Beginning Your Homeschool Journey - One Step at a Time

So many questions come to mind when you begin homeschooling. You may have young children and you just know that you will homeschool from the start. Others, like me, have children who had previously attended public school and you are making a big change. Either way, you are bound to be navigating through some rough waters and winding roads when you take on this challenge. I often describe homeschooling as a “journey”. I say this because you are constantly moving, changing, and re-adjusting your travel plans. It is not a one time and done deal; it is a long, exciting, challenging adventure! While I am not an expert by any means, I have learned a few things that I wanted to share with new homeschool parents, in order to provide a tiny bit of a road-map to help you along the way.

Choose Your Destination

No matter how prepared you are, the beginning of the school year will sneak up on you. So the earlier you prepare, the less stressed out you will be when it comes time to start school. The first thing to do is decide where you are headed – what is your destination? Sit down with your spouse and discuss why you want to homeschool and what you want your children to get out of it. What are your worldviews, morals, ideals, and educational standards that you hope to instill? By thinking about these questions, you will have a clearer understanding of your destination, and it will set the groundwork for choosing your path. It is also helpful to set realistic short-term and long-terms goals, and write them down. They don’t have to be fancy, just attainable. This being my first year, my short-term goal has been to get through the year with all of my hair intact! (So far, so good!) Now that you have a good idea of where you are going, you can plan your trip accordingly.

Research the Laws and Local Weather

You probably would not travel to a foreign country without researching the local laws, weather, cuisine, and customs. So it goes with homeschooling too. Try to find a few families who homeschool and pick their brains. You could think of them as the “locals” of where you are going. Ask lots of questions about their schedule, curriculum, style, organization, etc. You will gain so much insight by just asking. If you can, visit their homes and see how they do it. Everyone has different styles and methods. By the time you’ve talked to several families, you will have gained some very valuable information.

Every state has different laws and requirements that govern homeschooling. Things like letters of intent, attendance, and testing requirements can vary greatly, so search your state for its specific laws and regulations. I found it helpful to bookmark web-sites, and print hard-copies of laws to keep in a binder for quick reference. Search for any support organizations in your area. There are many organizations, (local, state, and national) that want to help you succeed. Don’t forget to search Facebook as a great source for support groups!

Now would also be a good time to consider “traveler’s insurance”. I’m not necessarily advocating for these groups, but it is nice to know that there are options, and you can decide what best suits your family’s needs. One option is an umbrella school. This is an alternative education school which serves to oversee the homeschooling of children to fulfill government educational requirements. Umbrella schools vary greatly in what they offer and cost. Some offer group classes, a defined curriculum, sports, field trips, standardized testing, and more. Another group to look into is the Home school Legal Defense Association (HSLDA). HSLDA is a nonprofit advocacy organization established to “defend and advance the constitutional right of parents to direct the education of their children and to protect family freedoms.”

Map your Route

Ok, you know where you are going and you have a pretty good idea of what to expect when you get there. Now you have to decide HOW you want to get there. For me, this was the most overwhelming part. I attended a conference last spring and I was asked numerous times what style I plan to use. Um… what? There are styles? Charlotte Mason, Classical, Traditional? I had no idea what they were talking about. But that’s not all! Once you choose a style, now you have to decide on curriculum! Literally, there are thousands of curriculum choices, and I spent hours wandering through a curriculum fair trying to decide on my children’s FUTURE! What if I pick the wrong one? What if I mess up my kids? My head was about to explode – I was so frustrated and overwhelmed! My perception was that everyone I talked to felt their curriculum was the “right” one. I wanted to cry and I wanted to quit. But, when my head stopped spinning, I came to an amazing realization that there is no right or wrong way, that there is no such thing as one-size-fits-all. Every style and every curriculum has pros and cons for every family. Although it can feel daunting, the best advice I can give is to stay calm and return to your original questions of why and what. Find a style that speaks to you and start there. Find a curriculum that appeals to you, and JUST GO WITH IT! You can mix and match whenever you want. When you are traveling, you are not locked into a certain route. You may hit road construction, bad weather and detours. When you are on the beautiful homeschool journey, you can turn around, back up, speed ahead, take a side-road, adjust your route. It doesn’t matter, just enjoy the ride!!

I found this to be a helpful article, with lots of guided print-outs: Choosing Curriculum

Time to Pack!

Get an idea of how much money you can spend on your journey and try to set a budget. Once you decide, go ahead and order a few things. If you are working with a tight budget, you can check out used curriculum sites, borrow from friends, or rent from the library. Head to your local second hand stores, dollar stores, and online sites. It is amazing what you can find for math manipulatives, art supplies, text books, reference materials, educational games and videos on the cheap. Try it out for a month, 3 months, 6 months. If it is working for you and your family, GREAT, then go ahead with it. If it isn’t working, then adjust your route. I think the biggest mistake you could make is to drop hundreds or thousands of dollars on an entire curriculum for an entire year, and end up hating it. Who wants to be STUCK in road construction and miserable for the whole year, when you could have easily taken a detour?

Get in the Car and GO!

The only thing left to do is fire up your engine and GO! Start on this incredible journey. Make sure you don’t get so wrapped up in the destination and distracted by the road-bumps that you forget to enjoy the ride. Be flexible, adjust, grow. Enjoy the time you have with your family, and it is helpful to have a big backyard for the times you are not enjoying it so much!! There is no right or wrong way to take this trip. But one thing is certain; your life will be blessed in ways you never expected.

Click the image below to see all the posts in The ABCs of Homeschooling Series

My name is Kacey. I live and work on a family owned and operated cattle ranch in Colorado. Beyond that, I am a home-schooling, Jesus loving, essential oiling, junk-lovin’ mother of two and a down-to-earth, imperfect ranch wife! Come visit me at The Rustic Ranch Wife.

Beginning Your Homeschool Journey – One Step at a Time

Choose Your Destination

Research the Laws and Local Weather

Map your Route

Time to Pack!

Get in the Car and GO!

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All the latest recipes, homeschool tips, printables and more

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All the latest recipes, homeschool tips, printables and more

Hi! I'm Sarah.

Choose Your Destination

Research the Laws and Local Weather

Map your Route

Time to Pack!

Get in the Car and GO!

subscribe for updates

All the latest recipes, homeschool tips, printables and more

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subscribe for updates

All the latest recipes, homeschool tips, printables and more

Hi! I'm Sarah.