A co-op is a group of people who voluntarily unite and work together toward a common goal. Co-ops (cooperatives) have been around for ages—business co-ops, agricultural or food co-ops, etc. Individuals get together and pool their resources to accomplish something bigger and better than they could by themselves.

In recent years, homeschool co-ops have gained significant popularity. It makes perfect sense. There is an ever increasing number of families who are deciding to homeschool. While homeschooling by yourself can be very successful, co-ops introduce two major advantages: 1) increased connection with like-minded people and 2) efficiency/economies of scale.

Taking on the additional role of primary educator as a parent is a big commitment. Some parents get overwhelmed or burn out. Networking with other parents in a similar situation can provide a social outlet for you as a parent, give you a break from the monotony of normal family life, supply emotional support, motivate you to plan activities you otherwise might not get around to and help you stay on track with your objectives.

Additionally, the benefits of children interacting with others outside their home are substantial. One potential disadvantage of homeschooling can be social isolation. Participating in co-ops is a very easy way to mitigate that drawback. Children can develop lasting friendships with like-minded people and learn to work and get along with others outside their home. They can have experiences with other teachers besides mom, gain inspiration from other kids and obtain valuable feedback from those with different life experiences.

In addition to fostering social connections, co-ops make more efficient use of talents and resources, providing economies of scale. Hands-on, exciting exploration is so much more fun and effective than tedious bookwork. However, it is not very efficient to have one parent prepare a stellar activity for science, art, history, and music, just to present it to two or three children who are tired of hearing mom’s voice.

Contrast that to the following scenario: one musically talented mother prepares an interactive music lesson. Another mom who is passionate about art teaches about a famous painter and directs the children as they experiment with a new art medium. A different mom introduces a famous folk tale and starts the children preparing to present the tale as a puppet show. Yet another mom guides a hands-on science experiment that captivates the children’s attention. Each of these lessons is presented to a group of children from multiple families.

You can see the economies of scale. Instead of one mom spending days preparing multiple presentations for a small number of children, several moms spend a few hours each preparing a single presentation that will be enjoyed by all the children. The amount of time and energy any one parent spends on preparation is cut dramatically, and the number of children who benefit from that preparation increases.

There may already be co-ops available for you to join in your area, or you may want to start your own group with a few other parents. Co-ops can be large or small. They can be quite structured or can be very low-key and spontaneous. They may persist for years or last only a few weeks or months. You might belong to one co-op or several at a time.

Over the nearly twenty years we homeschooled, sometimes we homeschooled on our own and sometimes we participated in co-ops. They both worked, but I can tell you by far which my children preferred. All of my children that have homeschooled their own children have made creating or joining co-ops a high priority.

So when you see a need for your children, find another parent or two who has similar wants or needs if you can and join forces. Make a co-op. Get support and be more efficient. The possibilities are endless!