Homeschooling Startup
There are two things you need to know before you homeschool. Both are simple. Are you ready?
The first, most important thing you need to know when you start homeschooling, is what your particular state requires regarding homeschooling. Each state has different things they require of you as a homeschooler. Some want a curriculum at the beginning of the year and an assessment at the end of the year to show that you did what you said you would. Some want to know you fulfilled a certain amount of days of school work. Some need nothing at all.
It is your responsibility as you take on homeschooling to find out what your particular state requires, as a failure to fulfill their laws may bring an early end to your homeschooling journey. This information can be found online. Home School Legal Defense Association is just one available resource which can be found online. Plus, each state probably has their own education site. The post on creating your own curriculum has some more information on this.
The second most important thing you need to know is that you can actually do this. You CAN! Homeschooling your child or children will teach you many things. Excluding the obvious things like subject matter, resources and how-tos, there are some other more hidden great lessons that are generally looked down on in this day and age, like self-sacrifice. There are many people who consider the job they go to as self-sacrifice for their family’s benefit, and they are right.
But there is a different kind of self-sacrifice in laying aside your career to take on the responsibility of training the young minds of your own offspring. No one knows them as you do. It’s quite a thrilling thing to be there for the firsts of a child’s life, and this extends past potty training and first teeth. I remember the tears rolling down my cheeks as I looked in wonder at my son’s cursive writing, to which he applied himself with diligence and determination. It was a moment I will never forget and am grateful I was there for it.
You don’t have to be wealthy to homeschool. You can do it on a shoestring. Coping with educational costs is a reality we all are faced with. I remember a woman who made a note of the costs she would incur to go to work (like work clothes, gas or transportation). When all was said and done and she’d covered those costs, she would have brought home $1. One single dollar! She decided to not go back to work. Many might go to their job because it is easier than homeschooling. But YOU CAN do this! Drop me a line or leave a comment if you have any questions.
