Top Ten Reasons Not to Join a Homeschool Co-op
We have loved our homeschool co-op, but I will admit they are not for everyone. There are definitely more legitimate reasons for not joining a co-op besides the somewhat snarky ones I have listed below. Of the top ten reasons not to join a homeschool co-op, your biggest one might just be that it’s not your season.
Maybe you have littles at home, maybe life is just too complicated without adding to it, maybe you really have a good jive happening and don’t want to mess it up. If you are on the fence about joining one, let this be a sort of litmus test for you. I have directed our homeschool co-op for a handful of years now and feel confident that if any of these describe you, just keep on keepin’ on sister, co-ops are not your thing.
10 Reasons Not to Join a Homeschool Co-op
You Need to Put School at Home first
You are struggling to get school done at home as it is. Taking one more day out of your week isn’t going to help your cause. And we all know homeschoolers have an aversion to doing school on Fridays, so if your co-op is on any other day… then a co-op is not for you.
Time is Not your friend
For the life of you, you can’t get anywhere on time. Time is more of a concept and you can’t be limited by it. Signing up for morning co-op classes are really going to cramp your style. But who are you kidding, it wouldn’t matter what time it started you would still manage to be late.
Rebel is your Middle Name
You’re a rebel. All homeschoolers are to some extent. I mean you did completely go against societal rules by not putting your kids in school. Newsflash, co-ops are full of rules! If the force is strong in you- you will want to rebel against every single one
You are Over Extended
You are over extended my friend. Burned out. Frazzled. You’re not sure when you last brushed your teeth and you have no idea where your third child is right now. At a co-op you are going to be expected to chip in, eventually you will probably be asked to teach- and because you are amazing and helpful- you won’t say no. Just back away now.. This would definitely be a good reason to not join a homeschool co-op.
Your Way or the Highway
You are ALWAYS right. There is only one way to teach geography and it’s YOUR way. If you have a hard time giving up just a little bit of control then this might be one of your reasons for not joining a homeschool co-op right now.
Too Loosey Goosey
You take a very relaxed approach to parenting. And by relaxed I mean your kids are a few steps away from feral. Surprisingly, this doesn’t totally count you out of joining a co-op. Just be prepared for judging looks and the possibility of a few mom shuns. The good news is, there are probably a few other moms that feel as you do, you can sit together at lunch. Shunned moms UNITE.
Commitment Scares You
You have commitment issues. Maybe you are more a free spirit and like to go wherever the wind takes you and your children for the day. If that day happens to be on a co-op day you are probably going to upset a few people who count on your presence.
You take more than you give
You are selfish. I know… that sounds mean. But if you have the tendency to let everyone else pull your weight while you hang out in the back of a classroom browsing Facebook, that is going to be a problem. That awesome lead teacher is not going to be happy trying to round up 15 sweet but squirrely first graders on her own. You are better off signing up for one of those fancy university model schools. In a co-op you will be needed.
You are a Nervous Nelly
Your child is allergic to…life. Seriously they are allergic to all nuts, dairy, wheat, foods that end in y, grass, trees, bugs, you name it and they can’t touch it, breath it or eat it. While this can definitely be managed, you will most likely be a nervous wreck or make your child’s teachers crazy with your list of don’ts, and can’t haves.
No Grace
Grace is hard for you. Maybe you have strong convictions in certain areas and you expect everyone else to feel the same because after all you are all part of a “Christian” co-op. The truth is anytime you put a group of people together you are going to get varying opinions and thoughts about certain things. If the thought of this is terrifying to you, then perhaps this would be one of the reasons to not join a homeschool co-op.
If you made it this far and passed, you are all set. Be sure to read my Top 10 somewhat snarky but real reasons you SHOULD join a co-op.
Looking for Homeschool Co-op Resources? Check out my guide for Classes and Resources Here.
Did any of these resonate with you? Have you thought about joining a co-op but thought better of it? I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences. Leave me a note below and be sure to join my newsletter to grab a dose of encouragement and helpful tips.
We all need some encouragement from time to time. Grab a cup of coffee and one of these books for those times.
Angela is the Homeschool Encourager for the Overwhelmed & Under-Caffeinated and the Chaos-to-Confidence Specialist behind Schooling with Grace. With a no-fluff approach, a dash of humor, and a whole lot of heart, she helps homeschool moms cut through the chaos, ditch unrealistic expectations, and teach with confidence.
We’ve never joined a co-op . . . in nine years!!! It’s the getting up early, getting there on icy roads, committing when you just never know who is gong to catch a cold etc. thing! Nice article!
We all need to know our limits right?! If we lived in an area with similar weather, I would be tempted to never leave my house. But here in my neck of the woods we rarely dip below 40 on our coldest days.
Number 11: you live in a small town, there is only one co-op, and it is run by a bunch of overachieving Presbyterians. You know, Calvinists gotta calve! (see #6). What I mean is, you may not feel comfortable in the groups you have available to you. Maybe you need a convenience-store approach, a smorgasbord, and they just offer a blue-plate menu.
Love this article! Could you… or have you? …done one on starting your own co-op? That might be helpful.
I laughed at your additions! I think we could be friends.
And yes! I have a whole series on Starting your own Co-op. 🙂 http://schoolingwithgrace.com/starting-homeschool-co-op/
This just made me laugh because I can identify with pretty much all your reasons NOT to join a co op! Wish I’d read this before the horrible experience I just had with our co op. I actually co founded this co op and my main focus was to be different than other co ops and be really chill. That lasted only as long as it took for a very toxic bully to join our co op. She totally took over and made all these rules and regulations even though she was not in a position to do so. When it got so the thought of going to co op made me literally sick I finally quit. Myself and my kids are much happier now though I am disappointed my little co op experiment didn’t work. Co op’s just aren’t for us and that’s okay. They aren’t for everyone.
Know thy self. LOL
Sorry you had such a terrible experience. 🙁