How to Begin Homeschooling
“The hardest part of homeschooling is often saying yes to it in the first place.”
I feel like this title is so vague - but we are going to cover SO much. We are living in strange, strange times fiends and homeschooling is growing fiercely. Let me start by saying that you’re in control of your child’s education. As crazy as that sounds, it’s up to you to make the decision that feels right for your family. Every family will choose something different whether it is public school or homeschooling, a fancy curriculum or an online only program. There is no right or wrong way, there’s only the right way for you!
Before we dig into starting your homeschool journey let me preface with something. I low key dreamed of homeschooling my kids for years and didn’t really say much on it. It was like a cozy fantasy that I was sure would never happen because A) my husband would surely never be on board B) it also sounded nice to send my kids away for a few hours (keeping it real) C) I’m a nostalgic person and looked forward to my kids having the same experiences that I did.
But truth be told, the world is quite different now and within that different world is a much different school setting. We tried public school and truthfully had a great experience for the most part, but by the middle of first grade we knew it wasn’t what we really wanted. I prayed a lot on the decision and as soon as my husband was ALL in, panic set in for me. I was fearful of hurting my kids’ futures, fearful of messing things up and fearful that maybe they would resent it. Every homeschool mama has often struggled with the decision to homeschool; you are not alone in your fears!
THE HARDEST PART OF HOMESCHOOLING IS SAYING YES TO IT!
And I am here to say that it has been the best decision ever!
So let’s dig in.
How do I “register” to homeschool?
How do I drop my child from their current school if they’re enrolled somewhere? Head to your child’s school and ask for a drop form. Most schools have it and know all of the details and it’s an easy situation. Other times you run into situations where schools don’t understand the ins and outs of homeschooling and expect things from you that you simply do not need. Some schools try to persuade you that you have to choose home study or choose their home based education program. Often times this is either intentional (they don’t want to lose funding) or they are just misinformed. Make sure to speak with other homeschool mamas in your local area to know exactly what you need. In the state of Louisiana, you do not need to show proof of your curriculum or homeschool to drop.
Check your state’s legalities. Many states have very little record keeping or legalities around homeschooling, but other states do. For Louisiana you simply have to choose an option A) Home Study B) Non Public not seeking state approval. This can be done by learning about each option but most people choose option B for younger years and then choose option A for high school. Option A, home study, requires you to keep more of a paper trail of your child’s year and is needed for TOPS eligibility or college needs. Research your options and register with your state.
Can you help the local Louisiana folk out? Yes! Here’s the link to register for non public not seeking state approval. Here’s the info for Home Study (this is used primarily for high schoolers since you will keep a paper trail).
Do I have to keep all of their work? Some states require a portfolio of your child’s work which can be fun to put together. Simply ask around with other homeschool mamas and search out local homeschool groups on Facebook. For us, I intend to keep most arithmetic and language arts journals and workbooks.
“God didn’t call you to homeschooling because YOU could handle it. He called you because HE could handle it. ”
What does the homeschool time frame look like? How many hours a day do you school?
Do I follow the normal school calendar? YOU choose your start and stop date. You choose to homeschool year round and take a long break during the holidays. Or you can school 6 weeks on and 2 weeks off. You can even school on a trip to the Bahamas! Most states simply require that you’re schooling 180 days and honestly, most families probably unintentionally do more because learning never stops.
Do you have to teach 8 hours a day? Your days are shorter than traditional school. Since you do not have a classroom with 30 kids, your day does not look like a public school day. Most elementary children can be done in 1-3 hours depending on their age. However we find that taking play breaks, outside breaks and more is helpful. Therefore our day is stretched out a tad and wraps up around noon, with some literature focus around 2:00.
Can I work and homeschool? There are some families that work full time and fit homeschooling in. While it is doable, I imagine that it can be a challenge. Working part time or from home may be more ideal with a homeschool situation.
What about Co-ops and Hybrids? Doesn’t my child need socialization?
What about co-ops? There are many different co ops and homeschool programs in most areas and in particular in our south Louisiana area. Some nationwide programs are Regina Caeli and St. John Bosco (both Catholic and available in Ascension parish) and Classical Conversations (Christian with various locations setup). Some co-ops come together to focus on a few subjects like art and science and others may have a more structured day of classes. Most co-ops meet 1-2 days per week.
You DO NOT NEED a co-op. While many parents worry about socialization, if a co-op is unavailable to you or out of budget, don’t stress. If your child goes to church, Sunday school, plays sports, plays with neighbors and cousins, has siblings, goes to the store with you, etc… they are getting great social skills this way too. How did we determine that sticking children of all the same age with “no talking rules,” as the only way to acquire good social skills?
It’s actually ironic that children are taught that school isn’t a time for socialization and are reprimanded for their talkative behavior at traditional school, but yet we claim that kids NEED to go to traditional school for social skills. The idea doesn’t make sense. While wonderful social skills can be acquired in a traditional school setting, many children can learn to converse with people of all ages by simply being out and about more often with their parents.
“Before we attempt to live a day well, teach our children, or tackle our to-dos, first we put the whole thing at His feet. ”
How do I find curriculum and will I need to make lesson plans?
Do homeschool moms make lesson plans? If parents had to make lesson plans for their child, then most people would likely never choose homeschooling. The curriculums that you choose will lay it all out for you and your student, day by day. I have even seen curriculums that tell me exactly what to say and most come with a teacher’s manual to help you teach your child and think outside of the box with them. Curriculums often have a “syllabus” of some sort at the beginning of the workbook to help you stay on track and evaluate your child’s progress.
Curriculum shopping is probably the most stressful part of homeschooling at first. There’s many different curriculums out there and I encourage you to read blog posts, browse pinterest and watch You Tube reviews from homeschool mamas. This is the best way to see inside of books, hear the reviews and hear the comparisons.
You do not need to purchase all subjects from the same company. Your math can come from one place and your ELA from another. However many curriculum companies offer a bundle for the grade level your child needs, which makes the shopping for you easier!
Are there any common core curriculums? I believe there are some available. Most people do not stress on this because all students will learn to come to the same answer, their steps may just look a little different and that’s okay.
Is curriculum expensive? It can be based on which companies you go with and if you purchase all of the extras. Homeschooling is about how expensive you make it!
Can you list out some popular curriculum choices for me? Sure! Three very popular (and Christian) programs you will hear about are currently Masterbooks, The Good and the Beautiful and Abeka. For Catholic based curriculum, Seton, Mother of Divine Grace, Regia Caeli, and Our Father’s House are some options. Other options are Sonlight (Christian), Math U See, Five in a Row, Horizon Math, A Reason For (Christian), Learning Without Tears, Charlotte Mason and a whole lot more.
“Cultivating a habit of encountering truth, beauty and goodness will not be time wasted. ”
What all do I really need to homeschool?
To homeschool your children you just need a comfortable place, a curriculum to follow, a library card and some art and writing supplies!
While many mamas have beautiful homeschool rooms, most of us just homeschool at the dining table and have a rolling cart full of our things. A beautiful space is not necessary, nor is a home library.
You need patience. You need love. You need grace for your children and yourself. You need mercy. You need Jesus. And if Jesus isn’t your jam, then you probably need some Yoga and the occasional glass of wine.
Where do I find support and like minded mamas?
You can find support for homeschooling in local Facebook groups where you will likely learn about local field trips, nature groups, 4H, sports meetups and more. I also encourage you to head to Instagram because the support and inspiration there is unreal! Just start searching through #homeschool hashtags and you will find so many beautiful accounts!
Ask around at your church - you are bound to find some homeschool families there!
“The daily grind of homeschooling and mothering is really holy ground.”
Other FAQs
What’s all the lingo? There are some terms you’ll see a lot in the homeschool world that mostly reflect the learning styles families choose. Charlotte Mason, Waldorf, Classical, Deschooling and Unschooling are some terms you will come across. You don’t need to know about these unless you truly want to. We have a classical curriculum style and I love a lot of Charlotte Mason.
Where do you find the beautiful worksheets that you feature on your blog and Instagram? We follow many great homeschooling mamas that also happen to be designers who develop seasonal units, religious studies, morning basket units, nature bundles and more. A few of our favorites are Home and Haven, The Peaceful Press, Brighter Day Press, Treehouse Schoolhouse, Dash Into Learning, Arrows and Applesauce and Stephanie Hathaway Designs.
What is a morning basket? It’s a basket full of things to take care of during breakfast or before the day starts. Occupied children will sit still longer and listen while you eat. We often do bible, poetry, read aloud, flash cards and memory work this way. Read more about that here.
Where can I find craft ideas and games? Who do you recommend following on Instagram? There is so much on PINTEREST! I also encourage you to check out Little School of Smiths, My Mountain Wild, Smitty Gram Fam, Let’s Play School, Silo and Sage, and so much more on Instagram.
What if I want to put my child back into the school system? In many places this is an easy enrollment process. Some states or upper grade levels may require your child to take a placement test.
Which books do you recommend for me? Teaching from Rest, Homeschool Bravely, Wild and Free and the Unhurried Homeschooler.
Is it possible to homeschool multiple ages? Absolutely yes! In fact I see more moms who homeschool children of multiple ages than anything else. You learn how to occupy babies and toddlers and eventually develop a rhythm to focus on each child. While one child does their silent reading, you may work on math with another. And so on! Look for a post soon on this topic.
““God forecasts victory because He can see all the way to the very end. ”
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