Whether recent news has made you consider homeschooling for the first time, or you’ve been thinking about it for awhile and are finally ready to take the plunge, this guide is for you. I’ve included everything you need to know for how to start homeschooling in 2023! Read on for a step by step guide to getting started with homeschooling!
May contain affiliate links
How to Start Homeschooling – Researching the Laws in Your State
The very first thing you need to do when learning how to start homeschooling your child is to gain a full understanding of the homeschool laws in your state. The laws for homeschooling vary greatly from state to state, so it’s really important that you understand the requirements to homeschool in your state before you get started.
Homeschooling in some form is Legal in all 50 US states, but the requirements are not the same for all. This is the best website to go to to find out the specific laws and requirements for your state. https://hslda.org/legal
Some states like Connecticut, NJ and Alaska, have very low regulation and requirements, while other states like Massachusetts and New York have very high regulations. So it’s very important to understand the laws in your state before you get started.
Join Your Local Homeschool Facebook Group
Facebook groups can really be a big help in getting started with homeschooling. Many states have large Facebook groups that you can join and get a lot of help and support on how to start homeschooling. It’s a great place to get your questions answered by parents who are already homeschooling their kids.
Just go on Facebook and search for “Homeschool in Texas” or whatever state you happen to live in and you will be amazed at how many different groups there are. Start with the biggest groups when you’re just getting started as they are likely to have the most general information. As you get more into homeschooling, you can search for groups that are close to your area or that cater to particular interests and activities.
Related – https://eschooled.com/eight-homeschooling-myths-for-new-homeschoolers/
Getting Started With Homeschooling – Withdrawing Your Child from School
Once you understand what is required in your state in order to start homeschooling, it’s time to formally withdraw your child from school! If your child has never attended school, you may not have to notify anyone to start homeschooling, but that also depends on the state you live in.
If your child is currently enrolled in school, make sure you follow the law exactly. Many states will require a certified letter to be sent to the school prior to withdrawing your child. It is very important that you follow the law here. Sometimes school districts will try to ask for MORE than what is required by law. This is where it is really important that you understand the law. If you’ve found a great Facebook group in your state, you can ask these questions there as well and hear from other parents who have already gone through the process of withdrawing their kids from school.
Related – https://eschooled.com/online-homeschooling-programs/
How to Start Homeschooling – De-school First!
So you’ve taken the plunge and officially withdrawn your child from school. Now what? The first thing you need to do is take some time to de-school. No matter what your reasons are for homeschooling, you must realize that homeschooling does not have to mean “recreating school at home.” There are many reasons why public school is vastly different from homeschool.
For one, the individual attention your children will receive at home means you can spend A LOT less time doing actual school. You should NOT be trying to make your kids sit and do school for 6 or more hours a day. That is a sure way to fail and have everyone be miserable.
16,000 Printable Teaching Resources for only $2.99 a Year!
Don’t forget, you also have the freedom to teach whenever and wherever you choose. You don’t need to stick to a strict schedule unless you want to. The same subjects don’t need to be taught every day or every week. You can take your child’s interest into consideration. There is so much flexibility in homeschooling!
By taking a few weeks off, you allow everyone a break from school and time to get used to the idea of homeschooling before jumping right in.
Choosing the Right Curriculum
This is really going to depend on you and your goals for homeschooling. You can buy one whole curriculum and follow it to the letter, or you can mix and match and buy different books from different curriculums. One of the beauties of homeschooling is being able to adjust to your child’s level of ability and interest. I can’t say this enough – homeschool does not have to recreate school at home! You get to do this your own way. By choosing things your kids are actually interested in and challenged by, school becomes more than just something to get through in order to graduate.
You can also include online school as part of your homeschool curriculum. There are many great websites, depending on your child’s age and what they are interested in. I recommend Adventure Academy!
Don’t forget field trips! One of the best things about homeschooling is that you have the freedom to go places with your kids when other kids are in school. Many museums offer homeschool discounts so be sure to ask! Libraries often have passes you can borrow to get into museums at a discount as well!
How to Start Homeschooling – Don’t Give Up!
If you’re new to the whole homeschool thing, it might seem overwhelming. You might have days where you just want to give up. After all, you can always just send your kids back to school if it isn’t working.
The thing is, you probably didn’t make this decision lightly. If you’re used to school, it may be hard to get the hang of homeschooling right away. This is why de-schooling is so important. You have to get the whole idea of school out of your mind. Homeschooling should really be called home learning or home education, because that’s what it really is. It’s not school at home. It’s something entirely different.
So long as you don’t try to recreate school at home, homeschooling can be a wonderful experience for the whole family. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me! And don’t forget to sign up to our email list below!
