We are a group of homeschooling moms using and/or interested in using the Charlotte Mason philosophy to educate our children. Charlotte's Circle encompasses both the nature meetup group and the mother's group.  Our nature meetup group is referred to simply as Charlotte's Circle. The mother meetup group is referred to as Mother's Coffee but both are encompassed under the umbrella "Charlotte's Circle."

Originally, Charlotte's Circle only referred to the nature meetup group. As we got to know each other better we thought it would be nice to have a time for just the moms to meet and chat independent of our children.  Enter...Mother's Coffee.  As time went on, our "circle" expanded to include other homeschooling moms looking for connection as well.  It has been such a blessing to have this wonderful group of ladies.  We meet online to support and nurture each other, discuss CM and other educational philosophies, and much more.  

​No.  We are a mixed-age group.  Currently, the children range in ages from infants to twelve (11) years old with the majority of the kids falling in the 7 - 9 range.

We meet on Thursdays from 1:45PM to 4:00PM.

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Session 1: mid-August through mid-November

Session 2: January through March

Session 3: April through June

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At the start of each school year two parks will be selected.  We alternate visiting those two parks throughout the year.

A mother leads an "opening activity" during the first fifteen (15) minutes. We hike together as a group, engaging the children to observe their environment for an hour or so.  The last hour is dedicated to free play.

The children are expected to follow guidelines pertaining to physical safety while out hiking.  They are also expected to engage in respectful play and conflict resolution.

Parents are required to read the guidelines for both children. Parents should ensure the guidelines set are being followed and help when needed (e.g. help build the skills for effective conflict resolution, keep the children physically safe while exploring, etc.). 

This is a group for homeschooling mother's and their children. On occasion, mothers are unable to attend. In those circumstances, the other parent is welcome to attend with the children.  

No.  However, we do have an attendance requirement to be a member.  Before the start of each session, members must notify the administrator of their intent to regularly attend.  Regular attendance means attending two or more meetups per month for each session.

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Session 1: mid-August through mid-November

Session 2: January through March

Session 3: April through June

We use the app BAND to communicate.  Charlotte's Circle members must agree to use and regularly check BAND to stay up-to-date with group happenings. 

Adult members of Charlotte's Circle must post a picture of themselves as their profile picture and note in their bio the names of each child attending Charlotte's Circle meetups.  

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Members of Mother's Coffee must upload a profile picture of themselves and include in their bio the number of children they have, along with their genders (e.g., "mom of 2 boys and 1 girl").

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The use of BAND helps with ease of communication, lets us post sensitive information in a less public forum, and helps promote getting to know each other better.

No.  However, both groups are comprised of members that follow or are interested in following the Charlotte Mason educational philosophy - a philosophy which embraces and encourages Christian ideologies.  

We have "open dates" for the first two weeks of a session.  During that time, you can request to come to a meetup using the contact form below. 

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Session 1: mid-August through mid-November 

Session 2: January through March

Session 3: April through June

Yes.  This group was created for Northern Virginia homeschooling mothers to be able to connect and share ideas.  The administrator is the same for both groups.  While there is no requirement of regular attendance for the in-person monthly meetups, engaging in our online community is highly encouraged. Please see above "How does Charlotte's Circle communicate with its members?" for more information about what administrative tasks are required. If you're interested in joining please reach out using the contact form below.

No, these groups are separate but, they are local groups that we trust and think are valuable to our local homeschooling community.  The organizers are former or current Charlotte Circle members that have created enriching programs to help connect our growing homeschooling community and we wanted to share that with you!  If you're interested in learning more about those groups or joining one, please use the contact button for the designated group.