So you want to homeschool? Here are 10 things to consider before you get started!
Before you start your homeschool journey you’ll need to consider your state's laws surrounding home education. Some states, like my own state of Alabama, only require you to legally withdraw from the public school system. Other states require testing, portfolios, and registration. It's a good idea to make sure you completely understand the guidelines for your state or region before committing to the homeschool life.
Homeschooling can give you the freedom to make connections with your kids! While you do not need anyone else’s permission to homeschool, one of the foremost reasons people hesitate or decide against it tends to be that their peer group isn’t supportive. If you know, up front, that your sister or your mother-in-law isn’t going to be supportive then you are left with a couple of options. You could ignore that, or you could have an open and honest conversation with them before taking the plunge. Even if you don’t care about their opinions, it can be difficult to have people unsupportive quizzing your kids at every visit.
That leads us to community. Find one! Whether it is online, or in person it can save your sanity to have a community that understands you. There are so many online forums for homeschoolers, often location specific groups or in person support groups. We host a support group at SEER periodically and other places do as well. Ask to see the curriculum others are using. Go visit someone's house and ask them all the homeschool questions. One thing most homeschoolers have in common is that we love to share all about it!
Before you withdraw your kids or buy a curriculum or join a co-op, take a minute to decide on your “why”. Oftentimes people will decide to homeschool because they are annoyed with something specific in the school system or an unsafe situation has occurred within a school. Deciding to homeschool is often reactionary. If that is the case for you, take a minute and think about why you would want to homeschool. There are a myriad of reasons that people choose the homeschool life, ranging from safety concerns within schools to religious freedom, to having a child that doesn’t fit into the public school box because of a disability or exceptionality, all the way to needing something that fits a child’s extra curricular schedule. I knew a family that chose to homeschool so their daughter could do competitive horseback riding. Everyone has at least one reason and I would suggest that you sit down and come up with 3-7 reasons why. Write them down. Carry them with you. The “why” can get you through the hard days.
Read a book (or listen to a book) about homeschooling. It sounds simple but I’ve met a lot of people who didn’t and it is hard for them to articulate their why or see the amazing world that homeschooling opens up to us. A book is a useful tool for opening up our perspective to the wide world around us. If you are wondering what book to start with, check out my top 10 recommendations here.
Find a social activity for your child before you commit to homeschooling. This does not need to be anything expensive or elaborate, but one of the main complaints from kids new into the world of homeschooling is that they miss their friends. Kids are resilient. They will make new friends, and probably in a more healthy and whole hearted way in this new homeschool life, but you, the parent, have to provide them with that opportunity. If you are looking for where to do that the best place to start is the local library. The next best place might be an organization like 4H. Depending on where you live there might be an enrichment center or a playgroup for homeschooled kids. This is where having a community can come in handy. If you are local to the Shoals area we have a guide that we periodically update filled with events, co-op opportunities, forest schools, and so much more. You can get that here.
Exploring the fountain on a rainy day! Take some time to decide what you want your days to look like…and then be prepared to change and pivot as you go. Taking some time to deliberately plan out your homeschool can save you a lot of decision fatigue and your kids a lot of uncertainty in those first few weeks of this new life you have decided to embark upon. Fill that time with beautiful books, fun science, park days, nature exploration and adjusting to a new rhythm. Having a loose schedule is great, but just remember that if it isn’t working, you have the freedom to change it.
While most of the things on this list are things you should do, the one thing you should avoid is falling into the trap of online school for the sake of convenience. Homeschooling can be so much more than staring at a screen for hours on end. This is one of the first traps new homeschool families will fall into and it breaks my heart a little bit. I understand the convenience of having someone else teach your children, but if you are going that route consider supplementing the screen time with real hands-on learning. Be wary of some online programs. There are fully homeschool options like MIAcademy or Easy Peasy and then there are public school online programs like K12 and Connections Academy. If that is what you want, more power to you, but be sure you are aware of the regulations and requirements of those programs before you sign up. Oftentimes they are busy work heavy and require your child to log in every day or for a certain amount of time.
Don’t panic and join a co-op or a play group without asking all the questions to make sure it is a good fit for you. I have made the mistake of jumping in with both feet and I learned a lot of heard lessons from that, but you get to benefit from my mistakes! If you need some suggestions on good questions to ask you can check out the list we put together here.
Finally, my last wish for you is that you embrace all the delights of this new life you are embarking upon. Homeschooling is just a different sort of life. It can be slower, more deliberate, and with a focus on your own family and building connections to each other. It is flexible. It can be joy filled. Think about your ideal life and take this time to build it! I believe in the transformative power of hands-on learning, one on one time with the teacher (in this case that is you) and making your family a priority. Homeschooling can be that for you!
What are your questions about homeschooling? Share them in the comments and I'll try to answer them!
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