The thought of homeschooling seems to be on the minds of a lot of families right now. What's best for your family? Would homeschool be better for you?
First, let me ease your minds. The distance learning you may have experienced when schools closed was nothing close to what homeschooling is like. There is no set schedule of zoom calls with teachers unless it's a class you signed up for on your own. There are no have to's for when assignments are due, you work at your child's pace, and the best part of it all according to my daughter - NO HOMEWORK!
We have been homeschooling our daughter for the past 4 years. The summer before her second-grade year, we made the decision to homeschool and our son would attend our local high school. There was still a part of me that wanted her to return to school and keep the normalcy we had created. When asked years ago if I would consider homeschooling I laughed - "I would never homeschool!" Well, never say never because here we are, homeschooling and loving every minute of it.
Are you feeling a little nudge inside you to give homeschooling a try? That was me too at the beginning. I figured we could try it for just one year to see how we liked it. If I didn't like it, I would send her back. But a couple of months into homeschooling we were hooked! From the slower pace of life and the faster pace of working through school - we were left with more time for each other, extracurriculars, and friends we were too busy to see when we were in school.
I will be the first to admit that homeschooling is not for everyone. But if you are reading this, you may have that nudge, a feeling deep down that I highly recommend you listen to. It could be one of the best decisions you make for your family.
Are you ready to dive into learning the basics?
I will be hosting a Homeschool 101 Class on Facebook beginning Tuesday, March 1st! If you are a seasoned homeschool family or a new/thinking about homeschool family you are welcome to join the FB Group - Rancho, Alta Loma & Etiwanda Homeschoolers.
Ask any homeschool questions here! I will be answering all of your questions during the class.
Here's your first Homeschool Mom Tip! Grab a blank spiraled notebook to keep all your homeschool notes and questions in one place. Make a tab for school research, curriculum suggestions, and questions you may have. When you get started diving into the homeschool world, it can be really overwhelming at first. There is so much great information out there and amazing families who are ready to help, too! It is easy to feel unequipped to take on the role of parent and homeschool teacher. From trying to envision what a typical homeschool day would be like at your house, to choosing your child's curriculum, learning about the different types of schools, and where to apply. Keeping all your thoughts and notes in one place will help begin to see a clearer picture of whether you want to homeschool in the fall.
Are you curious to know more about homeschooling now? I sat down with a homeschool friend/educator of mine last week and asked her to help me put together a HOMESCHOOL 101 GUIDE to guide you with your research, and hopefully answer more of your questions like...
I don’t know if I am equipped to homeschool?
Where should I start?
What are my options for schools if I homeschool?
Can you homeschool your kids with no experience teaching?
Can I work and homeschool?
Feel free to email me at bethneely@macaronikid.com if you would like to connect before the Homeschool 101 Class.
