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Tutorial
If you are new to the world of online social networking websites, this tutorial is a great place for you to start. It will take you step-by-step through using each of the tools in this site to connect and communicate with other homeschool families. We encourage you to print this tutorial, or to keep it open while you work in another browser window, so you can follow the steps as they are written here. There are instructions for changing privacy settings in several of the sections below, indicated in red.

Creating a Basic Profile
Changing Your Account Settings *
Updating Your Profile and Profile Settings *
Searching Other Members
Sending a Private Message to Another Member
Adding a Friend
Writing a Blog *
Sharing Photos *
Creating a Group *

Creating a Basic Profile (if you haven't already)

Your profile is the collection of information and content that you provide on this site. It is initially created by simply answering some questions about your family and homeschooling experience. It is further enhanced by adding content that will be linked from your profile page, such as blogs, photos, events, etc. (covered in other sections of this tutorial).
  1. Click the Signup link in the upper right corner of any page on the site. This link will not appear if you have already created a profile and are logged in.
  2. Follow the instructions, filling out the information that is requested. Remember, the more information you supply in answering your profile questions, the easier it will be for compatible families to find you when they search the site.
  3. After the final step, click the Continue button and log in with the email address and password you just created. What you will see next is your start page, which displays links to various tools you can use, a list of what other Members have done on the site lately, notifications of how other Members have interacted with your own profile, and news from the site administrators. You can return to this start page at any time while you are logged in by clicking the My Home link near the top of any page.
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Changing Your Account Settings (Email, password, block list, recent activity privacy settings)

If you do NOT wish for others to see notifications of what you do on the site, you can change your privacy settings. You can also update your email address, username, password, and timezone.
  1. If you are not logged in, do that first by clicking the login link at the top right of any page. If that link is not there, you are already logged in.
  2. Click the Settings link near the top right of any page.
  3. Make any desired changes to your email address, username or timezone.
  4. Uncheck any types of activity that you do NOT want to have published to others in the Recent Activity list on their start pages (the page they see when they first log in). Unchecking an item will allow you to do those things silently - without others knowing that you have done them. To view an example of the recent activity list, simply click on My Home. The recent activity list appears under the heading What's New in the second column. Click on Settings to return to the settings page.
  5. At the bottom of the settings page, you can add usernames of other members to your block list. This will prevent those members from sending you messages or requesting a friend link.
  6. Click Save Changes at the bottom of the page when you are finished making changes.
  7. Use the other tabs near the top of the settings page to change your password or to delete your account.
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Updating Your Profile and Profile Settings (including the privacy of your profile information)

At any time, you can update any of the information in your basic profile, and you can control whether other users are able to view or post comments on your profile.
  1. If you are not logged in, do that first by clicking the login link at the top right of any page. If that link is not there, you are already logged in.
  2. Click on edit next to Profile near the top left of any page.
  3. Select the appropriate tab to make any changes to the information you previously filled in for your basic profile.
  4. Be sure to click on Save Changes on each tab in which you make changes.
  5. To control access from other members to your information, click on the Profile Settings tab (not to be confused with the Settings link that is a little above it).
  6. Select the levels of access to your profile you wish to allow to various kinds of other users. Registered Users are all users who have created an account (profile) on this site and are logged in. My Subnetwork includes all users who made the same selection you did on the Desired Network/Area profile question. Friends are other members with whom you have mutually agreed to create friend links between your profiles. See instructions for adding Friends.
  7. When you are finished making changes, click on Save Changes.
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Searching Other Members

When you wish to find compatible homeschool families with whom to interact, you can search for them using the same questions that you answered when you created your own profile.
  1. If you are not logged in, do that first by clicking the login link at the top right of any page. If that link is not there, you are already logged in.
  2. Click on Search Members near the top left of any page.
  3. Fill out any of the search fields as desired. If a search fied is left blank, it will not be used as a criteria for your search. A list of all members will appear below the search fields until a more specific search is performed.
  4. Click on Update Results and click on the names or photos of any members who are listed in the results at the bottom of the page, in order to view their individual profile pages.
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Sending a Private Message to Another User

Since we do not reveal members' email addresses, the primary way for you to make contact with another user is by sending a message to their inbox (meaning their inbox on this site, not their email inbox). Depending on their settings, they might also receive an automatic notification by email that they have received a new message in their inbox.
  1. If you are not logged in, do that first by clicking the login link at the top right of any page. If that link is not there, you are already logged in.
  2. Click on Messages near the top of any page. This will display your inbox. This is also where you will come to check for messages you have received from others. If there are any, they will be listed on this page with the newest messages on top.
  3. Click on Compose New Message.
  4. In the To field, fill in the name HomeschoolsLikeUs, which is the site administrator's username. (We won't mind if you send us a test message.) Normally, you would fill in the username of the member you want to send the message to. You can also search for a member first (see the instructions above) and click on Send Message on the left side of their profile page. That would bring you back to the compose message page with their username already filled in.
  5. In the Subject field, fill in the word Tutorial. This will let us know that we don't need to read this test message. Normally, you would fill in the subject of your message.
  6. In the Message field, you would fill in the text of your message to the other Member. (It doesn't matter what you enter for this test message.)
  7. Click Send Message. The message will now be waiting in the recipient's inbox, and they will receive an email notification of it if their message settings are set to do so.
  8. If you want to view or change your own message notification setting, click on the Message Settings tab near the top of the page. Check or uncheck the notification box as desired, and then click Save Changes.
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Adding a Friend

Friend links are a way to communicate that you have some level of relationship or interaction with another member, and gives you quick access to their profiles using the Friends link near the top of every page after you log in. Other members who have access to your profile page can view your list of friends. You also have the ability to give all your Friends access to specific content (profile, blogs, photos, events, etc.) that you may have chosen to hide from all other members. (See the intructions in red in other sections for how to do this.
  1. If you are not logged in, do that first by clicking the login link at the top right of any page. If that link is not there, you are already logged in.
  2. First you need to search for a member to establish a Friend link with. For demonstration purposes, we will create a Friend link with the site administrator's member account, which is simply called HomeschoolsLikeUs. (We like having lots of friends.) Normally, you would only request a friend link with a Member you personally know (and they have told you their username), or with whom you have already communicated - perhaps through Private Messages or other tools on this site. Click on Search Members near the top left of any page.
  3. Select Other-please add my area for Desired Network/Area and click Update Results.
  4. Scroll down to the search results and click on the member called HomeschoolsLikeUs to view its profile page.
  5. Part way down the left side of this Member's profile page, click on Add to My Friends.
  6. The information you provide in Friend Type and How do you know this person? will be displayed when you view your own friend list page as a reminder of who this person is.
  7. Click the Add Friend button to finish. The other member will immediately be notified that they have received a friend request, and after they approve the request, your usernames will be listed on eachother's friend lists until they are removed by one of you.
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Writing a Blog

A Blog (short for Web Log) is a kind of online journal. It's a list of entries that you write and post, with the most recent entries listed on top. Your blog entries are linked from your profile page that other members can view (if you have allowed it). You can choose for each blog entry what kinds of other Members are allowed to view it.
  1. If you are not logged in, do that first by clicking the login link at the top right of any page. If that link is not there, you are already logged in.
  2. Click on Blog near the top of any page. Also notice that your photo albums page (which will be linked from your profile page for other members) has its own address that you can give to people who are not members of the site.
  3. Click on Compose New Entry.
  4. Fill in a title (such as "My First Blog Entry") and select a category (optional).
  5. Write the content of your blog entry in the large edit box (such as "Hello World!"). Note the formatting controls (much like a word processor) at the top of the editing box.
  6. Click on Show Entry Settings.
  7. Select your desired privacy settings for this entry. Registered Users are all users who have created an account (profile) on this site and are logged in. My Subnetwork includes all users who made the same selection you did on the Desired Network/Area profile question. Friends are other members with whom you have mutually agreed to create friend links between your profiles. See instructions for adding Friends.
  8. Click on Post Entry to finish.
  9. To see how your blog entry is linked from your profile page, click on Profile near the top left of any page.
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Sharing Photos

Sharing photos is a great way of communicating with others. The photos you upload are linked from your profile page so that other members can view them (if you have allowed it). You can choose for each photo album what kinds of other Members are allowed to view them. Before beginning these instructions, make sure you have a digital photo in jpg, png, or gif format on your computer.
  1. If you are not logged in, do that first by clicking the login link at the top right of any page. If that link is not there, you are already logged in.
  2. Click on Photos near the top of the page. This is where you can view and edit your own albums and photos, once you create and upload them. Also note that your photo albums page (which will be linked from your profile page for other members) has its own address that you can give to people who are not members of the site.
  3. Click on Create New Album.
  4. Fill in a name for this album (such as "My First Album") and a description (optional).
  5. Select your desired privacy settings for this album. Registered Users are all users who have created an account (profile) on this site and are logged in. My Subnetwork includes all users who made the same selection you did on the Desired Network/Area profile question. Friends are other members with whom you have mutually agreed to create friend links between your profiles. See instructions for adding Friends.
  6. Click on Add Album. In the future, you can add photos to this album instead of creating a new album, by selecting it in the album list in Step 1.
  7. Click on Browse and select a file in one of the allowed types to upload, and click Open. Another Browse button will appear.
  8. Repeat the previous step for as many photos as you would like to add to this album.
  9. Click Upload Photos.
  10. To see how your photo albums are linked from your profile page, click on Profile near the top left of any page.
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Adding Events to the Calendar

Events can be added to your calendar for others to see (or maybe just for you or your friends to see). You can also send invitations to other members with the ability to have them RSVP. An event can be anything that will be done at a particular date and time.
  1. If you are not logged in, do that first by clicking the login link at the top right of any page. If that link is not there, you are already logged in.
  2. Click on Events near the top of any page. You will then see a calendar page. This is where you will see your events (the events you have created or to which you have been invited). You can use the arrows on either side of the Month/Year above the calendar to view other months. From here, if you wished to browse or search for events that have been created by others (and allowed for you to see), you could click on the Browse Events tab. If you do that now, be sure to click back on the My Events tab before moving to the next step.
  3. Click on Create New Event.
  4. Fill in a name for the event (like "My First Event") and a description (optional).
  5. Select a category for the event (optional - this will determine where it appears when other users browse the event categories).
  6. Select a Start Time and End Time.
  7. Fill in the name or nickname of a host (optional).
  8. Fill in a location (optional).
  9. Select your desired privacy and invitation settings for this event. Registered Users are all users who have created an account (profile) on this site and are logged in. My Subnetwork includes all users who made the same selection you did on the Desired Network/Area profile question. Friends are other members with whom you have mutually agreed to create friend links between your profiles. See instructions for adding Friends.
  10. Click on the Add Event button.
  11. You will then be taken to the Edit Event page. You can access this page at any time by repeating Step 2, clicking on the name of the event you wish to edit, and then clicking on Edit Event.
  12. If you wish to invite other Members, click on the Invites tab.
  13. Fill in the username for a member you wish to invite, and click Add Another Person.
  14. Repeat the previous step for as many Members as you wish to invite.
  15. Click on the Invite button.
  16. The Guest List section of this page displays the status of RSVPs.
  17. You may add photos to this event using the Photos tab, and view, edit or delete comments submitted by other Members using the Comments tab.
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Creating a Group

Groups are a list of Members who can all participate together in a discussion board and in photo/file sharing. Members must agree to join a group, and the creator of the group can decide who is allowed to become a member.
  1. If you are not logged in, do that first by clicking the login link at the top right of any page. If that link is not there, you are already logged in.
  2. Click on Groups near the top of any page. This page is where you will see your groups (the groups you created or joined). From here, if you wished to browse or search for groups that have been created by others (and allowed for you to see), you could click on the Browse Groups tab. If you do that now, be sure to click back on the My Groups tab before moving to the next step.
  3. Click on Create New Group.
  4. Fill in a name for the group (like "My First Group") and a description (optional).
  5. Select a category for the group (optional - this will determine where it appears when other users browse the group categories).
  6. Fill in a Group Website URL if you want to provide a link to another Web site that tells more about the group (optional).
  7. Fill in a description and guidelines (both optional).
  8. Select your desired privacy and member approval settings for this group. Registered Users are all users who have created an account (profile) on this site and are logged in. My Subnetwork includes all users who made the same selection you did on the Desired Network/Area profile question. Friends are other members with whom you have mutually agreed to create friend links between your profiles. See instructions for adding Friends.
  9. Click on the Add Group button.
  10. You will then be taken to the Group Details page. You can access this page at any time by repeating Step 2, then clicking on Edit Group for the group you wish to edit.
  11. If you wish to invite other Members, click on the Invitations tab.
  12. Fill in the username for a member you wish to invite, and click Add Another Person.
  13. Repeat the previous step for as many Members as you wish to invite.
  14. Click on the Invite button.
  15. The Members Awaiting Approval section of this page displays a list of people who have requested membership in your group and await approval. The Invited Members section lists people whose invitation to the group has not be confirmed.
  16. You may add photos or files to this group using the Photos tab, and view, edit or delete comments submitted by other Members using the Comments tab.
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