choices, choices, choices
If You Have Met One Homeschooler, You Have Met Them All One Homeschooler!
Homeschooling is definitely not what I thought it was!
I am not even going to begin to repeat all the misconceptions and stereotypes that I had about homeschooling and those who choose to homeschool. Lets just say that I was soooo off base and wrong. It took me awhile to let go of those silly notions, and recognize that all of those old thoughts, ideas and definitions were getting in the way of providing my kiddo with what she needed.
There isn’t a single “right way” to homeschool, and what works for one family may not work for another. We are happy to share what has worked (and what has not worked) for us; Not to sway you in your decision making, but to give you one more perspective to take into consideration when making your choices for your family.
The thought of “going it alone” has stopped many from homeschooling…that changes right now!
The fact that you are here, reading this sentence, means you are not “going it alone”.
We all have to start somewhere, and from that starting point we grow, stretch, back-pedal, stumble, race forward and eventually level off when we have found our stride. Homeschooling in isolation isn’t an option…for you or your kids. Now, this doesn’t mean that all you introverts will have to run out and become extroverted homeschooling parents, nor does it mean that introverted kids will suddenly become extroverts. It does mean that you and your kids will end up finding support, social opportunities, and eventually your tribes either in person, or online. Don’t dismiss or roll your eyes at the value and richness of online tribes…they exist, and are treasure troves of knowledge, wisdom and plenty of BTDT stories.
Homeschooling Support? Where do you find it?
This is in no way an exhaustive list, however, it gives you a good jumping off point when looking for Homeschool support.
A2Z HomeSchooling
I think Ann Zeise’s A2Z Homeschooling is the first stop on any new homeschooler’s journey. Now, before you freak out about the vast amount of information thrown at you when you head over to the website, take a deep breath and head there with a single purpose. Find what you are looking for, and then back away. One can easily lose hours while following one rabbit trail to the next and then the next. I particularly liked the regional homeschooling info. Here is a link to the information pertinent to our state of California.
Home School Legal Defense Association
Okay, so not the most uplifting of sites, but if you ever happen to need any help with homeschooling laws, you will glad to have this site bookmarked!
Homeschool Buyers Co-op
From the website’s name you may think that this is just a site for homeschoolers to buy and sell curriculum. Well you are partially right, you can buy and sell used curriculum and other homeschooling resources here. You can also take advantage of some amazing savings on some of the top curriculum used in education (many with free trial periods). We have purchased some curricula from the Co-op, and we definitely enjoy the savings. We also found the FREE homeschool ID card maker on this site, and boy has that come in handy over the years.