Homeschooling--Where to start?

I got a call today from a friend needing to know how to go about homeschooling so I thought I would share some insights on that here.

A great resource to check the rules for your state is at the Home School Legal Defense Association . They have them there to check. You can also check with your state's education department. The laws very by state so it is important to check what you have to do in your state. I have lived in 2 states and homeschooled my children....Ohio and Texas.

Texas is one of the easiest states to homeschool in as it has no regulations. Ohio has a few but it is not as hard as some other states.

One thing I like to tell people who are considering homeschooling is that although it seems overwhelming in the beginning to be taking on such a task it really is not as hard since there are some many resources available. Another thing to consider is that you are doing it for the best experience for your child. Trust me is WILL be worth it.

One book I recommend for all those who are going to start homeschooling is the Successful Homeschool Family Handbook at Amazon . This book was a great place to begin.

Now when first deciding to homeschool you have to realize a few things....

*It is work to do it
*You can always change your mind and send you child back to public school
*If your child has been in public school you should allow 1-2 months for the child to adjust to not
being in public school
`--In public school students are told what to do and how to do it. In the homeschool
environment they have more freedom to be decision makers. It takes time for them to
adjust.
*It is worth it!!

I will give you some more guidance in my next posting.......