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Highly informal: As many as two or three dozen families get together at regular intervals for park days. Individuals may schedule field trips, workshops, or other activities and open them to the rest of the group. Usually there are no formal officers or business meetings, although one person puts together a short newsletter with information on the events scheduled for each month.

Moderately structured: The group chooses officers to perform various functions, typically a chairperson, a secretary, a newsletter editor, an activities coordinator, and a new member contact person. Sometimes the officers will be elected, but often anyone who volunteers for a job will be eagerly accepted in the position. To the park days, skating days, and miscellaneous field trips of the smaller group, this group may add one or more evening meetings with a guest speaker or discussion topic, a “mom’s night out,” a teen meeting, Scouting or 4-H groups, group discounts to performances or amusement parks, or ongoing cooperative classes in art, science, math, or other topics.

Highly structured: Depending on the location, this type of group can have several hundred to a few thousand members. The large size often means that the group is divided geographically into smaller “chat groups,” which function more like the smaller support groups. Officers may be elected by the membership, or the organization may be formally incorporated as a nonprofit organization whose governing board appoints officers. There may be several publications, perhaps separate newsletters for adults, teens, and younger children, or for each region. Additional activities can include choirs and bands, sports teams, and an annual curriculum fair or small conference.

Until this year I had never been involved with a support group. I really like the way [it] is run. It offers things that are difficult to do on your own. The group meets once a month. The older children belong to a 4-H club, which the teens staff. My children are working on a baking project and a model rocket project. They have activities for the younger children, too. The parents meet together to go over monthly news and then listen to a guest speaker. Guest speakers usually speak on practical topics, like how to fill out the state forms or make a transcript for your high school student. After the meeting we usually go with friends to get our Book-It [a national pizza chain’s reading incentive program] pizzas and then go roller skating in the afternoon. It makes for a fun break in our normal routine.—Beverly, Nebraska

It may take a while to discover whether you are comfortable with a support group. Each group has its own personality. Some are friendly and welcoming to newcomers; members will be eager to get to know you and get you involved in their activities. Others, not wanting to push you into things you might not be interested in, will let you make all the overtures. Park days and other mainly social events can be daunting to the newcomer who arrives full of questions about homeschooling. Everyone knows everybody else and is talking a mile a minute about everything but homeschooling, and the newcomer starts out feeling isolated and unwelcome. Often, all you’ll need to say is, “Hi, I’m new here,” and you’ll be taken firmly in tow and introduced around. Eventually the conversation will get back around to homeschooling.

That conversation can turn out to be one of the most valuable aspects of joining a local support group. You’ll meet other new homeschoolers and families who are more than willing to share their experience with you: books and materials they’ve tried and liked—or found completely useless—learning problems they’ve faced and dealt with, or just the odd bits of local lore such as which library branches have the friendliest librarians. Many families have books and toys they’ve outgrown and are willing to sell, swap, or lend. And of course, a few people always have ideas to share with you, whether you’re interested or not.

Many support groups,