We moved to middle Tennessee four years ago. It was a necessary move for my family. We needed a change in scenery and opportunities for my husband and myself. Now that we’ve been here for awhile, I figured it’s time for me to intentionally connect with other homeschooling moms in my community. Although we are now in the South, there still doesn’t seem to be many Black homeschooling families connecting in our local homeschool community.

Lunch & Connect for Homeschooling Moms in Nashville

I thought really hard about what I could do to bring moms who are basically strangers together. The idea for a luncheon or dinner made the most sense to me since good food often helps break the ice so this spring I am hosting my first homeschool mom luncheon at Saltine Restaurant in Nashville, TN.

I am looking forward to connecting with moms who have reached out to me through social media and this website to find other Black homeschooling moms in our area. I am also looking forward to sharing some of my story and practical tips in real time with these moms.

Why is important to connect with other homeschooling moms in the local community?

Homeschooling can be isolating for some moms, and although social media can bring us together from all corners of the world, it doesn’t replace the real life connection many of us need to continue on our journey. Before I had in real life friends who homeschooled, I made connections with other homeschooling moms online particularly African-American homeschooling moms. These connections truly did serve me well. I knew that I could go over to No-Idle Bread to get some words of encouragement from Stacie whenever I was having homeschool mom blues, but what I couldn’t get was the chance to sit at Stacie’s kitchen table or any other homeschooling mom’s table I followed or befriended through the ‘net. I found myself still needing my regular (non-homeschooling) friends to offer the encouragement and support I needed because they were the ones who were physically there, and sometimes we need to physically sit and talk with our friends whether it’s in person or over the phone.

Now, that I’ve been homeschooling for awhile, I’ve made friends who homeschool too. My regular friends still support me, but my in real life homeschooling friends really get “it” because they are or have gone through some of the same things whether it’s adjusting to life shifts that have an effect on our homeschool or trying out a new math curriculum for the 15th time. The feeling of being connected and supported by others on a similar path is important on any journey, I believe. I know I’ve found it to be true as an entreprenuer, wife, and college student. For this reason, I am hoping to be a bridge for connecting homeschooling moms in my community. I am hoping to help the mom who feels isolated or without friends who get it to find her tribe.

If you are homeschooling in the Nashville area or know a homeschool mom in the area who is looking for a tribe, share lunch and connect with her. I would love to meet her and help her find her tribe.

For more information about Authentic Moms Lunch and Connect, visit Meet Ups on Joyintheordinary.com.