So you are thinking about Homeschooling?

An old friend that I lost contact with emailed me and said she was thinking about Homeschooling.

Do you know of any resources, books, or websites that offer data and info. about Homeschooling?

There are MANY PROS, or else no one would homeschool :)
My relationships with my children are the best ever. Of any pro that is the best one.

God gave you your children, to be raised and nurtured by You. Not by teachers at school all day and by the influence of 30 little kids all day and their young brains.

Do you want your children "attached" to you and your love & values or "attached" to their peers and what children teach other children?
*see the book - Hold On to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers (Paperback)by Gordon Neufeld (Author), Gabor Md Mate (Author)


There are lots of cons, but those are mainly when Other people are not supportive, or other people push what Society Thinks is "Normal" on you and you worry. YOU have to be strong and know that You make the best decisions about Your children/family and YOU know what is BEST.... Not society.

Google homeschool and just start reading.
I still do it ALL the time and read and study about it all the time.

I read the blogs of Homeschool moms around the country & world and what they do and have tried and works for them or not.
(there are lots of smart HS moms in England, Australia, Canada & New Zealand.... Also USA moms that are around the world with their husbands job or military)

I'm on a bunch of Yahoo Group lists that have wonderful women there that give TONS of advice and help. http://groups.yahoo.com/

I belong to lapbooking, Charlotte Mason, Catholic Homeschooling, tidal homeschooling, unschooling, california homeschool and our city groups.
Do a search and join some groups. Sign up to get "group" email that comes once a day. Read it if anything interests you, delete it if you don't.

Check out California Homeschool Network's website.
They have all information you might want to start with on their website: http://www.californiahomeschool.net/default.htm

Try About.com
http://homeschooling.about.com/od/gettingstarted/a/homeschool4you.htm
http://homeschooling.about.com/od/gettingstarted/p/homeschool101.htm

Other families that we know all homeschool very differently from our home's version.
It really depends on your children's ages, abilities, interests & Yours.
Every home & family will have their own reasons, curriculum, rules, groups, classes, friends, park days, and everything.

One thing you will come to is choosing what method of homeschool you want.
http://homeschooling.about.com/od/methods/Homeschool_Methods_Finding_a_Method_thats_Right_for_You.htm

I'm on my 3rd or 4th way. We did Seton Homeschool. http://www.setonhome.org/
But ended that about Spring last year.
We started with a Charter School this year. But we left that school earlier this month.
Now days we are doing more Unschooling.
http://home-educate.com/unschooling/index.shtml
http://www.lifelearning.org/2006/11/
http://www.livingjoyfully.ca/unschooling/stages.htm

I recommend reading lots of books for lots of views of other homeschool families.
All of these books I got at the local Library.

In the Catlog Search, look up "homeschooling", "home school" or "homeschool" for different titles. Also "Learning", "learning at home" or "unschool".

The 4 best books that helped me know God was calling me to homeschool:

The ABC's of homeschooling / Vicki Caruana. Caruana, Vicki.

Home sweet homeschool : a survivor's guide to giving your kids a quality education / Sue Maakestad. Maakestad, Sue.

Homeschooling : take a deep breath--you can do this! / by Terrie Lynn Bittner. Bittner, Terrie Lynn, 1959-

Homeschooling for excellence / David and Micki Colfax. Colfax, David.


Books I own, you can borrow:

Catholic Homeschooling by Mary Kay Clark

The Catholic Homeschool Companion by Maureen Wittman & Rachel Mackson

A Catholic Homeschool Treasury by Rachel Mackson, Maureen Wittmann

the unschooling handbook by Mary Griffith

Things We Wish We’d Known edited by Bill & Diana Waring

Designing your Own Classical Curriculum by Laura Berquist


Other books I’ve read that all have something helpful from the Library:

The unofficial guide to homeschooling / Kathy Ishizuka. Ishizuka, Kathy.

Home schooling on a shoestring : a jam-packed guide / Melissa L. Morgan & Judith Waite Allee ; [edit Morgan, Melissa L., 1958-

Homeschooling, the early years : your complete guide to successfully homeschooling the 3- to 8-year- Dobson, Linda.

The homeschooling handbook : from preschool to high school, a parent's guide / Mary Griffith. Griffith, Mary, 1953-

Teach your own : the John Holt book of homeschooling / John Holt, Patrick Farenga. Holt, John Caldwell, 1923-

Home learning year by year : how to design a homeschool curriculum from preschool through high school Rupp, Rebecca.

Family matters : why homeschooling makes sense / David Guterson. Guterson, David.

Home Learning Year By Year : How To Design A Homeschool Curriculum From Preschool Through High School / Rebecca Rupp. Rupp, Rebecca.