Before you begin the investigation process about homeschooling laws, you must first examine yourself. Will you be consistent? Will you become easily distracted and put off teaching your child for a shopping trip or an outing with your friends? And most importantly, will you be home to teach your child? If you decide homeschooling the children should be a joint effort because both parents work, make sure that your schedules do not allow for the children to be alone during school time.
It is too easy to get fired up about homeschooling your children and then fall off the wagon. Children need a consistent education. I've known homeschooled children that are brilliant and far ahead of their peers. On the other end of the spectrum, I've known homeschooled children whose educations have been neglected. These children don't have learning disabilities, they are simply not being taught. You cannot expect your child to motivate himself and get all of his work done on his own. If you cannot afford the time it takes to give your child a proper education, then don't do it.
You don't need to be a rocket scientist to teach your children. However, you should have a basic knowledge of the things your child needs to know for a well-rounded education. Obviously you aren't going to remember everything from school, but make sure that when your child gets to a certain tough subject that you know how to explain it. Homeschooling is not easy and it's not for lazy people. You must be willing to learn so you can teach.
The next thing you should do when considering homeschooling your child is to look into your state's laws. Homeschooling laws vary by state. Some states require homeschooled children to take standardized tests once a year or once every two years. Other states do not require standardized testing for homeschoolers at all. Also, find out if your state has a law about the minimum number of days a child must be in school per year.
Then you must decide upon curriculum. If you want to homeschool your children because your religious beliefs aren't being taught in school, there are several curriculums that teach religion alongside basic studies. There are also many secular curriculums available. Make sure that the curriculum you choose will challenge your child. It may take some time to find the curriculum that is just right. When my mother first started homeschooling me when I was in the fifth grade we discovered that not all curriculums are created equal. I raced through my first set of books because they were just too easy. We went through several curriculums until we found one that both challenged me and was written in a manner in which I could understand it.
A common misconception amongst those unfamiliar with homeschooling is that the children only learn "the 3 R's". There are many extra subjects available, such as language studies, accounting and business math, theology, computer studies and more. Some places even have online correspondence classes. Others use computer-based curriculum. If you choose to use a computer-based program, don't forget to have your child practice his penmanship with real pen and paper.
Some states have statewide homeschooling associations that host fairs for homeschooling parents. There you can look at a number of different curriculums and talk to other parents who are homeschooling their children. You can also find out about extra-curricular activities for homeschooled children.
The number one question I was asked as a homeschooled child was, "Oh, so you don't have a social life, then?" Social interaction is just as important as a book education in a child's developing years. The lack of social interaction as a child can lead to a number of problems. The child, when suddenly faced with society, has the potential to withdraw into himself. A child cannot grow up to be a productive citizen if he spent his childhood being sheltered from his peers. However, the myth that most homeschooled children are socially retarded is false. While there are many homeschooled children in that situation, you will find that they are the minority. There are several ways for homeschooled children to have a healthy social life. If you go to church, try to get your son or daughter active in the church's youth programs. Look for co-ops or homeschooling groups in your area. Some homeschooling groups swap teaching assignments. Maybe one parent in the group is better at math while another is better with English. The homeschool groups I was involved in as a child went on field trips together. Every month we had two activities: one fun, one educational. So in a given month we might go rollerskating on one day. For the next field trip we would visit a museum or tour a factory to see how products were made.
Above all, and I can't stress it enough, if you decide to homeschool your child make sure you can be there. You cannot balance a full-time job with homeschooling if you plan on doing it alone. You may have the best of intentions, but it just will not work. If ever there comes a point during your child's school years that you feel you can no longer do it, then don't. Send them back to school. Children cannot be expected to stay home by themselves all day and teach themselves while you're at work.
Always remember that their education should be your first priority. Make sure that you don't overload yourself with too many responsibilities. Sometimes staying at home can be boring and stressful and you just need a break. There is nothing wrong with volunteering and helping friends and neighbors in your community, but never let it get in the way of your child's education. I have seen too many children whose education's have been neglected because their parents were to busy helping other people. If your kids need you, you have to be there.