Homeschool Essentials: I could NEVER Homeschool without {Support}

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When I first made the decision to Homeschool my children, my husband wasn’t fully convinced it was the best idea for us. Neither of us were Homeschooled, nor did we know anyone who was Homeschooled. We were both fully aware of the negative stereotypes of socially awkward kids, and kids who were not up to par with their peers.

Now my Husband is a smart man, and he knows when I put my mind to doing something, it’s hard to talk me out of it.But I’m also a smart woman, I know that I need his support to do something of this magnitude.

We agreed to start Homeschooling on a trial basis. As “Type A” people, we decided the best way to see if this would work for us would be to test Bug’s progress in a controlled way. I tested him before I began using the DORA and DOMA assessments, chose curriculum for a semester with the help of Hubby, and dug in.

When the semester was up, we gave Bug the same tests, and the progress he made was unbelievable. From that moment on, Hubby was sold on Homeschooling. I really couldn’t Homeschool without support.

My Husband is the one who reminds me of why we Homeschool when I am having a bad day and feel overwhelmed. He’s the one who notices the subtle changes in the kids and their abilities, and points them out to me when I am too far in it to see the bigger picture. He’s the one who gently points out when things aren’t working, and helps me find solutions to problems when I need  a change. He’s sat down with me to help me compare curriculum, and he comes home from work to help the kids with concepts I struggled to explain. He even teaches the kids himself- he’s the king of anything tech related or big and messy.

He’s unbelievably important to our Homeschool. He’s not the only person I lean on for support, it helps to have lots of people on my “team”

Where Else Can You Find Homeschool Support? I would never (ever) recommend homeschooling without your spouses support, but not all people are good at being “cheerleaders” and the more people on your side, the better. Building a network of people who want to see you succeed in Homeschooling is so important.

Have Family on Your Side Does your extended family support Homeschooling? I hope they do! Let your kids share their progress and projects with Grandma and Grandpa. Invite them along on field trips. Maybe they can help teach Jr. how to make their world famous chocolate cake, or help teach them another skill!

Find a Friend Hopefully there are Homeschoolers in your area. Somewhere. If you don’t know where they are at, try asking around at the library (because you know most of us hang out there!) or try a Google search for groups in your area. Facebook is a fantastic resource. You can start a group for “Homeschoolers in XYZ” and people will join it. No one “gets me” quite like other Homeschoolers. I have friends who drool over curriculum with me, who encourage me with the hard stuff, and share their experiences.

Join a Forum If there aren’t Homeschoolers in your area (and even if there are!) a Forum is invaluable. I love being able to head over to the Well Trained Mind forums to ask like minded Homeschoolers for advice on curriculum, or a suggestion to help teach a difficult concept. It’s a great place to chat when I have a free moment!  

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