but without books. We just go hiking. We keep the group small, no more than 15-20 families, depending on the number of children in each family. That is already too large to manage. Imagine a group of 30-50 people walking around through a city park or a trail in a state park.
My children on the Andrews Bald hike last week
Realistically speaking, not everybody can make it every week. Therefore, we have never had all 15 families show up. The biggest I have seen it in my 14 months of Wild and Free was maybe 7 or 8 mamas with their children.
Why are papas not allowed? This group facilitates friendships between mamas. Sometimes we discuss sensitive topics. As soon as you bring a man into a group of women, the dynamics change. This community was created for bonding experiences between women who homeschool on the one hand, and homeschooled children on the other.
We bring a picnic lunch and water. Sometimes we bring lawn chairs, towels, or blankets. It all depends on the weather, terrain, and expectations.
Last week, we froze a bit on Andrews Bald in the National Park. We started dreaming about a thermos full of hot cocoa, or tomato soup. I plan to purchase one this week, so that we can be prepared for the next four months.
This Facebook live event falls under Connection. It could also fall under Community, too. We connect with each other and we constitute a community of like-minded homeschooling moms.
Please go to bewildandfree.org for more information on how to set up a new group, or join an existing group in your area.
