Episode 75: Could I Homeschool?

Schooling decisions are a huge weight on many families with littles. With all the politics, mandates, and government imposed curriculum, many families are asking the question, “Could I homeschool?” In this episode we are answering this question by helping you assess your wants, availability, and resources. In our Coop Q & A, we answer the question, “Are there any resources you can give me to find free printouts for my three-year-old?”

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Scoop on the Coop

Mandi enjoyed experiencing her children’s delight with their Writing & Rhetoric lesson, while Jessica has been involved in field trip planning, scheduling, and coordinating with guides and groups. She is loving her California curriculum. (For more about California history curriculum, check out her resources and guidance here.)

Deciding to Homeschool - Could I homeschool?

Deciding whether or not to homeschool can be a daunting task since it is such a huge decision. So, we are offering some simple steps to help you along and make the decision-making process more manageable for you.

1) Do I WANT to homeschool?

If you have mixed feelings about this question, you are not alone. But, whenever someone is considering homeschooling, this is the first thing we ask her, because if you don’t really want to homeschool, then you probably are not up to the task.

This may be the only question you need to ask yourself when you are considering if you “could” homeschool - because if you truly want something, you can figure it out. You can become capable. You can do what needs to be done to make it happen. (Check out Hesitant Homeschooler series of podcasts - episodes 28, 32, 36, and 37.)

If you have mixed feelings, make sure your judgement is not getting clouded by going a little deeper into this question: Do I WANT to homeschool?

What’s your ideal normal day? Does an ideal normal day mean being with your children, playing games together, and heading off to lessons, hikes, and adventures? Or is it working in an office building (or at home) developing your personal passions and interests? Is it having the house to yourself and having alone time and lots of time with your friends during the day?

When you think of homeschooling, what’s the first feeling or picture that pops in your head? Is it cuddling your children? Chaos with lots of books and messes lying around? Peacefulness? Fear? Smiling children? Crying children? Are you excited? A good nervous? Make sure that your expectations and your emotions regarding anxiety about this new or different lifestyle do not cloud your judgment.

What are the reasons you are considering homeschooling? Is it to get more time with your child? Is it to have freedom from busy schedules? Is it purely a problem-solving solution? Is it because of recent current events? List out your reasons for considering homeschooling. Look at that list and then ask yourself, “Do I WANT to homeschool because of these reasons?”
Do I want to take more ownership over my child’s education? If not, then you may not want to homeschool. If you feel like it’s something you might enjoy once you get your hand dirty? Then you might want to homeschool.

Do you have any outside pressure from friends or extended family that may be affecting your decision? Try to leave them out of it, unless they are the ones homeschooling your children.

Do you have any reasons why you feel like you can’t homeschool? This is a you thing - you don’t have the patience, the teaching expertise, the content knowledge - but you would want to if you had confidence that you had all those things. Try listening to our Hesitant Homeschooler podcast series and the Single Child podcast episode, and then check back in on this sub-question to reassess. You might not have this hesitancy once you hear how we homeschoolers deal with those “I want to, but don’t think I can” statements.

Still confused if you WANT to homeschool? Make a t-chart with pros for homeschooling on one side, and cons of homeschooling on the other side.

Now, can you say that you WANT to homeschool? That’s really the main deciding factor. But, let’s add in two more questions to consider for “Could I Homeschool?”

2) Am I available (or is someone available) to homeschool my child?

If you have a career you care about that you need to attend during “school” hours, that can be a challenge, but it’s doable if you work from home.

If you are a single parent, do you have other family members that can offer needed support?

Would you have availability to pursue friendships for your children and yourself such as a homeschool community?

Would you have availability to perform the education, read books, grade work, learn concepts with your child?

If you have really low availability and you do not have anyone else to carry out some of the educational activities, then you might not be able to homeschool.

3) Do I have resources to be successful at homeschooling if I try it for 1 semester?

Resources:

A small budget for acquiring school supplies, some content/curriculum, etc.
An accessible library is very helpful!
Games
Places you can be outside safely for your child to play
Internet and laptop/computer to look up information and explore ideas
People, podcasts, helpful tools that can support your choices

When deciding whether or not to homeschool, remember:

“Children want the same things we want. To laugh, to be challenged, to be entertained, and delighted.”

- Dr. Seuss

Coop Q & A

Question: Next Monday I’m going to start homeschooling my newly 3 year old. Are there any resources you can give me to find free printouts? I appreciate all your help and Thank You so much!

Answer: There are many places to obtain free stuff for homeschooling. Try Facebook groups that are named “Free Homeschooling” and Teachers Pay Teachers for free downloadables. Also, many homeschooling websites/blogs offer free downloadables to print out if you subscribe to their weekly email list.

Also, I would rephrase this question to be: I’m a parent of my newly 3 year old. Are there any resources you can give me to find free, wonderful experiences with my little one?

You do not need printouts for a 3 year old. If you want them to write, use ziplocs with glitter glue swirling around inside. Use sensory bins. Read aloud. But printouts are not needed other than maybe some coloring sheets. Use printer paper to draw and create stories together about the drawings. For more about homeschooling preschool, check out podcast Episode 4 - Preschool.

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