The Foreign Service Journal, December 2012

72 DECEMBER 2012 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT eign Service families (http://yahoo.com/ group/FShomeschool/), wh ich can be a great resource for managing the allow- ance reimbursement process and other aspects of homeschooling in the Foreign Service. (See sidebar, p. 69.) Connecting with other homeschooling families certainly is not a requirement for a successful experience, but it can be nice to have a break from the seemingly inter- minable questions about your family’s lifestyle and your child’s level of learn- ing—not to mention the ever-present, and often irritating, questions about how homeschooled children will ever learn to socialize. Fortunately, as homeschooling moves from the fringe more into the American mainstream, finding support within the Foreign Service community has become easier, both with other homeschooling families and with those who choose a more traditional route. For my family, the choice is clear: the freedom and flexibility we enjoy in choos- ing our structure and curriculum, the quality of education and the experiences we share together all make homeschool- ing the perfect fit. n There aremany points in between the very structured approach and unschooling, so a number of Foreign Service homeschoolers describe themselves as having an eclectic educational style.