by Angela Lasch
Aug 5, 2025
I have been involved in some form of homeschool group leadership for nearly 20 years, with three very different groups. Since becoming the Support Network Director, I've had the privilege of speaking to numerous homeschool group leaders from across the state. Regardless of the type of group or its size, there is one question most have in common – how do we get parents engaged?
Now that I've completed my homeschool journey, I find myself in the "older generation," also known as Gen X. I believe we sometimes tend to complain about the younger generation instead of modeling how it looks to serve others. What could this mean for your homeschool group?
The Problem with Complaining
When homeschool group leaders constantly discuss how difficult it is to find help, they make serving look unappealing. Would you want to help someone who was continually complaining? Complaining about "younger generations not wanting to help" creates an unwelcoming atmosphere, and you will soon find that no one wants to help with anything in the group. Parents will hear the frustration and think, "I don't want to sign up for that stress," and ultimately, the negative talk becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
What Modeling Servant Leadership Looks Like
Instead of complaining, start speaking positively about your role and the joy it brings. “Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before His presence with singing.” Psalm 100:2. When volunteering is viewed as serving, then we begin to realize the privilege we have in serving the homeschool community at large. It is so much more than just volunteering to plan a park day. This shift in mindset will help focus on the impact and rewards rather than the challenges. As we begin to view volunteering as a privilege to serve others, it will cultivate a heart of gratitude for the opportunity to serve. When other parents see you speaking with genuine joy about your role, they begin to think, “I want to experience that too,” rather than “ want to avoid that burden.”
Practical Ways to Model Well
Share what you love about your leadership role publicly. A perfect time to do this is at the beginning of the year, when all the families are together, especially to reflect on how serving has blessed your own family. At the end of the school year, thank volunteers publicly and specifically. Show gratitude not just for volunteers, but for the opportunity to serve. Let parents hear you say “I'm so blessed to be part of this.” Reflect on the relationships you've built through service and always remember to focus on the positive! The more you serve alongside someone, the bonds of friendship and community will grow naturally.
Creating an Attractive Culture of Service
I think one of the most important things to do is to demonstrate that serving alongside other families builds community. When you serve other homeschool families in your group, you are blessing your own family. Whether it's helping with parties, leading the school musical, or planning the end of year promotion, helping to create a strong community will, in turn, strengthen your own family.
Addressing the Generational Tension
Recognize that younger parents may serve differently than previous generations. One of the best ways to find out how they may serve differently is to ask questions without judging. If a family has a new idea for planning an event, instead of becoming defensive, welcome it! Remember, just because you have done something the same way every year, it does not necessarily mean it is the best way or only way. Focus on outcomes, not methods!
Ask yourself the following questions:
How do I talk about my leadership role in front of other parents?
What would parents think serving looks like based on how I present it?
Am I attracting people to service or inadvertently repelling them?
The Most Important Thing
The most important thing you can do to model servant leadership and encourage the families in your group to get involved is to pray for them. Pray for your families by name. With one of the groups I was involved with, at the beginning of the year, we would divide the families up among the leadership and pray for them each month. We would send out personal emails to let the families know we were praying for them and ask if they had any specific prayer requests. When families know their leadership is praying for them, it begins to model what servant leadership looks like in a very real and tangible way.
