Tips on Starting to Homeschool Mid Year
- rstinson10
- Feb 5
- 4 min read
Updated: May 12
Welcome to the homeschool community!
We are glad you are here!
Are you pulling your child out of public school in the middle of the school year to homeschool? Here are some tips to make this transition as smooth as possible.
Every state has their own homeschool laws
Do not just pull your child out!
Many families are surprised to learn they cannot immediately pull their child out of public school, regardless of the circumstance. Homeschooling is legal in every state; however, each state has their own laws about removing your child from public school to homeschool. This might include communicating with the school district, certain age requirements and testing. Even if you are just 1% sure you are going to homeschool in the future, we strongly recommend you are aware of these laws. If you pull your child out of school without performing the necessary legal steps, you can be arrested for truancy. And if the school district administrators are rabidly anti-freedom, you can be sure that they will use truancy as a weapon against you.
Familiarize yourself with your states homeschool laws before you take action
Navigating homeschool laws can be challenging depending on what state you are in. The HSLDA (Homeschool Legal Defense Association) is an advocacy group that provides legal protection and counsel for homeschool families navigating these legislations. They also represent homeschool families in court who are experiencing lawfare, which is very common in our community unfortunately. HSLDA legal assistance is available via membership, which you might consider getting. https://hslda.org. HSLDA is a good source of information on how to homeschool, from a legal perspective.
Vote to protect homeschooling
It is because of these homeschool laws that homeschoolers are very, strongly against any voucher programs. Recently, homeschooling has become more popular and has gotten the attention of legislators. There has been an increase in the number of laws restricting homeschooling, redirecting tax dollars and creating voucher programs. We already have school choice. These laws are big government bureaucracy disguised as “help” and they are creating a huge legal mess for homeschool families. Vote NO on voucher programs. They do not help our community.
Click here for more information about how vouchers harm our community.
A SAHM (Stay at Home Mom) or homeschool mom is a full time job
Take it seriously and treat it like a full-time job. Going halfway isn't enough. Manage your home with your husband. Think of your home like a company. Your husband is the CEO and you are the Vice President of Operations. Communicate and be organized. Consider making a daily schedule for your family. Research whether you want to do a year round school model or follow the school calendar. There are pro and cons of each.
Create a daily routine for your family
We use a daily semi-flexible schedule which helps us stay organized, creates balance, helps avoid burn out, and helps our home run smoothly. Click to see our post about creating a schedule.
Your family might experience FOMO about leaving the school system
FOMO is "Fear of Missing Out". It is the sadness or feeling of being "left out" of a trend or activity. In this case, your child might miss seeing their friends every day, riding the school bus or other aspects of their school day. Read our post about handling FOMO about leaving the public school system to homeschool.
Deschool yourself and your kids
Deschooling is the process of changing your mindset about school and education. Since homeschooling is very different than public school or private school, it is important to learn about what home education really looks like and to have reasonable expectations for your children's education. It is not 6 hours sitting behind a desk and it's unlike remote learning. There are many methods that can be used, ranging from curriculum choices, activities, and local educational opportunities
It's easier and than people think. Mainly, because homeschooling is composed of normal, everyday activities you would be doing anyway. Here are 10 ways you might be "accidentally" homeschooling.
Be social
Immerse yourself in the homeschool community. Make new friends. There are many social activities in the homeschool world including micro-schools, co-ops, homeschool meetups, etc. Homeschooling is a unique endeavor and it is important to meetup with people who share this experience.
Chose your curriculum
Here are some things to know about curriculum before you shop. You don't have to buy an expensive highly structured curriculum. Look at all of your options before you buy:
Many homeschoolers utilize part time and private childcare and education.
This might be extracurriculars, sports, a nanny, tutor, grandparents, co-ops, etc. Think about that might look like for your family.
Attend an “Introduction to homeschool” class and/or a homeschool convention
Its beneficial to attend these types of events because you can gain confidence in your choice while also benefitting from the experiences of other homeschoolers.
Avoid the bad mom/hot mess mom trend.
Take care of yourself and love your family by presenting them as an example to others: with integrity and beauty.
Take advantage of the many benefits we enjoy!
Our community thrives when we help each other.
Participating in meal trains, voting pro-homeschool, and supporting businesses that cater to the homeschool community are a few ways to help our community. For more ways to support homeschooling, click here https://www.homeschoolgateway.org/post/support
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