After two years of classes, the homeschool co-op that I helped run called it quits early last summer. It was a really good run, and while I knew it wouldn’t last forever, I was still so sad to see things end. The co-op had met 2-3 times a week since 2016, first in the homes of the members, until we eventually found a space to rent in a local church. We had a total of 10 families and over 20 children during our years together, and I will always treasure those school days!

Running a co-op isn’t easy. Each member had a lot of expectations and wishes, and sometimes those ideas clashed. However, we worked hard to make things successful for our kids, and in the end, the reason we disbanded was mostly due to our location. We had a few ongoing issues with the church we were at, and after months of not getting a resolution, we decided to break our lease and go our separate ways.

I had already been researching different schooling options for Ace. He is super social, and I can’t always keep up with how much he wants to be out of the house. I had toured a few schools, but nothing felt exactly right. We eventually fell in love with an outdoor-classroom school, but ultimately there were a few safety issues that kept us from attending. When some of the other co-op families found a local Montessori school, we decided to tour it as well. And we loved it!

After a very long, very hot, very boring summer, it was time for Ace’s first day at his new school. I knew he would do great, and he did. He adored it from day one. For me, it’s been an adjustment. I miss being with him all day, even when it was sometimes hard. I miss knowing exactly what is going on in his classroom — I live for his weekly class newsletter! I miss my mom friends and hanging out with other adults on a regular basis. I miss knowing that he is safe and within arm’s reach. Sometimes I think I’d like to go back to homeschooling. Most of the time I can’t get over how much he is thriving.

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We have felt accepted and included at his new school from the start, and I’ve found many, maybe too many, opportunities to volunteer. I’ve always wanted my kids to be able to have a core group of friends during their school years. I moved around a lot as a kid, and it was always so hard to start over. Arizona has a lot of “school freedom,” which means that many of the kids in our neighborhood don’t actually go to the closest school. We live in an older neighborhood with smaller houses, so most of our neighbors are childless couples. There just aren’t many kids around us. Many of our friends homeschool, as do all of my kids’ cousins. For all these reasons, I am relieved and happy that we found this school. I would love for both my kids to attend this school and grow up with their friends there.

Did you plan to homeschool, and then ultimately end up with a public school? Or maybe the other way around? Schooling decisions are so difficult, and I understand just how tough it can be to feel confident in such a big choice!