What You Need to Know as a New Homeschool Family
As a new homeschool family, learning how to start was overwhelming. I was homeschooled as a child and wanted to continue doing so with our children, but it took some convincing to show my husband why it was the best decision for our family. Today I’m sharing what you need to know as a new homeschool family and how I convinced my husband to consider the change in our children’s education.
When our son was diagnosed with cancer at age 4, sending him to public school was too risky as his immune system was too weak. To protect him from further harm, we decided to homeschool him. A few months later, COVID shutdowns began, and bringing our other children home was no longer an option; it was a requirement.
As excited as I was to have my children home full time, there was an adjustment period for our children, who missed their friends and favorite teachers. To make the shift easier, we had themed days where we’d cook, watch a movie, or do something fun outside. They also thoroughly enjoyed never setting an alarm for over a year! As a new homeschool mom, it was overwhelming and stressful, I won’t lie. With the help of other homeschooling families and a lot of research, we made it through that first year, and we loved it so much we continued to choose homeschooling over public education ever since.
Homeschooling has become increasingly popular in recent years. Whether religious reasons, special needs, or fear of increased school violence- whatever has caused the shift, it’s refreshing to see families choosing a different path for their children. Whatever your reasoning for homeschooling, I hope the tips I share today show you what a blessing this decision is. Feeling overwhelmed is normal, but with these tips, you’ll be able to decide if becoming a homeschool family is the right decision for you.
What do I need to know as a new homeschool family?
Some activities count toward educational hours
I’ll go into this later but think outside the box! Educational activities can count towards required hours on school days if you can show that your kids are learning something from the experience.
There may be museums, zoos, and aquariums in your city that offer free or discounted entrance for homeschool families
We have been able to go to the local zoo, children’s museum, and space museum on field trips for next to nothing simply by asking about a homeschool discount! It doesn’t hurt to ask. Plus, as most children are in school, many places will be quieter on weekdays during the school year.
It’s a good idea to look up homeschool requirements in your state
These vary by state, and I am not an expert. It’s easy to find legal requirements for homeschooled students in your state that tell you exactly how many days and educational hours are required each year. You’ll also need to look up testing requirements for your state. Our children attend a homeschool group once a week through our local school district that handles necessary testing, so I don’t have to stress about that. Don’t let homeschool laws intimidate you! They are to research and follow.
Facts I shared with my husband when considering homeschooling
- Being homeschooled does not prevent children from attending college
- Homeschooled kids tend to score higher on tests
- The percentage of new homeschoolers has risen every year for the past 10 years
- What does that tell you about our school system? More and more families are unhappy with the education system the way it is today and decide to homeschool their children instead.
- COVID-19 only increased families’ interest in homeschooling their children permanently
- Homeschool curriculum is flexible and can be adapted for all grade levels
The statistics I’ve shared today can be found here.
Perks of homeschooling
It’s faster
Depending on your state’s requirements, you could homeschool in 2-3 hours compared to the 7 hours it takes in traditional schools. This varies throughout the United States, but researching local regulations is easy. The Home School Legal Defense Association makes it easy to learn what your requirements are for the state you live in.
Educational activities count towards total educational hours
Did you know baking cookies could be educational? Yep, it’s true! And that workshop in your garage? If kids are learning something, it can count towards educational hours! Activities like baking, cooking, going to the park, gardening, etc. can all count. This is why I love homeschooling so much. I am not sitting at the kitchen table with my children for hours on end finishing schoolwork. They are learning real-life skills they can rely on for the rest of their lives instead of sitting quietly at a desk for hours finishing independent work.
You get more time with your children
I love that homeschooling has given me more time with my children. Sure, there are tough days. I’m not going to lie and say that every day is sunshine, but at the end of the day, these years are short, and the majority of the time is spent feeling total gratitude for the time homeschooling has given me with my children. I am with them for 3 meals daily, teaching them life skills and watching them learn new things. We love the flexibility that homeschooling has offered, giving us more time for family activities.
Total control over their education
Knowing that I have control over what my children are exposed to is one of the biggest perks of homeschooling and one I often mention when sharing with new homeschool families why we love it so much. Our beliefs don’t always align very well with the public school system, and that’s a genuine fear for us. Knowing I don’t have to stress over bullying, school shootings, drug exposure, or any differing opinions while my children are so young is a huge stress relief.
Our daily goals as a homeschooling family
Read something
At least 30 minutes a day, our older children choose a book and sit down to read quietly. In addition to counting towards educational hours, reading strengthens vocabulary and word recognition. They can also choose to read to their younger siblings if they want, but they know it’s a requirement to read every day. Many of my children enjoy reading, so it’s not a hassle, but if your kids aren’t big readers, make it fun! Use stickers, a checklist, or other incentives you know will motivate them to ensure they reach their daily reading goals. These are great ways to keep it fun and exciting for children who may not enjoy reading yet.
Help someone
The kids get to choose what to do, but they must help someone else around the house. This can be as simple as helping someone with their chores, planning our lunch or dinner for the day, or sitting with a younger sibling and working on letter recognition. The choice is completely up to them.
Learn something new
Again, this can be very simple or complex, depending on their choice. Our younger children have very simple chores around the house, so it could be learning a new chore for them. Our older children can work on a new math skill they haven’t learned, try a more difficult book to read, choose a recipe they’ve never tried before, or go outside and play a sport or game they’ve never done.
Have fun
This might seem silly, but we try to encourage fun in everything we do. I want our children to look back on their education and remember how much they loved being home together. If that ever changes, we’ll talk about what to do as a family, but for now, being home together is our best option. Once they’ve reached their daily goals, our kids are allowed free time to play board games, go outside, or have screen time.
Spend time together
You might be thinking that we already spend all day together, but this is separate from our time together homeschooling. This could be sitting down for dinner together, playing a board game, or grabbing ice cream in the evening. Whatever it is, we try to spend time together as a family away from school hours. This allows us to connect as a family, talk about what happened in our day, and check in with our older children especially. As they become teenagers it can be difficult to connect, and we work hard to keep communication open with them.
Tips for the new homeschool parent
Find support groups in your area
I can’t stress this tip enough. Homeschooling is incredible, but it can be isolating if you’re not plugged in with a good support group. Social interaction is important at any age, so take the time to find a group to join that provides the opportunity to make new friends, ask questions, and connect with like-minded people.
Research curriculum options for each child
If you have multiple children at home, what works for one of your children may not work for another. Teaching a variety of grade levels requires different approaches, and that’s okay! Your child’s learning style is unique, and the beauty of homeschooling is the flexibility. Take some time to find the curriculum that is a perfect fit, and don’t feel discouraged if it takes a few tries.
Here are a few companies we have previously tried and loved:
Become familiar with home education law for your state
Education laws vary from state to state, but it’s easy to research them and find out what requirements you must meet to be compliant. Check out the Home School Legal Defense for more information!
Research education statistics for all types of education
I was homeschooled for many years, but before that, I attended private school as well as public elementary school. While I was able to keep up and received a great education, each setting provided different opportunities. Since COVID, children who received a public education are behind by about 1-2 years in reading and math. Children who received a home education were at or above grade level. This doesn’t necessarily mean homeschooling is the way to go, but it’s important to keep these statistics in mind when deciding on your child’s education.
Know that not every day is going to be easy
Homeschooling can be tough! I don’t want to fool anyone into thinking it’s smooth sailing. We have hard days every single week. But what you should also know is how rewarding it is to be so involved in your child’s education. It’s different when you’re the person teaching your child to recognize words, learn new math concepts, or build something with their hands. If you choose to homeschool, you’ll have a front-row seat to watch your child learn something new every day, and that makes the difficult days worth it.
Final thoughts
As a new homeschool family, planning our day and ensuring our children received enough educational hours seemed overwhelming. Now that we’ve set specific goals and rules for our schedule, it’s become our best decision as a family. It has provided priceless time together that we would have never experienced if our children attended school full-time. Homeschooling methods vary from family to family, and what works for us may need to be adjusted for you. That’s what I love so much about our homeschooling journey, it’s adaptable to all learning styles and family dynamics, encouraging a love of learning.
I hope this information has helped you make the right decision for your family!
Are you considering homeschooling? What is your biggest concern as a new homeschool family? Let me know in the comments below! Good luck to you!
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