Tricia Croushorn, Kip Harding, Rachael Chappell

Recommended Books

Thomas Jefferson Education: Teaching a Generation of Leaders for the Twenty-First Century by Oliver DeMille

Raising A New Generation of Patriots: A Garden Allegory by Marlene Peterson, Tammy Hulse, Kimberly Fletcher

A Charlotte Mason Companion: Personal Reflections on The Gentle Art of Learning by Karen Andreola

Where to Start

Deciding to homeschool is an important decision — and some make it with a bit of trepidation. We all had the same concerns. It’s entirely normal. It’s important to realize that school at home is not like school at school — it’s much more manageable than you might think. Once you start, you find what’s right for you and the results will come.

Whether you are considering homeschooling or you’ve already made the decision and want to know to where start, there are some things you should know.

Know the Laws of Your State

The first thing you should do before you start is review the homeschooling laws in your state.

We highly recommend Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) as your first place to go. HSLDA is an excellent resource. They provide an updated list of the homeschool laws for every state. It also provides a list of state homeschool groups you can connect with and many other valuable resources. We highly recommend becoming a member of HSLDA. As a member you’ll have 24/7 legal support in case you ever need it and help to support your right to homeschool. At $120.00 a year it is well worth the peace of mind.

Connect with Other Homeschool Moms

Connecting with other homeschool moms is a great way to find out about everything homeschool. They can share what they do and what they use when it comes to resources, curriculum, support networks, etc. If you don’t know any homeschool families, there are several homeschool groups in every state that you can contact. HSLDA provides a list of groups for each state.

Consider Your Options

One of the first mistakes new homeschool moms make is to try and do the same thing the schools are doing. They immediately start to imitate public school and very quickly find it isn’t working. Let us save you some time and introduce you to a world of options, including everything from online classes to single-subject workbooks. Some of these options include:

Online Distance Learning
Computer-based curriculum and courses
Box Curriculum—the entire year in a box
Single subject curriculum

You also have several different options when it comes to methods of homeschooling.

Traditional
Charlotte Mason
Unit Study
Eclectic

For more information on the options available to you, click here.

Choose Curriculum

Choosing curriculum can be tricky when you have no idea where to start. Asking other homeschool families what they use is a good way to get information. You can also visit homeschool conferences and used curriculum fairs. Homeschool conferences are an excellent way to get information, peruse the various curriculum resources and connect with other homeschoolers. Don’t be discouraged if something doesn’t work and don’t throw it out. It may work with another child. Remember everyone learns differently and what works for one child may not work for another. It doesn’t mean you’re failing, it just means you need to try something different.

Enjoy the Adventure!

There will most definitely be challenges you will face and you will have bad days. It’s just a part of the process. But you will also have really good days and enjoy learning, growing, and connecting with your children. Make sure to take the time for you, love your kids and enjoy this amazing adventure upon which you are embarking!