Homeschool Diversity

I have been so bad about posting about Co-op this year.  It has been a hard year for Co-op just with the kids getting older.  The course work becoming more demanding.  I just haven't blogged about it.

Let me tell you about Co-op.....I love it.

I love it because it bring DIVERSITY to our lives.  I would say one of the potential hazards of homeschooling is the lack of diversity....however praise the Lord...our Co-op has met that challenge head on.

Our co-op is made up of 16 families with 52 kids between us!

• We have families from 5 different countries: China, Japan, England, USA, and Jamaica
• We have 3 different races: White, Black, Asian
• We have moms that stay home full time, moms that help their husbands run their businesses, a mom who works part time as preschool teacher, a mom who works part-time as occupational therapist, a mom who is a full time veterinarian, a mom who does free lance photography, we have a missionary mom, we have a part time piano teacher, we have moms who teach classes to other co-ops for pay, we have moms who tutor in Spanish.....I'm sure theres more....I just can't think of it right now.
• We have a dad who stays at home, we have a dad on staff with Navigators, we have a dad who is an airline pilot, we have a dad who does landscaping, we have a dad who is an artist, we have a few dads who work as salesmen, we have dads who work in labs, dads who work for large companies, we had a couple dads who worked in the building industry and are currently looking for jobs, we have a dad who is a university professor at UNC (boo :) ), we have a dad who is a missionary, we have dad who is an accountant.  We have a couple dads who do side jobs as DJ's and guitar teachers in addition to their regular day jobs.
• Our kids range in age from 4-30 somethings......
• We have kids who have never been to public school, kids who homeschool until high school and then go to public school, kids who have been pulled out of public school to be homeschooled...
• We have families that have not homeschooled some of their kids and have homeschooled some of their kids...
• We have several graduates from our co-op in college at NC State, a couple at Durham Tech, one dancing professionally for the Pittsburgh Ballet, one at Bryan College, one at UNC-G we have a boy from our co-op who graduated with honors last spring from UNC.  There are probably other schools too....just none that come to mind right now!
• We have several children in our co-op with learning disabilities.  We have a very sweet girl in our co-op with down syndrome.
• We have RICH people and POOR people and MIDDLE CLASS people.
• We have Republicans, and Democrats, and Libertarians...
• We have Baptist, Non-Denominational, Presbyterians....and probably some others too....
• We have non-drinkers and drinkers....
• We have more fundemental and more liberal
• We have families with 2 kids and we have families with 7 kids.

I LOVE the diversity....

The only things we all have in common, aside from homeschooling and loving our kids, is we are all married, all love the Lord, all involved in our local churches......I think that is it.....

We do not all always agree.  We do not all always get along.  We do not all always teach the same way.  We do not all have similar personalities.  However, I can honestly say....I really do love these women.  I really do appreciate their sacrifices.  I really do LOVE my Co-op.  It is so much work.  It is so inconvenient....but it is worth it!

And I must also say....I'm really glad we don't have Co-op next Thursday....because I need a break!