When School Makes You Lonely: How Children Find Real Friends

By Leoni Zilke

November 13, 2025

Loneliness in Children, Friendship & Community, Homeschooling as an Opportunity

A quiet feeling of loneliness 

Sometimes parents feel that their child is not comfortable at school. They withdraw and seem tired of everyday life. Loneliness often arises quietly and grows with each day that genuine encounters are missing. Many families describe this feeling as a dark shadow that slowly grows larger.

Children need trust and reliable relationships. They flourish when they have people by their side who understand them and listen to them. When this support is missing, fear of isolation arises. This fear shows how important community is for children.

Why loneliness arises 

In large groups, some children get lost. They feel out of place or like they don't belong. Sometimes the pressure of school leaves little room for friendships. Many parents don't realize until later how much their child is suffering from this. The desire for real friends grows stronger, and daily life becomes harder.

This is often where the desire for an alternative path begins. A path that allows more space for closeness, time, and connection, and that lets community grow.

Community can grow

When children feel safe, they open up. They share thoughts, ask questions, and actively seek connection. This requires a place where they can build trust. Homeschooling with THS creates the right conditions for this. Children learn at their own pace and more easily find connections with other families who share similar values.

This way, they feel more at home faster and realize that they are not on this journey alone, but that other families are taking a similar path. This gives them strength and direction.

Online Community as a temporary home

The THS Online Community offers a protected space for interaction. Parents meet other families who understand the same questions. Children find groups where they can speak openly. Regular meetings in established groups create familiarity. Initial conversations often develop into friendships.

Even if contact begins digitally, genuine closeness grows from it. Many children experience these meetings as an important anchor in their daily lives. They feel understood and carry this feeling into their everyday learning.

Learning groups as a new meeting place

In addition to community exchange, learning groups are formed. They give children the opportunity to work on joint projects. In these groups, they learn from each other. They see that others have similar strengths and weaknesses. This creates a connection.

Exchange strengthens the family

When parents connect with other families, a great understanding often grows among them. They share experiences, encourage each other, and brief conversations often spark ideas that make everyday life easier. This also affects the children. They see that their parents are not alone and experience that security with them.

Sometimes a brief exchange is enough to regain clarity. This feeling carries you through challenging days and strengthens your community.

Finding true friends

Friendships emerge where children feel seen. Homeschooling with THS creates opportunities for such encounters. Children find people who are good for them. Parents experience their children shining again. Daily life becomes easier because relationships support them.

A global family

In the end, THS reminds us again and again of a profound truth: We are part of God's family. Even though our students come from over 20 countries, we all carry the same goal in our hearts. Across continents, faith in Jesus Christ connects us – it creates community where distance once was.

We can all know at times that we are not traveling alone, but are part of a large, living family of faith. A family that supports, strengthens, and gives guidance – no matter where in the world you call home.

How to get started

If you wish for your child to find real community again, the next step can be to get to know other families. At the THS information meeting, you will gain a clear insight into the everyday life of THS homeschooling. You will meet people who have similar questions. This is how initial contact with a strong community is made.

Would you like to learn more about Ths.Homeschooling?

Here is the link to the free info meeting:

About the author

Leoni has been living in Paraguay with her family since 2016. She knows from personal experience how challenging—but also how rewarding—a new start abroad can be. A new language, a new culture, a new school: she has gone through all of that herself.

Even though she was never part of a homeschooling family, she follows the topic with interest today – perhaps precisely because of that. In her writings, she wants to share what she herself would have needed: honest insights, helpful thoughts, and encouragement for other families venturing abroad.

Would you like to know if THS is a good fit for your family situation?

>