How to Homeschool Your Child

Public school learning has gotten worse over the years. This trend may lead you to wonder if you could or should homeschool your child. With a curriculum that you can control, homeschooling can be a huge benefit to you and your child. There’s no research saying that homeschooled kids are worse off, and it might even benefit your child in the long run. As long as you make sure you are meeting their social, emotional, and educational needs, homeschooling your child can be a great choice for both of you.

Look at the legalities.

Obviously, not everyone is fit for homeschooling kids. There are state laws that require the home to be set up as an education home. This could be easily set up depending on what state you live in, but each state has different requirements that need to be met. Before you declare that you are going to start your home education, you’ll need to notify the state and give them the proper forms and time.

Sometimes, it’s not even the state that has the strictest laws, but the county or school district. There are a lot of legalities in place to ensure that a child will be getting the proper education that they need. It’s best to do your research a few months in advance so that you know what you are getting into and who you need to contact in order to become a homeschool parent.

Check your finances.

While homeschooling is definitely not as expensive as private school, it still does incur some costs. You want to make sure that you are financially stable and can afford the fees that come with homeschooling. The average cost is usually somewhere between $300 and $2,500, so it can start to add up. Plus, it’s important to take your child on field trips so that they can get out and get real experience. Many field trips are going to cost even more money, so understand this before you homeschool your child.

Other supplemental activities can be purchased, but you could get away with what is supplied to you by your state. For the best education though, you’ll want to buy additional materials to help teach your child. The fees that you pay often cover things like standardized tests normally provided in grade schools or high schools, which will prove that you are teaching your child correctly.

Encourage community fun.

One of the most exciting things about teaching your child at home is being able to take advantage of community activities. A simple phone call to your local library or other activity centers can tell you what there is for your child to participate in. By getting involved in the community, your child builds a rich repertoire of experience.

It’s also nice to get involved in the community so that your child can meet friends. Homeschooled children don’t meet as many other kids as they would if they were publicly schooled, so it’s important to get your child involved in activities that will help them get their social needs met.

Find your method.

There are a ton of different homeschooling methods, and none of them are better than the others. They are simply different. Based on your own education and your teaching skills, you’ll find a method that works for you. Don’t be afraid to try different teaching methods because your children may learn differently than you do. Homeschooling is definitely a learning experience, so don’t be afraid if the first thing you try doesn’t work.

It may take a bit of time to find your groove, but once you get it, homeschooling is really great! Children are complicated humans that may not adjust to homeschooling exactly like you thought, so the less expectations you go into it with, the less likely you'll see some of the signs it's time to quit homeschooling.

Prepare plans.

The biggest reason that homeschooling fails is because parents do not prepare plans. Teachers who work at private and public schools spend hours of their time creating plans and setting up the weeks and months ahead of them. Without plans, there is nothing to teach! If you go into homeschooling and think that you can come up with the plans as you go, you’re going to be sorely disappointed.

You must remember that you are taking your child’s education into your own hands. It isn’t fair to let your plans go. This is their life and sole education, so you need to make sure that you are creating fun and engaging plans to get the benefits of homeschool.

Find support.

You are not the first and you are not the last to homeschool. Homeschooling opens a whole different world of support if you reach out to your local support group. There are many moms and dads who homeschool their kids and join a support group. It’s at these meetings that you can share lesson plans, talk about the hardships, and talk about the benefits of homeschool.

Just because you homeschool your child doesn’t mean that everything is going to be perfect! There will be times that homeschool seems like the hardest thing in the world. Finding a good support group can make sure that you don’t give up right when things get tough. These parents have gone through what you are going through and they can share their tips to get out of the hardship. Plus, they often have great ideas that you can implement into your lesson plans!

Have fun.

The important thing to remember is to have fun! School shouldn’t be a rigid experience that kids hate. If you make your homeschooling fun, you and your child will be much happier. Try going out on field trips and exploring the many different benefits of homeschool that there are. It has been said that homeschooling has confined people into a kind of "house arrest" situation, and you should avoid that at all costs.

You know your child best, and if being a homeschooling parent sounds like something that you can handle, you should try it out. While it definitely comes with its challenges, to homeschool your child is a great experience that you won’t want to miss out on!