The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling: Everything You Need to Know Before Deciding If Homeschool Is Right for You.

Are you thinking about homeschooling your children? Have your friends taken off on this road less traveled, and you're curious why anyone would choose this option? Regardless of why you are here, there's no denying, the number of students being homeschooled in the U.S. remains much higher than pre-pandemic levels, though growth has stabilized since the pandemic peak. In the United States, there are approximately 3.7 million children currently being homeschooled. This is a big jump up from around 275,000 children in the 1990s.

There are many reasons why families choose to homeschool, and they might not be the reasons you think. Whether you're looking for guidance on where to start or you're wondering if homeschooling is right for your family, here's everything you need to know.

Homeschooling Is on the Rise. Why?

Homeschooling has been on the rise over the last several decades. However, after the COVID mandates, homeschooling rates remained elevated compared to pre-pandemic levels, but the rapid increase has slowed. While many people associate homeschooling with religion and the desire to shelter kids, these motivations often don't even make it into the top reasons that someone would choose homeschooling for their family. Instead, many parents choose homeschooling due to:

• Dissatisfaction with government-run public schools.
• Concerns about their child's safety and bullying.
• A need for individualized learning plans.
• More opportunities academically.
• The ability to customize a child's education to their specific learning style.
• More time together and stronger family bonds.
• A desire to protect minority children from lower expectations and possible racism.

What Are the Perks of Homeschooling?

Choosing homeschool for your family is a personal choice that comes with plenty of perks. These include:

• More time with your children.
• Ability to outsource different subjects and pick your child's curriculum.
• Choice to go at a slower or faster pace, depending on the needs of your child.
• Freeing your children from constant peer pressure found in public school.
• Providing children with a safe environment to learn.
• Flexibility during the day.
• Being more involved in the community.
• Increased autonomy for students.
• Helping children learn valuable and unique social skills by being with people of various ages.

What Are the Downsides of Homeschooling?

Like anything else, homeschooling does come with some downsides as well, which include:

• Being the one solely responsible for your child's education.
• Lack of resources.
• High costs, depending on what curriculum and resources you use.
• Children feel isolated if they're not given proper opportunities for socialization.
• Dealing with criticism from friends, family, and even strangers.

Is Homeschooling Right for Your Family? Here's What You Need to Know.

As a mom of four going on her ninth year of homeschooling, trust me when I say homeschooling is a learning process. If you choose to homeschool your kids, there will be ups and downs, just like with everything else. However, if you do go down this path, you'll find there's so much beauty in the homeschool community.

Whether you're on the fence about homeschooling or planning your first year, this information will help you get started and decide what's best for your family.

First Things First: Check Your State Homeschooling Laws

The first thing you should do before you venture down this path of homeschooling is check out your state homeschooling laws. Some states, such as Indiana and Idaho, have relaxed homeschool laws. In these states, you do not have to participate in state testing or reporting; you simply need to homeschool your kids for 180 days of the year.

On the flip side, the strictest homeschool states include New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The laws include submitting letters of intent and a homeschool plan, quarterly reports, and state testing.

You will also have states that teeter between lax and restrictive laws. It's best to check out your state's specific laws so you know what to expect.

What Is Your Family's Budget?

After you check out your state laws, take a close look at your family's budget. How much do you have available to put towards curriculum and extras? Homeschooling can absolutely be done on a budget. However, it takes careful planning and intention if this is the route you want to go on.

Be sure you know upfront exactly how much you have to work with to create the best education plan for your children.

Homeschooling IS a Time Commitment

Homeschooling is a time commitment. You have to go into it knowing this upfront. You will spend a lot of time planning as well as time teaching your child. If you are willing to put in the work and spend that extra time like it's your full-time job, then homeschooling may be a good fit for your family.

You'll also need to keep records of what your child works on. Even if you live in a state that has very few requirements for your homeschooling, it's still a good idea to keep accurate records. You can keep these digitally, or you can file them away in an old-school filing cabinet. These records will come in handy because you never know what the future may hold.

Homeschooling Doesn't Just Mean Staying Home

While it has the word home in it, homeschooling doesn't mean just staying home, completing the curriculum, and never leaving your house.

Today, there are so many options for homeschoolers. There are co-ops, enrichment classes, field trips, and community homeschool days. Check out your local library; they may also host specific activities just for homeschoolers. The same is true for museums, zoos, and historic sites.

You Can Outsource Parts of Your Child's Education

While some homeschool families believe that the sole responsibility should fall only on the parents, this doesn't have to be the case for your family. You can choose to outsource parts of your child's education.

Not strong in teaching math? See if there's a tutor or a homeschool enrichment class that can help your child learn these skills. Can't seem to fit in geography or science? Check out local co-ops and see if they can cover these subjects. There are also options online that can be wonderful supplements for your homeschool.

You're Not Recreating School at Home

Sometimes we go into this homeschooling gig with the mindset that we are recreating the public-school environment at home. However, that isn't the purpose of homeschooling.

If your child thrives this way, then great. If they don't, then don't be afraid to branch out a little and create the type of learning environment that's best for your child.

Your Decisions Will Probably Be Questioned

Chances are, if you choose to homeschool your kids, you will probably be questioned by well-meaning friends, family, and strangers. They may even start to quiz your child.

When we started on our homeschool journey, I had one child who was in preschool. My husband was told by a stranger, “Oh, I wouldn't do that if I were you.” My husband replied, “It's a good thing you're not me, then.” He didn't know me, my husband, or my daughter. He also didn't know our reasons for homeschooling. If you haven't already, you will probably encounter something similar.

The good news is that the majority of these comments come from a place of love and real concern. Perhaps these people don't understand homeschooling, the available resources, or the state that public schools are in today. The best thing you can do is approach these people with grace and understanding. If all else fails, you can always start quizzing them on third-grade vocabulary and science theories, which may be a surefire way to stop them in their tracks.

There is an Overwhelming Abundance of Curriculum Choices

Curriculum. It is everywhere. In fact, with all the homeschool curricula available today, it can be quite overwhelming. Don't fret. Instead, take your time researching what might work for your family. Talk to friends or acquaintances who have also chosen to homeschool. Ask for recommendations and compare price points. Try out samples of the curriculum you are interested in.

Keep in mind that you don't have to stick with a curriculum if it's not working, although leaving a curriculum you paid a pretty penny for can be painful.

Before you choose a curriculum, also consider your child's learning style. Not every child learns the same way, and this will help you determine what style of education may work best for them.

Find a Homeschool Community

Having support during this journey is important. Before you start this journey, look for your homeschool community. Whether they come from a co-op group, a long-time friend, or an acquaintance who has been homeschooling for a long time, these people can become invaluable.

They will become a sounding board as you ask questions about developing your family's homeschool plan, as well as sharing your anxieties and worries.

You Will Make Mistakes and Have Hard Years

Homeschooling isn't always easy. Making the decision may be what is best for your family, but that doesn't mean you won't make mistakes. You can learn from these mistakes and move forward to create the best learning environment you can for your kids.

You will also have hard years. There may be years you want to throw in the towel. However, that doesn't mean you're terrible at homeschooling; it just means you're human. Facing challenging days helps you develop grit and resilience.

Homeschooled Kids Are No ‘Weirder' Than Public-Schooled Kids

Many homeschooling families worry that they will mess up their kids by homeschooling them. As though this will somehow make them weird. One reason that parents feel this way is that it's one of the most common criticisms homeschool families hear. However, choosing homeschooling doesn't automatically make your kid weird. On the flip side, it can give your children socialization opportunities that they may not get otherwise.

For example, a few months ago, my daughter participated in a dance event. She happened to go early and hung out with the other performers for a few hours. When the night was over, a 60-year-old woman came up to me and said, “I just wanted to tell you that your daughter is such a delight. She sat with me for over an hour before the show, and we just chatted about everything. I was so surprised that a 12-year-old girl was able to and willing to converse with me, a 60-year-old woman, for over an hour. You don't see that very often.”

If you choose homeschooling, your child has the opportunity to develop socialization skills like anyone else. Maybe even more so if you diversify who they socialize with.

Homeschool Students Often Score Just as High, If Not Higher, on Standardized Tests

Another fear of parents is their children falling behind. However, I can tell you from my own experience and also with statistics, that homeschooled students typically score 15 to 25 percentile points higher than public school students on standardized tests.. If you provide your child with a quality education, the results will show.

You Are Responsible for Your Child's Education

This is perhaps one aspect of homeschooling that is hard to accept, but it's important to remember from the get-go. If you choose homeschool, then you are choosing sole responsibility for your child's education.

Yes, even if your child is in public school, you are responsible for their education. However, when the responsibility falls squarely on your shoulders, you will need to take it seriously. Homeschooling is not an excuse to escape educational responsibility. It can be a rewarding journey, but it's also a serious commitment that needs careful consideration.

One Last Note

Homeschooling is growing rapidly and for good reason. It can be a rewarding journey that offers your child an individualized way of learning. Homeschooling can also be a great way to bond with your child, have more time with them, and create a learning environment that caters to your child's pace.

It isn't the easy path, and it's not for everyone, but if you decide it works for your family, you may look back almost a decade later (like me) and say that homeschooling was the best choice you ever made for your family.

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