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So you are thinking of homeschooling but are not sure where to start? I’ve got a quick start guide on how to start homeschooling your children.
Taking on your child’s education is nothing to take lightly. Honestly, I haven’t met a homeschool mom who doesn’t care about her kid’s education though.
Homeschooling can sound overwhelming so I’ve broken it down into a few easy steps to guide you through.
Taking one step at a time and you will know how to homeschool your children and get to know them in a whole new way.
It’s also important to understand the “why” of why you want to homeschool. What values do you want to instill in your children and what are your reasons for home education?
These simple questions will build a foundation for your homeschool and even help you pick out the right curriculum.
How to Start Homeschooling
Connect with Local Homeschoolers
Your first task is to find your local homeschool community. If you don’t know where to start, I’d suggest a Facebook group focused on your state.
Finding a “Texas” or “Ohio” (insert where you live) Facebook group of homeschool parents is a priceless tool.
You can ask questions, read curriculum reviews, and get a “day in the life” glance of a regular homeschool family.
These groups will probably have templates of the paperwork you are required to mail in as well.
Also, ask other parents in your area if they know any local homeschool families. You can get started alone but you don’t want to stay alone.
Learn About Your States Homeschool Laws
After deciding to homeschool, you need to learn what your state’s homeschool laws are all about.
Each state is very different when it comes to homeschooling so you need to learn what is required.
Thankfully the HSLDA website has all the state homeschool laws for you in a way that’s easy to understand.
You can also ask local homeschoolers or Facebook groups but always check the HSLDA because laws change or get updated.
Most states require notification/withdrawal to your local school district and possibly a quick assessment after the school year is over but some states have no regulations so be sure to check the law.
All paperwork, bookkeeping, grades, and record keeping are influenced by your state homeschool laws. Don’t be intimidated, just take time to understand what is expected of you.
Choosing the Right Homeschool Curriculum
Believe it or not, this will probably be your hardest decision. There are hundreds of amazing curriculums out there ready to educate your child.
Many things can influence your curriculum decisions such as budget, learning styles, your kid’s age and personal interests.
Do you want a Christian curriculum, a secular curriculum, or certain values in a curriculum?
For us, when I homeschooled four kids we kept a budget of $1000 for the whole school year. I felt like $1000 was enough to buy curriculum for 4 kids including some fun hands-on activities and literature books.
You could easily spend more or cut that in half depending on what you choose.
As my kids got older, the high school curriculum does cost a bit more than the elementary curriculum.
I personally recommend reading over different education styles first so you can find what feels right for your family.
At first, your main focus should be on the core subjects like math, language arts, history, and science.
You can add in electives and extracurricular activities after you get a handle on the core subjects.
Most homeschoolers don’t care for “school at home” because it’s not practical for everyday life.
There are “textbook/workbook” curriculums and then there are literature-based unit studies.
There are also online homeschool curriculums.
Most families use a combination of them all depending on their child’s needs.
We’ve always chosen a literature-based learning style similar to Charlotte Mason’s learning.
I LOVE unit studies where we can all learn together, and it saves me from teaching multiple different histories and science lessons.
Video classes or lessons are a smart choice for high school students learning higher-level math and sciences but I don’t like video for young children. I think elementary ages need pencils and paper.
I’ve got tons of curriculum reviews here for you to help you decide what to use, even a huge list of Free Homeschool Curriculum if you are on a budget.
Creating a Family Schedule
After you choose most of your curriculum you will need to lay out a schedule that works for your family.
Having your kids home all day might be a big change for you.
I’ve got a Free Chore Schedule that might help, our kids have always done chores before or after school.
Keeping the house organized involves the whole family, kids included.
Most of my kids can cook full meals or make supper by age 12 and I consider “chores” valuable life skills.
Your schedule might revolve around a baby’s nap time or errands you have to run in the afternoon.
I found it easiest to help the kids with their math curriculum while my little ones were napping. For other subjects like history and science, we did it together family style in the living room.
Instead of writing down times for school and chores, I found a routine works best. A homeschool routine schedule could look like this:
- Morning wake up
- Brush teeth
- Get Dressed
- Breakfast
- Devotional
- Chores
- Start school lessons
We did things in the same order, not necessarily at the same time on the clock.
You will find what works best for your family and your kid’s ages, then as they grow and change, you will have to readjust the schedule, that’s just how life works.
Always try to keep your schedule flexible because there will be sick days, field trip days, days where you just want to take the day off or special holidays.
In general, we school 180 days a year, so as long as we get our days in, it doesn’t matter “when” we do school.
You can school following closely the public school schedule or homeschool year around and take bigger breaks around the holidays.
The beauty of homeschooling is it fits your lifestyle!
Plug into Your Local Homeschool Community
Never underestimate the power of your local homeschool community.
Joining a local Co-Op or homeschool group will give you access to friends, other homeschool parents, used curriculum, classes like piano, science experiments, and so much more.
These communities are full of fun field trips, play dates, dance classes, and so many other activities that help to round out your child’s education.
In my opinion, these social skills and activities are just as important as the other subjects.
Lastly, Get Feedback from Your Kids
You may not know your child’s learning style if you haven’t homeschooled before. Maybe they are super frustrated with their math lessons?
I know every subject in your kid’s education isn’t going to be a blast but it’s important to adjust the curriculum if it isn’t working for you.
If your day is stressful on regular bases or you have tears from your kids every day, it might be time for a schedule change or curriculum change.
I’ve switched curriculum mid-year if something wasn’t working for us, remember you are the one in charge of their education.
Always keep communication open and ask your kids what they are struggling with and how you can help them.
Maybe they need more play dates? More hands-on activities? More breaks in-between subjects?
Homeschool life is always changing and adjusting, that’s the beauty of being able to homeschool.
I’d love to know what questions you have about getting started in your homeschool journey! Comment below.
