I am brand new to this site today. I have recently begun considering homeschooling, something I never thought I'd do, but I am beginning to see ways it could be good for my family. I don't know for sure if I will homeschool, and my son is only 2, but I know that I will need a couple years of mental preparation if I'm going to do it, since I have a long way to go in even figuring out how to manage life and basic household tasks as a stay-at-home mom of one (hopefully more children soon). I also need to brace myself for family members who I know don't support homeschooling, so I'd like to be as prepared as possible. Anyway, I guess I'm trying to get a better idea as to whether this is the right path for me and my family and, if so, how would I go about starting? Literally, I need some step-by-step instructions for how to initiate the process of homeschooling. I'd also welcome any tips about preparing myself for the task and how to manage a household well with small children (especially when you're homeschooling). Any advice would help me on my journey toward (possibly) homeschooling. Thanks!

Jennifer

Hi Jennifer! Welcome!
You actually are already homeschooling your little one. :0) We have some awesome articles that I know will help you. Please take a look at our Beginner page and explore the links:
http://homeschoolChristian.com/beginner.php

You CAN do this! Keep in mind that when your children are young, everything you do with them is actually teaching them. So "formal" work would be no more than an hour or two for, say, 3d and 4th graders. I know it seems like a daunting task, but you CAN do it!!

After you read over some of the articles, please ask more questions. I know we can encourage you and help you.

Again, welcome!

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welcome.
Yes, if you were not home schooled yourself, it seems overwhelming. And after a couple of years of homeschooling you will wonder what you worried about!
You have lots of time to red nd re-read some of the material martha suggested. I would also suggest you get to know a family that already homeschools, especially getting tto know the children.
Also keep in mind that it DOES NOT TAKE THAT MUCH TIME. In a school setting the teacher is dealing with 20 or more children. you will have just a few. you will not to need to worry about discipline in 20 very different children from different backgrounds. And you will already know intimately the individuals you will be teaching, you don't need to "get to know them."
Perhaps you can get tto know LisaTX here. She has 2 school age children and a new baby, and is managing to homeschool the older two, care for the baby and her household.

Welcome Jennifer! You'll do great!

I homeschool one little one. For me, it has been a matter of learning one new thing at a time and implementing that one thing - you don't have to master everything before you start. For instance, you don't have to know what algebra curriculum you will be using, or how you will teach the times tables.

I read articles on the net (the ones on this site - like those Martha recommended are great), and the occasional book about homeschooling - it all adds up to a picture in your mind over time. The reviews on here are also very helpful.

When my little one was two, I read lots of books with her. Our best ones were her Bible Story books and several alphabet books. I read the alphabet books like this: B says /b/ - ball. That way, she mastered basic phonics before we ever even thought about reading! Also, basic vocabulary books - like a big book of animals with the name of each animal under the picture. Shape books, color books with the name of each thing. That helps your little one master the basic preschool concepts.

And, talk it over with your DH and make sure you're both on the same page - you really can't do without each other's support.

A big selling point for anyone who is unconvinced about homeschooling is to see that your little one is excelling academically. I was talking to a lady at the library about homeschooling the other day, when my little one saw the word "horriblest" on the cover of a book, and read it to her - I really didn't need to say much more after that ; )

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http://stuffedveggies.blogspot.com/

Here's a link to a thread here on pre-k resources

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=235&hilit=ruth+beechick

My cousin started homeschooling her children from the get go, I thought there was no way I could do that, so I put my kids in public school. Needless to say I ended up homeschooling all 3 of mine at some point. One book that helped me realize that 'I could do this' was,

http://www.amazon.com/Home-School-Takin ... endrickson

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"...with men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26

I would suggest reading a lot with your 2 yr old and doing lots of hands on activities. That's all that's really needed at this age. In your spare time, visit this site often and learn from what other people are doing. Read the links, read up on all the curriculum, etc. I did that for 2 yrs before pulling my kids out of school and homeschooling them, and by the time I started, I had a pretty good idea of what our day would look like and which curriculum we would use. It does have to be tweaked and you have to be flexible. I have one kid who loves school and one who hates it, so I have to tailor it to what works for each child. If you realize a certain curriculum isn't working for you, switch to a new one next year (or sooner if you can) and move on. Do the best you can with the resources you have. I do have days where I feel overwhelmed and wonder what I'm doing, but then my kids do some wonderful thing and I feel like the most blessed person in the world to be home with them and it's all worth it!

My opinion towards homeschooling is that it's a personal choice between my husband and I, and no one else. As long as I have my dh's support, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. If they're not a part of our marriage, they don't have a say, and I've never really left anyone any room to give me their opinion, unless it's positive. If someone is curious, I will answer their questions honestly, but remarks that take a jab at homeschooling or are in any way critical, get ignored. You don't owe anyone an explanation, but if you feel you need to give one, saying something like, "After much prayer and consideration between my husband and I, we feel that homeschooling is the right choice for our family" should suffice.

You will make the perfect teacher for your child and you won't regret homeschooling!

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Mom to Christian (13), Saphira (10), Xavier (5), and Adrian (2).