First Day Jitters

I have always been a nervous person. No matter how much I pray and prepare, that “butterfly feeling” is present in my stomach. I will never forget how nervous I was as a child every Saturday morning for my swimming lessons – even when I knew what we were working on, even though I was a confident swimmer who loved the water – no matter how many years, each Saturday carried the same anxieties until my body hit that cold water and it all went away.

If only I had a pool to jump in for the first meeting of our homeschooling support group! Perhaps I would not have felt so nervous during those first few moments. In hindsight, I must divulge that the first meeting went smoothly. Originally, I wanted to have more activities and a bit more structure; but something was tugging at me to have it be a relaxing time to get to know the kids and the parents. I am glad I listened to that tug and trusted God.

My nerves were on edge due to a busy two weeks prior to our start date getting everything finalized. I had a meeting with our pastor in which I was told we needed insurance before the first meeting. We also agreed that parents who would stay during the meetings (we highly recommend one parent staying) needed to have clearances on file before attending. I had a high volume of interested families, but once I sent the notice for clearances (2 out of the 3 clearances were being provided free through the church) there was less communication from parents.

All my life, I have worked with children and volunteered with organizations that require clearances, so it felt natural for this to be asked. But some parents did not feel the same and felt that an aspect of privacy or respect is pushed. If you are considering starting your own co-op, do communicate and ask questions at the facility you will be using if it is not at your home.

Starting a homeschool group can feel like starting a business. There are more details behind the curtain that one must consider and adjust for along the way, but do not let this discourage you. Continue investing in the Word, listening to God, and obeying. He is a loving God, and He is there for you. Give Him all your worries and your stressful moments, because it is hard doing it on your own. Trust me. I have been there, and once I began praying, crying, and submitting to Him, life got brighter and the whole process of starting a homeschool co-op slowly became easier to handle.