When to Start Homeschooling
You might be feeling a little overwhelmed by the idea to start homeschooling your children, but there’s really no need to be. You are the best teacher for your children, because you know them, love them, and want them to have a good education.
God gave parents the responsibility and the right to teach their children; the public education system can’t match what you can give to your child. Once you decide to start homeschooling, you will be giving your children the best education possible.
Do you feel like you lack the knowledge or the necessary skills to teach your children? You can learn right along with them. Teach what you know already, and when you reach a subject that you feel limited on, you can read aloud and learn the subject together.
Many parents who start homeschooling are worried about costs. That’s not a real problem either, since homeschooling doesn’t have to cost much; it can even be free. If you decide to buy some curriculum, do so with care.
Do you have a public library close to where you live? You have a vast resource available to you. You have access not just to a wide variety of books, but also research volumes, magazines, videos, cassettes, homeschooling programs, phonics tapes, foreign language aids, and even computers.
Don’t forget to build your own home library. You can add to your book collection without spending a lot of money by finding good books at thrift stores, garage sales, and online.
Once you start homeschooling, you will realize that the process begins with the basics. One of the best things you can do with your child is read aloud. It is important to emphasize the importance of the written word at all ages.
When you start homeschooling, you can ease your children into a routine–an especially good idea if they are just old enough to start going to public school. Until you see success, you can begin by teaching one subject at a time.
I suggest that you begin with phonics. Then you can move on to reading, handwriting, and creative writing. Basic math will eventually come into the picture.
If you take the time to look, you’ll find plenty of resources geared to help you teach all these subjects. You can start homeschooling right away and feel successful. With these resources, you know you won’t have to do it alone.
