So you have made the decision to homeschool, but now have no idea where to start. I have been there and done that. So I have come up with 10 tips to help you get started on your homeschooling journey.
You have made the decision to homeschool and here are 10 tips that you will need.
- Know your state’s homeschool laws
- You must formally withdraw your children from public or private school
- Find a homeschool curriculum
- Find a support system
- Start the deschooling process
- Find a homeschool routine that works well for your family
- Take much needed breaks
- Do not overload your children with subjects everyday
- Do not compare yourself, your children, or homeschool to others
- Make time for yourself
1. What are my State’s Homeschool Laws?
While it is legal to homeschool in all 50 states, every State has different laws and requirements. When it comes to homeschooling, it is so important to know your State’s homeschooling laws and requirements. I go to the Home School Legal Defense Association or HSLDA’s website every year to make sure my State’s laws are still the same. They are a great resource to have!
Here in Mississippi our homeschool laws are very simple. All we are required to do is to complete a Certificate of Enrollment form each year with your local Attendance Officer for your school children aged children. School aged children are ages 6 through 17. In fact, Mississippi is also known as a homeschool friendly state.
2. Do I Have to Formally Withdraw my children from Public or Private School?
If your child is currently enrolled in a Public or Private School you must formally withdraw your child from their school as well as register them with your local Attendance Officer as a homeschooled child.
3. How to Find a Homeschool Curriculum?
Finding a Homeschool curriculum can be the hardest part of homeschooling. In fact, this was the hardest part of getting started from me. If you are new to homeschooling I recommend that you start out with an All In One Homeschool Curriculum. That helps you discover your teaching style and your child’s learning style. In all honesty, using an All In One curriculum helps me to stay on tract and less stressed. Here is a list of the 17 Popular Homeschool Curriculums and some Homeschool Curriculum Videos from our YouTube Channel.
If you are looking for a free All In One Curriculum, I highly recommend Easy Peasy All-in-One Homeschool. Easy Peasy All-in-One Homeschool is a free Christian Homeschool Curriculum. They offer online courses for preschool – 12th grade. Some of the course material can be printed for free or you can buy the material already printed.
4. How to Find a Support System?
I think it is so important to find a homeschool support system! When I first started homeschooling, I did not know where to look for a support system and my local librarian told me about a homeschool group in our area. If there is not a homeschool group in your area, you can find homeschool mom groups on Facebook. Here is one I started.
Co-ops are another great support system. Co-ops are not just for the children. It is a great way for new homeschooling parents to find and interact with other homeschooling parents. To learn more about Co-ops, please checkout the post below.
5. What is Deschooling?
Deschooling is a transitional period that you and your child or children will go through when you start homeschooling them after they have attended a Public or Private School. There is no set time for this transitional period. in fact, I have had several former public and private school teachers said they went through this process when they started homeschooling their own child. To learn more about Deschooling, checkout the post below.
How to Start the Deschooling Process?
10 Tips to Help you start Deschooling
1. Be upfront and honest with your child. Help your child to understand that there will me an transition period for you and them. Explain that y’all will be learning how to homeschool together.
2. Find other Homeschoolers in your area. Most areas have a homeschool group that has parties, field trips, park days, and just days to get together and learn. You can find these groups on Facebook, asking other homeschool moms, or even asking someone at your local library. Homeschool groups are not just for the children. You may also want to look into local Homeschool Co-ops.
3. Go on Field Trips. Field trips are one of my favorite parts of homeschooling. The children get to learn and have fun at the same time. Field trips do not have to cost an arm and a leg. Here is a list of fun and inexpensive Homeschool Field Trip ideas.
- Museums – they sometimes offer discounts to homeschoolers during weekday school hours, so check with your local museums to ask about homeschool field trip rates
- Public Library
- Post Office
- Police Station
- Fire Department
- City Hall
- Virtual Tours
- Zoo
- Nature Parks
- Aquariums
- Government Buildings
- Historic Places
- Military Landmarks
4. Be Creative. When I say be creative I mean, write a story and draw a picture about it, build something, make something or paint a picture. This should be a fun time.
5. Read Together. Find a comfortable place, a great book, and read it aloud to your child. You do not have to read the entire book in one day. Spread it out over a week or so.
6. Checkout your Local Library and the programs they offer. Our local library offers a preschool story time on Wednesday mornings, activities for school age children on Monday afternoons, and a great summer reading program. Libraries are not just a great resource for books.
7. Explore the outdoors. Exploring the outdoors can be fun. Here is a list of some fun things to do outdoors:
- Enjoy some time at your local park
- Have a picnic
- Take a field trip to a nature park
- Draw pictures in the backyard
- Notice all the different trees and flowers in your local park
- Go for a walk or a hike
8. Spend time learning your child’s learning process. This step may take some time. During this time, you will want to make notes of your child’s strengths and weaknesses. What subjects come natural to them and which ones they really struggle with. Think about what homeschooling style would work best. Then you will want to order a curriculum that fits your child’s and your family’s needs.
9. Watch Educational Videos on YouTube. YouTube can be a great resource! There are so many videos on so many subjects. Here is a great list of fun Science Experiments.
10. Learn about the Different Methods or Styles of Homeschooling.
6. Find a Homeschool Routine
I think it is so important to find a routine that works best for your family. I have tried doing a schedule, but it seemed to stress me out so much. As a matter of fact, I have found that a flexible routine works best for us. One of the best parts of homeschooling is that you can be flexible with everything.
Actually, we have found that four days a week school schedule works best for us. That leaves us one day a week for Fun Fridays or if we have a doctor’s appointment, dentist appointment, if we are sick, or if we just have to take a day off. Finding your own homeschool routine will make homeschooling more enjoyable for you and your children.
7. Take Much Needed Breaks
When you are homeschooling, it is ok to take breaks when you need them. No only do I recommend it, but I also encourage it. If you are in the middle of a lesson and need a 15 minute break, then take it. Some homeschool families will homeschool for six weeks and take a week off. Others homeschool year round and take time off for holidays, vacations, or some much needed take off. It is ok to take much needed breaks. Just make sure you are following your State’s laws and requirements.
8. Do Not Overload Your Children With Subjects Everyday
It is so important that you do not overload your children with subjects everyday. However, we work on the core subjects, reading, writing, language arts, and math, everyday. We do history and science two to three days a week. On Fun Fridays we work on art, music, field trips, fun science experiments, or play catch up on the subjects that we may have missed during the week.
Putting too much work on you and your children do not do you or them any good. In fact, it just makes things worse. Homeschooling is about encouraging and supporting our children’s love for learning. In addition to teaching core subjects, teaching life lessons, and life skills are all important parts of homeschooling.
9. Do Not Compare Yourself, Your Children, or Homeschool to Others
I know we all do this, but this is a slippery slope! It is so important that we do not do this! We have to remember that we as parents are not the same as other parents and neither are our children. Our children learn differently than other children and what works for them may not work for other children. It is the same with our homeschool, what works for our homeschool may not work for your homeschool. So comparing yourself, your children or your homeschool to others is just a bad idea. No one will benefit from it.
10. Make Time for Yourself
I know you think I am crazy for saying this, but making time for yourself is a must! As parents we are always doing things for others and it is hard to find time for ourselves, but it is important that we do it. Even if it is only 30 minutes a day, you need that to recharge yourself. You must take care of yourself if you expect to take care of others.
