You may have had no choice earlier this year when your children were sent home from traditional schools. But what about now, when the schools in your area could reopen?

You can choose to send them back to school or continue on at home as you’ve done for months. With the new rules and regulations concerning the health of your children, keeping them home may seem like the sane choice.

And you’re right.

But I won’t go into my strong opinions for homeschooling. What I will do, however, is give you an emergency kit to get you started on this new chapter of your life. 

Step 1: After you investigate the laws and regulations regarding homeschool in your area, follow the steps and fill in the blanks on whatever documentation is required. You can find State Resources listed here. Follow the link to your state to learn more.

Step 2: Take a deep breath and a step back. You’re about to enter a most exciting chapter in your life.

Adjustment Period

If your child has been attending a traditional school for a while, both of you need time to adjust to the change.

Homeschool is NOT school-at-home.

You do not need to recreate what your child experienced at school, or even what you may have experienced when you went to school.

What you should create is a warm, loving environment that allows for learning, no matter the activity. Homeschool is essentially an extension of your life with your child.

You do not need boxes of textbooks or crates of curriculum.

Learning takes place everywhere, not just between the covers of a dry textbook. Allow your surroundings to offer interesting learning experiences every day. 

Toolkit for new home educators:
 

1.  Observe. How does your child learn? What makes your child’s eyes light up? Where do you knock heads when trying to teach your child something new?
2.  Assess. What books and online resources do you have right now that you can incorporate into everyday learning?
3.  Gather information. Ease into homeschooling by brainstorming with your child about interests and expectations.
4. Inform. Describe your ideal homeschool experience and find out what your child pictures. You may have more in common than you expect.
5. Compromise. Meet in the middle on points where you and your child disagree. In the end, the ultimate goal is a relaxed setting that inspires interest and learning is natural.
6. Your first day, week, month, or even year of homeschooling will not look like the ones that follow. The beauty of home education is its flexibility. What works today will most likely not work later as both you and your child grow in your roles as homeschooling participants.

Everything you’ve done up to right now has been a natural process. You taught your child eating skills, simple hygiene, how to dress, and a myriad of other vital skills for everyday living.

You can continue this patient instruction throughout your child’s growing years with the same results. Introduce, instruct, observe, correct, repeat

Ideas for Daily Learning

Here are a few examples to apply to your homeschool adventure:
 

• Math – bake a cake, double a recipe, build a bird feeder, calculate mileage, balance a checkbook
• Science – watch an insect or bird, plant a garden or pot of herbs, track weather trends, stargaze
• History – read a biography, dive into genealogy, build a diorama of a famous historical scene, study the Constitution
• Literature – read a classic book out loud, enact a play, rewrite a favorite story, recite a poem
• Geography – hang a map on the wall and color in the states or countries you’ve studied, make a clay model of an earth feature, measure the elevation of your local area.
• Foreign language – watch a favorite movie with subtitles, read well known tales in a foreign language, include foreign words in your everyday conversations
• Cultural studies –recreate a meal from a history or literature book, listen to regional music from your studies, celebrate a festival from an area you’re studying.
• Art – draw a picture inspired by a favorite book or historical event, paint a birdfeeder, learn a handicraft
• Music – listen to music from the historical period you’re studying, learn to play an instrument, play relaxing music in the background to improve focus.
• Life skills – practice job interviews, learn about finances, learn to make simple repairs, know how to maintain a vehicle.

As you can see, learning is a part of everyday life.

Home Educators Resource Directory has a vast list of resources compiled just for you. You can find categories for nearly every subject you could want to introduce to your kids, with more added every month.

Secure You Support System

Life isn’t lived in a vacuum. Your family is embarking on a new education adventure, but that doesn’t mean you have to do this by yourself.

Research your area for local support groups, join an online social group, meet regularly with other home educators and arrange for your child to interact with other kids, whether online or in person.

You can find a list of Support Groups here.

Homeschooling is mainstream, and you should have no problem connecting with an ideal group for your situation.
A group will offer support, advice, suggestions, and recommendations for your ever-changing homeschool journey. And as you progress and learn, you’ll be able to offer your own unique advice to the next person joining your group.

Homeschool Resources Abound

There is no lack of available resources for your homeschool journey. You’re already in the right place to learn more, explore more, and expand your knowledge through the Home Educators Resource Directory. 

And you have the world at your fingertips. This will be the most fun you’ve had in a long time. Enjoy.

download the Recommended Resources Guide 

More helpful reads:
The Professional Mom
Transistiong to Homeschooling
Maximizing the Opportunities of Homeschooling
Balancing Fundamentals with Your Child's Interests
Homeschool is NOT "Alternative Education"
 

Beverly Matoney is a veteran homeschool mom of two graduates who took her kids from preschool through high school and into college. She founded Homeschool Copywriter and provides website and email copy and content for companies marketing products and services to homeschoolers. Beverly also offers private consultations to new and established homeschool parents seeking information and guidance, customized to their particular situation. Learn more at Homeschool Copywriter or send an email to beverly@homeschoolcopywriter.com.