Clubs...not just for kids!

There is a sad trend I see among most homeschooling moms. We do everything for our children to ensure they get a variety of social settings, yet we ignore ourselves.
We are the troop leader, fund raising coordinator, kitchen help, team mom, chauffeur, planner, and in my case, director of a co-op, all for the kids.
And while I would never choose to be a "drop-and-go" parent, I believe adults need fun, too.

And while I have had fun in many of the dozen or so positions I've held through their activities over the years, this summer I wanted to try something different. I started a themed book club. I love reading and discussing books with others, and enjoy discovering books that bring new and interesting ideas.

But this club has an ulterior purpose: ethnic dining. I have had two decades of living with a man completely disinterested in adventurous eating. Our theme then, is to travel the world in both our book selections, then hold our meetings at a restaurant from that country. It just adds a whole new layer to the discussion when you have all those tastes to accent the experience.

A few friends across the globe want to steal this idea, but asked me to share the nuts and bolts of how to put a group together. I've been in book clubs in the past, and learned a great deal of what works and doesn't work. While certainly not an expert, I'll gladly share our rules.

The most important rule was keeping the group size small. Large numbers never work, because the conversation is often over run by a half dozen and the others sit. But you need enough that you can hold a quality meeting even if half are unable to make the meeting.

Almost as important is choosing folks that are diverse in background and interest, but are extremely tolerant of differences. We will be reading and discussing about different cultures, which includes very different social norms ,customs, and religions. By bringing together members with unique persepectives, we will hopefully add depth.

Another important factor for me was to have my club be homeschooling moms of middle to high schoolers. Our discussions will certainly not be limited to books, and there is a deep sense of camradarie and shared experience. Sitting with other moms who are living the same lifestyle, discussing the issues facing our children is priceless.

Lastly, it had to be someone who wanted to have fun and be a little bold in their reading and dining. There is nothing as frustrating as eating at an ethnic food with someone who complains about the menu options!

Using those criteria as the guide, I sent out invitations through email. I was happily surprised when the others were excited about the idea. We selected India as our first country, and did voting for book selections from a compiled list. Each month, one member will take on the task of finding the restaurant and making reservations. Our first selection: "Beneath the Marble Sky": a historical fiction about the creation of the Taj Mahal.

We were so eager, in fact, that we didn't want to wait until we had read the June book. So last night a half dozen of us met at a new farmer's market, and then practiced the eating and talking parts at an adjoining cafe. We broke bread (literally) and chatted the night away in the shadows of some awesome industrial remains. Before we knew it, we were closing the place down. Now, the only challenge will be finding time to discuss the books next month!

So get out there, and claim one night a month for yourself with friends. Start a book or dinner club, or both!