So you have reached the end of the school year. You either 1. have a child that just finished the school year or 2. you have a toddler and are realizing how close it is for your child to start school. This usually sends parents into a frenzy wondering what they are going to do for schooling for their child(ren).
Sit back. Relax. We have all been there. You have many options and I am going to help you walk through the homeschooling option. Let me confirm something for you; you are insane for even considering homeschooling.
Alright, so....homeschooling. That one word conjures crazy pictures in peoples minds.
Denim skirts, boring families, isolation, Bible "thumpers", unsocialized, and pretty much any other negative comment you can think of.
It's ok. There are some homeschoolers that fit that profile. There are also homeschoolers who you would never guess where homeschooled. I am writing to those of the latter.
First of all if you are considering homeschooling then I commend you for making that sacrifice. It is a lot of hard work but that hard work can be made much more bearable and I want to help you through the steps of thinking about it to making it happen.
My first piece of advice is for you to find another homeschooling mom, a veteran, who is preferably in your home state. There are many ways to do this. Chances are you probably already know someone. Reach out to them. I am sure they would be more than happy to answer your questions and walk along this path with you. If you do not know someone personally then reach out through social media. Many towns and cities have Facebook groups. These groups are a great way to gain support and to answer questions for you. If you are not on Facebook (shocker I know, but some people are not on the good ol' FB) then search for blogs (ahem), twitter or even churches and civic centers.
Now that you have someone to help you out and walk the path with you, you now need to know your time frame. Are you planning on homeschooling in the fall? In two years? Next month? You don't need a specific date, that will come later.
Alright, two things down. Now for some legal stuff. It is very important to know your state laws. The group HSLDA can answer all of your legal questions. Every state has a different set of rules. For example, my state (Kansas) only has one rule. You must register your house as an official homeschool. This is free and is done online. That's it! Now Missouri has another rule. You must log your hours and they must equal the hours of a public school year. Pretty simple, right? Some states are pretty strict though. Many east coast states make it mandatory to have your curriculum checked out by the public school and it has to be okay'd by the administration. This is why it is important to know your state laws!
Don't let that step scare you. This is why you have a homeschooling friend. Another way to gain support is through co-ops (more on this later).
Two more steps. We are almost done. You now need to know your budget. How much are you wanting to spend on schooling for the year? Are you schooling one child or more? Do you have $20 to spend or $500 (yes, some people do actually spend $500/child a year on schooling-I am not one of those). Work out a rough budget for your family to spend either a year or a semester, which ever is easiest for your family. You will want to set aside some money for extracurriculars such as co-op fees (if applicable) and field trips (like the zoo or maybe a museum). You don't need a specific amount just ball park it for now. We will get into more specifics at a later date.
Last but certainly not least, why are you considering homeschooling? Do you live in a failing school district? Do you want your children close to you? There are many reasons to consider homeschooling just make sure that your reason is a good one for you and your family!
Lets recap:
1. Get a buddy. Everyone likes the buddy system.
2. Time Frame.
3. Know the law.
4. Budget.
5. Answer the "Why?" question.
If you have any specific questions regarding homeschooling please feel free to ask! I will try my best to answer every question. I will be going more in depth on curriculum next week. Make sure to tune in! You can follow my blog by subscribing or by following me on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter for all updates!
Sit back. Relax. We have all been there. You have many options and I am going to help you walk through the homeschooling option. Let me confirm something for you; you are insane for even considering homeschooling.
Alright, so....homeschooling. That one word conjures crazy pictures in peoples minds.
Denim skirts, boring families, isolation, Bible "thumpers", unsocialized, and pretty much any other negative comment you can think of.
It's ok. There are some homeschoolers that fit that profile. There are also homeschoolers who you would never guess where homeschooled. I am writing to those of the latter.
First of all if you are considering homeschooling then I commend you for making that sacrifice. It is a lot of hard work but that hard work can be made much more bearable and I want to help you through the steps of thinking about it to making it happen.
My first piece of advice is for you to find another homeschooling mom, a veteran, who is preferably in your home state. There are many ways to do this. Chances are you probably already know someone. Reach out to them. I am sure they would be more than happy to answer your questions and walk along this path with you. If you do not know someone personally then reach out through social media. Many towns and cities have Facebook groups. These groups are a great way to gain support and to answer questions for you. If you are not on Facebook (shocker I know, but some people are not on the good ol' FB) then search for blogs (ahem), twitter or even churches and civic centers.
Now that you have someone to help you out and walk the path with you, you now need to know your time frame. Are you planning on homeschooling in the fall? In two years? Next month? You don't need a specific date, that will come later.
Alright, two things down. Now for some legal stuff. It is very important to know your state laws. The group HSLDA can answer all of your legal questions. Every state has a different set of rules. For example, my state (Kansas) only has one rule. You must register your house as an official homeschool. This is free and is done online. That's it! Now Missouri has another rule. You must log your hours and they must equal the hours of a public school year. Pretty simple, right? Some states are pretty strict though. Many east coast states make it mandatory to have your curriculum checked out by the public school and it has to be okay'd by the administration. This is why it is important to know your state laws!
Don't let that step scare you. This is why you have a homeschooling friend. Another way to gain support is through co-ops (more on this later).
Last but certainly not least, why are you considering homeschooling? Do you live in a failing school district? Do you want your children close to you? There are many reasons to consider homeschooling just make sure that your reason is a good one for you and your family!
Lets recap:
1. Get a buddy. Everyone likes the buddy system.
2. Time Frame.
3. Know the law.
4. Budget.
5. Answer the "Why?" question.
If you have any specific questions regarding homeschooling please feel free to ask! I will try my best to answer every question. I will be going more in depth on curriculum next week. Make sure to tune in! You can follow my blog by subscribing or by following me on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter for all updates!
Thank you for this article. It is very crucial for my friend because she just chosen a school for her son.
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