Homeschooling for Beginners: Things to Think About Before You Get Started

So, you decided to homeschool? Great! This choice was a big decision, yes, and there are still things you need to look into, but this was a big step, and you should be proud of yourself.

There are some things that you should be thinking about and learning about before you start but please hear me when I tell you that you don’t have to have it all figured out before you start. That was probably my biggest mistake thinking I had to research and understand EVERYTHING before I began, and that was and is not the case. There definitely is a level of needing to trust yourself and trust that you will know how to figure this out using the resources and people that have gone before you. This blog post is meant to give you a starting point and hopefully encourage you ☺️

I think familiarizing yourself with a few things before you start is a good idea. Some of these things that you will make decisions on can and probably will change throughout your journey of homeschooling and that is okay.

Understanding Legal Requirements

The first thing to do is familiarize yourself with the homeschooling laws in your state. A quick google search of “homeschooling laws in _____”(fill in your state) will give you information, and also HSLDC is also an excellent resource. Facebook also is a great place to look for groups in your state and a great place to ask questions. These laws are important to know so that you can be in compliance.

Curriculum

This is where I made myself sick from researching so much. I was convinced that there was the PERFECT curriculum, and I would have to find it and use it every year until we were done schooling. NO! Don’t believe that either. I think you should be familiar with homeschooling philosophies and methods (classical, Charlette Mason, Montessori, unschooling etc.) because they will steer you in a direction for curriculum, but again, know that you can try something and then change your mind and try something else. I also think that as you begin homeschooling, you will start to learn how your child learns best and that will help you to know if the curriculum you are using is a good fit or if you need to pivot. Pivoting is a good thing 🙂

A Homeschool Space

Is this necessary? Absolutely not. The kitchen table or even everyone all huddled on the couch will work just fine. But thinking about where this will happen every day and knowing if you need to maybe get a cart that will hold the schooling materials or a desk for your child will be a good idea. This way you can prepare (as best you can). I was lucky to have space for both of my children to have their own desk but again, not necessary.

A Homeschool Schedule

I don’t mean this in a rigid sense. I just want you to think about ideally when you would like schooling to happen and then you can adjust accordingly. Having a basic timeframe can ease some anxiety around “can I do this” because you’ve mapped out an idea around when things will happen.

I knew I had to work during the day, so I scheduled our schooling around my schedule so I knew that we would get done the things we needed to get done and I wasn’t impeding on my work time as well. And I know this sounds like the perfect utopia of homeschooling but there are SO many ways to schedule in schooling throughout the day. So, think outside the box if you need to and make it work to ensure it will be done best for you and your family.  

Finding Support and Community

I think this is an overlooked step for most parents. We are made to be in community and homeschooling is not different. You are going to want to know someone, or many people, who have or are homeschooling too, for so many reasons. They will not only bring you support but they will also give you an opportunity in some cases to provide socialization for both you and your child.

This step was hard for me because I was housebound with the type of job I had (I ran an in-home childcare) so I couldn’t go out to all the groups that would get together for field trips or just meet ups, so I relied on online groups to be surrounded with like-minded people that could support and encourage me. Looking back now, I could have attended conferences or events that were happening on the weekends to further extend my networking, but it was what it was. My point in telling you that is don’t let the circumstance of not being able to leave home during the day or whatever stop you from connecting. There are so many groups online and in person that are happening. You just have to be willing to do some research and ask questions.

Preparing for the First Day

Getting your kids involved in this part is a great idea because it will get them excited and hopefully get them more engaged.

The biggest thing to remember is this doesn’t have to look like a traditional school does. Make the first day fun with activities, setting up expectations and just easing into the routine. I also did a shortened version of our days for the first week to just get us all up to speed again.

Also, don’t forget to be flexible and patient with yourself and with your children. You all have never done school this way before and you’re all learning and finding a new rhythm.

Starting homeschooling is a process. You won’t have it figured out on the first day so be kind to yourself. There are things 8 years later that I’m still changing. Let this be fluid and relaxing and take things one step at a time.

Celebrate the small milestones and enjoy the journey. Let yourself learn new things about yourself and your children.

Follow along with the blog in the month of July where I will be writing more about homeschooling to help encourage you on your journey 🙂