So You Think You Want to Homeschool?

So you're not happy with the school system and private school is out of your budget, in the past you were forced to suck it up and just deal with the problems. Not anymore! You can homeschool your children. It's an option many people are exploring and finding that it works for their family.

The first thing you need to do is explore the laws of your state. My state requires that I homeschool 4.5 hours per day for 180 days per year. I also either have to register with the state or register with an umbrella school, who will keep my records. Another thing you need to find out is whether or not testing is required and whether the state will test your children for you.

Next, talk to others who homeschool. Get a realistic picture of the good and the bad. When I was exploring my options, I actually approached people and asked just that. I didn't want to have this rosy picture of what homeschooling was like and then find out that it was nothing like what I'd thought. I checked books out of the library and I found a couple of different message boards for homeschoolers and I asked questions there. Most homeschooling families are very open to discussions and will often give you a lot of really good information. The one thing I found that impressed me the most was that the only people who truly hated homeschooling were those who were forced into it. I found two families whose child had an illness that prevented them from attending school and therefore had to homeschool. Those were the only two people who had negative things to say.