5 Things Not to Do When You Begin Homeschooling

1) Do not go to your local school or school board for advice.

This does not mean you should not notify your school board, if your state requires it. However, if you need more help than that, they may not be the best source. While some school boards are accepting of and knowledgeable about homeschooling, others are simply not. They may give incorrect information based on what they want from you because it makes it easy for them, or they may erroneously interpret the state's laws. It's not uncommon to meet homeschoolers who complain that, when they first pulled their children out of school, someone at the school board unintentionally misinformed them about their options.

Your best bet is to turn to directly to the source for this information- look at the state's laws, as written, on home education. If you are having trouble understanding them, seek out counseling from veteran homeschoolers in your state- they will know exactly what is required and what your options are. They will also be able to tell you just how cooperative your local school board is when it comes to dealing with homeschoolers, and probably be able to recommend the right office or person to speak with when you do need to contact them.

2) Do not by pre-packaged curricula or educational materials.

You might feel that going into homeschooling without schoolbooks is a bit like going to the prom naked, but relax. Homeschooling is not a race. Curricula is an expensive investment, and one size does not fit every child. It's not uncommon for parents to find that the curricula they bought is gathering dust on a shelf a few months later, because it is too easy, or too hard for the child, or because it does not cater to the child's learning style. Sometimes, when a lot of money has been spent, families persist that they must use it or it would be a waste, and it becomes a source of tension and frustration between parents and homeschooled children.

The best thing you can do is ease into homeschooling, rather than cannon-ball. Spend some time with your child doing various activities, get to know his learning style, interests, and level of ability. Develop an approach to homeschooling that works for your family. Later, you can browse curricula and have a better idea of what will fit your needs and what would be a waste of money. Until then, there is the internet, the library, and the world at your feet for resources.

3) Do not create a detailed schedule or work plan.

Homeschooling is a new lifestyle, and in life you just can't plan everything. You should make some plans- in fact, some states require you to plan out a program- but be general. Don't be obsessive or highly detailed at this point when you don't know what to expect. Making a color-coded school day schedule or planning every day's lesson for the next six months might make you feel like you have better control over the situation, it is time consuming, and as you walk the homeschooling path, you will probably find out that things are not as you anticipated. As your family adjusts, you'll begin to figure out what works for you, and what doesn't. You'll no doubt have to change, or trash, your hard work when you discover the style and methods that work for you.

Rather than wasting a couple of weeks before homeschooling trying to plot out everything you and your children will do every day until the end of the school year, spend it reading up on homeschooling, educational philosophies and methods, and inspirational stories from other homeschoolers. Then, be ready to go with the flow.

4) Do not create try to recreate the school classroom in your living room.

Homeschooling isn't, and doesn't have to be, school. Don't try to play teacher. I've known some homeschooling parents who- sheepishly- admitted that they were so over-zealous that they had their children copy notes from a board, including homework. While there are some very structured families who begin the day with a salute to the flag and who follow a detailed curriculum and school-day schedule, few people find this suits them, and trying to keep this up can lead to early burn-out.

Avoid putting too much pressure on yourself or stress on your children. Treat homeschooling as a life-long journey to explore our interesting world, rather than something you do for a certain amount of time and in a certain way. It is a completely different educational model- homeschooling doesn't have to resemble school much, or at all, to be successful.

5) Do not listen to or argue with people who have no experience with homeschooling.

It's almost unavoidable that family, friends, neighbors, local grocery store clerks and bus drivers, and the homeless guy down the street, will have something to say when they find out you are homeschooling. They may either criticize your choice to homeschool, give you loads of unsolicited advice, or offer your children pop quizzes when they see them just to make sure you're doing your job. They'll probably tell you your children need to be socialized more, no matter how many outside activities your kids are in, and that you are depriving them of valuable childhood experiences like riding the school bus and eating lunch in a cafeteria. They may complain that you are not an expert in every subject, that you don't have a teaching degree, and perhaps will go so far as to say you are doing lasting damage to your children by homeschooling.

The best thing you can do for yourself, and for your children, is to tell them to mind their own business and refuse to argue about it. The vast majority of people who complain about or criticize homeschooling have never had any real experience homeschooling and little contact with the homeschooling community at large. Their concerns are usually grounded in ignorance and myth. There is no point in arguing with them, as they will just frustrate you and make you worry needlessly when things aren't absolutely perfect. When your children have been homeschooling for a while, and are happy, bright, and well-adjusted, it will be clear that you have made the right decision.