Sanity Sessions

When I first started homeschooling the support group that I joined was holding regular sanity sessions.  These were basically moms only events held in the evening once or twice a month.  At the time they were being held at a local restaurant but then they began rotating at people's houses and eventually I held one in my own home. 

I loved these events and gradually they were at my house more and more.  It became known that sanities (as we called them) were here once a month and usually on a particular day each month so it would be easy for everyone to remember.  We had a regular crowd and then a few new people would come now and again.  It was a fun way for moms new to homeschooling to meet other moms and glean wisdom from those with experience.  Our conversations ran from the hilarious to the uncomprehendably sad, from curriculum to potty training, from breast feeding to childbirth, from silly stories from our childhood to heartbreaking miscarriages.

When our homeschool group split, I continued to host sanity sessions to all who needed a night out.  They became open to any homeschooler or friend regardless of support group affiliation.  But families moved, moms got jobs and lifestyles changed due to graduating homeschoolers. Our numbers were sometimes small but we still had fun and meaningful conversations.  Sometimes when there were only a few of us we'd sit to watch an episode of Glenn Beck or we'd play a board game.

Now because of the various directions everyone has gone I have a hard time keeping everyone informed of the dates and times of upcoming sanity sessions (it seemed like there was no longer a good day of the week for the majority) and I stopped having them several months ago.  But I miss them.  I miss the conversation.  I miss meeting new homeschoolers.  I miss seeing the ladies that used to be around me all the time either on field trips, at sanity or doing co-ops together.

I write this for two reasons.
1.  No matter where you live, if you are part of a homeschool group that has opportunites to get together with other moms (without the kids) I want to encourage you to join in.  You will meet wonderful friends, some will become lifelong friends and you will gain encouragement in difficult times.  And if you think you don't need encouragement, maybe you're thinking everything's going fine for you and you don't have time for such frivolity, you might consider how someone else needs you.  I entreat you to put the date on your calendar, make it a priority and GO.
2.  I have added a section in the sidebar where I will post upcoming sanity sessions for homeschoolers in the area.  Sanity sessions are like open houses.  You don't need an invitation you just need to know it's here.