Friends, Field Trips and Fun.

Since we've been homeschooling, we have gone on a lot of field trips.  A lot.  We've been very fortunate to have found some homeschool groups in our area and with a group, we can get school discounts to some museums and attractions.  We also get discounted school group tickets to the state fair.  Our main homeschool group is able to use Boxtops for Education to raise funds, which is helpful.  Through association with these groups and through 4H we've had a lot of really great experiences and the kids have made friends.  Since we live in such an isolated area, neighborhood friends are just not a possibility, so we've had to make an effort to reach out to others so that the kids can socialize with kids their own ages.  If you are new to homeschooling, check out this list of support groups and if you can't find one in your area or find one that you share common beliefs with, try and network and form your own group.  When we first started homeschooling, my kids kind of felt alone in it, but now we know a ton of homeschoolers and they also have quite a few friends who go to public and private schools.  That thing about homeschooled kids not being able to socialize properly with others, that's a myth.